2010 NBA draft
The 2010 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft was held on June 24, 2010, at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[1][2] In a highly anticipated event, the Washington Wizards selected point guard John Wall from the University of Kentucky with the first overall pick, marking the beginning of a draft class renowned for its depth and talent from college basketball.[1] The draft consisted of 60 selections across two rounds, with 51 of those players eventually appearing in at least one NBA game.[1] This draft class stood out for its record-setting representation from a single college program, as the University of Kentucky produced five first-round picks—a feat unmatched by any other school in NBA draft history.[3] These included Wall (1st overall, to Washington), DeMarcus Cousins (5th overall, to Sacramento Kings), Daniel Orton (16th overall, to Denver Nuggets and traded to Orlando Magic), Patrick Patterson (14th overall, to Indiana Pacers and traded to Houston Rockets), and Eric Bledsoe (18th overall, to Oklahoma City Thunder and traded to Los Angeles Clippers).[1] Other key first-round selections featured Evan Turner (2nd overall, to Philadelphia 76ers from Ohio State), Derrick Favors (3rd overall, to New Jersey Nets from Georgia Tech), Wesley Johnson (4th overall, to Minnesota Timberwolves from Syracuse), Gordon Hayward (9th overall, to Utah Jazz from Butler), and Paul George (10th overall, to Indiana Pacers from Fresno State).[1] The 2010 draft is celebrated for yielding multiple perennial NBA stars and All-Stars, contributing significantly to championship-caliber teams over the subsequent decade.[4] Wall earned five All-Star selections during his tenure with the Wizards, while Cousins garnered four with the Kings and later teams; George has been a nine-time All-Star and key contributor to the Pacers and Clippers, Hayward made one All-Star appearance with the Jazz, and as of late 2025, George remains the sole active NBA player from the class following Wall's retirement in August 2025 and Hayward's in 2024.[4][5][6][7] Overall, the class's success underscored the talent pipeline from major college programs, particularly Kentucky under coach John Calipari, and influenced team-building strategies in the early 2010s.[3]Eligibility and Declarations
General Eligibility Rules
The National Basketball Association (NBA) establishes eligibility for its annual draft through provisions in its Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which in 2010 was governed by the 2005 CBA effective until 2011.[8] Under these rules, all players selected in the draft must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft.[8] Additionally, for players who attended high school in the United States, at least one NBA season must have elapsed since their high school graduating class, ensuring a minimum one-year gap post-graduation.[9] In 2010, automatic eligibility applied to specific categories of prospects without requiring formal declaration. College seniors who had exhausted their NCAA eligibility were automatically eligible, as were international players meeting the age threshold of 22 years old during the draft year.[8] High school graduates with at least four years elapsed since graduation were also automatically eligible, though this provision was rarely invoked given the one-year post-high school rule.[8] Direct entry from high school was prohibited following the 2005 CBA's implementation, a policy shift that took effect for the 2006 draft and remained stable by 2010.[10] Exceptions and nuances in the rules addressed international players and other scenarios. An "international player" was defined as one who had resided outside the United States and Canada for at least three years immediately preceding the draft and had not completed high school or college in those countries, allowing younger international prospects (19 or older) to declare early under certain conditions, such as signing a professional contract abroad.[8] NCAA transfer rules could impact eligibility by preserving or altering a college player's remaining years of amateur status, potentially affecting underclassmen's decisions to declare early while still retaining the option to withdraw and return to school.[11] This framework evolved from pre-2006 practices that permitted direct high school entries, such as those of Kobe Bryant in 1996 and LeBron James in 2003, but the 2005 CBA introduced the age restriction to promote player development and reduce risks associated with early professional transitions, with 2010 marking a period of policy consistency post-implementation.[10]College Underclassmen Early Entrants
The process for college underclassmen to enter the 2010 NBA draft required players with remaining NCAA eligibility to submit declarations by April 29, 2010, allowing them to test professional interest while retaining the option to withdraw by May 8, 2010, without hiring an agent and thus preserving college eligibility.[12] This early withdrawal deadline enabled underclassmen to receive feedback from the NBA Draft Combine and team workouts before deciding, with a final cutoff on June 14, 2010, after which withdrawals would forfeit eligibility.[13] In total, 80 U.S. college underclassmen declared as early entry candidates, reflecting a continued upward trend in declarations from the 2000s, when the number of such entrants grew from around 30-40 annually in the early decade to over 70 by 2009 due to rising professional opportunities and one-and-done pathways.[12][14] Of the 103 total early entry candidates declared (80 U.S. college underclassmen and 23 international players), 48 withdrew by the June deadline (30 U.S. college underclassmen and 18 international players), leaving 50 U.S. college underclassmen and 5 international players in the draft pool, many of whom were freshmen or sophomores seeking to capitalize on strong college performances.[15] Among the notable underclassmen who stayed in, Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall, a consensus National Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.6 points and 6.5 assists, declared to pursue his status as the top prospect, ultimately becoming the No. 1 overall pick.[16] Ohio State junior small forward Evan Turner, the consensus National Player of the Year with 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, entered as a projected lottery selection to end his college career on a high note.[16] Other prominent entrants included Kentucky freshmen DeMarcus Cousins (center, 15.1 points, 9.9 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (point guard, 11.3 points, 5.9 assists), Georgia Tech freshman power forward Derrick Favors (12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds), and West Virginia sophomore small forward Devin Ebanks (13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds), all drawn by the draft's depth at forward and guard positions.[16] Several declarants opted to withdraw, including Brigham Young junior guard Jimmer Fredette, who returned after averaging 17.1 points to build toward a more prominent senior season, and Purdue junior forward JaJuan Johnson, who stayed for another year of development despite solid stats of 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds.[17] Temple junior forward Lavoy Allen also withdrew to anchor his team's frontcourt, citing the need for further refinement.[17] These decisions reshaped college rosters for the 2010-11 season, notably depleting Kentucky, which lost five players (Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, and Daniel Orton) to the draft and had to rebuild around new recruits.[16] Similarly, North Carolina and Baylor faced significant frontcourt voids after Ed Davis and Ekpe Udoh's departures, forcing adjustments in team strategies and recruiting emphases.[16]International Early Entrants
International players born outside the United States become eligible for the NBA draft upon turning 22 by December 31 of the draft year or, if younger, through early entry declarations if they have professional playing experience abroad and have not previously been drafted. In 2010, this provision enabled 23 international prospects, mostly from European professional leagues, to declare early entry by the April 25 deadline, showcasing the expanding pool of global talent available to NBA teams.[12] Among the declarants were promising young professionals such as Kevin Séraphin, a 6-9 center from Cholet Basket in France's LNB Pro A league, Tibor Pleiß, a 7-0 center with Brose Baskets in Germany's Bundesliga, and Ryan Richards, a 7-0 forward playing for Gran Canaria in Spain's ACB. These players, all born in 1989 or 1991, opted to stay in the draft after the June 14 withdrawal deadline, alongside Thomas Heurtel and Dušan Korać, resulting in five international early entrants remaining eligible. Séraphin was selected 17th overall by the Chicago Bulls (rights traded to the Washington Wizards), Pleiß went 31st to the New Jersey Nets, and Richards was picked 49th by the San Antonio Spurs, highlighting the value NBA teams placed on their size, skills, and potential despite limited exposure to U.S. scouting.[12][15][1] However, the process presented significant challenges for these prospects, including the need to secure costly buyouts from existing European club contracts, adherence to FIBA's agent licensing rules—which since 2006 have permitted representation by NBA-certified agents without forfeiting amateur status in international competitions—and logistical issues like obtaining U.S. visas for pre-draft workouts and the Chicago combine. These obstacles contributed to a high withdrawal rate, with 18 of the 23 declarants, including high-profile talents like Lithuanian forward Donatas Motiejūnas (Benetton Treviso) and Croatian wing Bojan Bogdanović (Cibona Zagreb), pulling out to return to their pro teams for further seasoning; both were later drafted in 2011, Motiejūnas 20th overall and Bogdanović 41st.[15][18][16] The 23 early international declarations in 2010 continued a rising trend from about 18 in 2009, underscoring the NBA's intensified global scouting efforts and the appeal of the league to young European professionals amid improved pathways for representation and evaluation.[12]Draft Lottery
Lottery Selection Process
The NBA draft lottery for 2010 involved the 14 teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs, with selection odds weighted inversely to their regular-season winning percentages to determine the order of the first 14 picks.[19] The team with the league's worst record, the New Jersey Nets at 12-70, was assigned 250 out of 1,000 possible combinations, giving them a 25% chance at the No. 1 overall pick, while better-performing non-playoff teams received progressively fewer combinations.[19] This weighting system aimed to reward poorer performance with higher probabilities of securing top selections, though the process incorporated randomness to avoid complete predictability based on records alone.[20] The lottery drawing took place on May 18, 2010, at the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, and was broadcast live on ESPN.[21][22] It utilized a mechanical lottery machine containing 14 ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14, from which four balls were drawn to create one of 1,001 possible combinations (with 1,000 assigned to teams).[20] The first drawing determined the No. 1 pick, followed by subsequent drawings for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks; the remaining picks (Nos. 4 through 14) were assigned in inverse order of regular-season records.[20] To limit extreme outcomes, the system ensured no team could fall more than three spots from its record-based position in the draft order.[20] Ties in regular-season records were resolved through random drawings on April 16, 2010, to establish the pre-lottery order among tied teams, which affected the allocation of lottery combinations.[19] This lottery operated under the pre-2019 rules, which did not flatten odds across participating teams and instead emphasized record-based weighting, a format criticized for incentivizing intentional losses—known as "tanking"—to improve draft positioning.[20] The 2010 process exemplified the system's variance, as teams with middling odds could still secure the top pick through the random drawing, highlighting both its fairness in promoting competition and its flaws in potentially encouraging strategic underperformance.[23]2010 Lottery Outcomes
The 2010 NBA draft lottery took place on May 18, 2010, at the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, determining the order of the first 14 picks among the non-playoff teams based on their reverse order of regular-season records, with odds weighted accordingly.[24] The Washington Wizards, entering with the fifth-worst record and 8.8% odds for the top selection, defied expectations by securing the No. 1 pick.[25] Philadelphia 76ers followed with the No. 2 pick at 6.3% odds, while the New Jersey Nets, who held the highest 25% odds as the league's worst team with a 12-70 record, landed at No. 3.[25] The full lottery results assigned the top 14 picks as follows, reflecting the ping-pong ball combinations drawn and the pre-lottery positioning established through tiebreaker drawings on April 16, 2010. Tiebreakers were won by Golden State over Washington (26-56 record), Philadelphia over Detroit (27-55), Los Angeles Clippers over New York Knicks (29-53), and Memphis over Toronto (40-42).[19]| Pick | Team | Pre-Lottery Odds for No. 1 (%) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Wizards | 8.8 | 26-56 |
| 2 | Philadelphia 76ers | 6.3 | 27-55 |
| 3 | New Jersey Nets | 25.0 | 12-70 |
| 4 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 19.9 | 15-67 |
| 5 | Sacramento Kings | 15.6 | 25-57 |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors | 11.9 | 26-56 |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 4.3 | 27-55 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Clippers | 2.8 | 29-53 |
| 9 | Utah Jazz (from New York Knicks) | 1.7 | 29-53 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 1.1 | 32-50 |
| 11 | New Orleans Hornets | 0.8 | 37-45 |
| 12 | Memphis Grizzlies | 0.7 | 40-42 |
| 13 | Toronto Raptors | 0.6 | 40-42 |
| 14 | Houston Rockets | 0.4 | 42-40 |
Trade Activity
Pre-Draft Trades
Several trades involving 2010 NBA draft picks occurred in the months and weeks leading up to the June 24 draft, as teams adjusted their assets amid a rebuilding landscape and salary cap considerations. The 2010 salary cap stood at $58.044 million, prompting contenders to shed contracts for flexibility while rebuilding franchises sought additional picks to accelerate turnarounds. These deals often involved first- and second-round picks swapped for players or cash, with motivations centered on immediate roster needs versus future upside; for instance, low-win teams like the Washington Wizards prioritized accumulating picks during a 26-56 season, while playoff-caliber squads like the Miami Heat focused on cap relief and depth additions.[29] A key deal unfolded on June 23, 2010, when the Miami Heat traded the 18th overall first-round pick and guard Daequan Cook to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the 32nd overall second-round pick. The Heat, fresh off an NBA Finals run, aimed to manage their payroll under the cap while targeting a developmental prospect, whereas the Thunder, building around young talent, sought a higher first-round selection to bolster their rotation without sacrificing significant salary. This swap exemplified contenders trading down for efficiency in a draft perceived as top-heavy.[30] Earlier transactions from the 2009-10 season also rippled into the draft. For instance, the Houston Rockets held a swap option on the Los Angeles Clippers' 2010 second-round pick, stemming from an August 2008 exchange for forward Steve Novak, allowing Houston to potentially upgrade their late-second selection if the Clippers' pick conveyed higher. These pre-draft maneuvers affected pick ownership for teams and reshaped several picks entering the event.[31]| Date | Teams Involved | Assets Exchanged |
|---|---|---|
| June 23, 2010 | Miami Heat to Oklahoma City Thunder | 18th overall 1st-round pick + Daequan Cook for 32nd overall 2nd-round pick |
| August 6, 2008 (option available pre-draft) | Houston Rockets from [Los Angeles Clippers](/page/Los Angeles_Clippers) | Right to swap 2010 2nd-round picks (from original deal for Steve Novak + cash) |
Draft-Day Trades
The 2010 NBA draft, held on June 24 at the WaMu Theater in New York City, saw teams engage in real-time negotiations leading to multiple trades focused on pick swaps and player rights exchanges. These deals, executed amid the draft's fast pace, emphasized teams' efforts to address salary cap constraints, acquire developmental talent, or secure future assets through phone discussions finalized just before commissioner announcements. The activity underscored the draft's immediacy, with front offices prioritizing roster fit over long-term planning seen in pre-draft maneuvers.[33] A prominent early transaction involved the Chicago Bulls sending guard Kirk Hinrich and the rights to the 17th overall pick, French forward Kevin Seraphin, to the Washington Wizards in exchange for cash considerations (agreed June 24, 2010; official July 8, 2010). This salary dump provided the Bulls with approximately $9 million in cap relief to pursue free agents like LeBron James, while the Wizards gained a seasoned backup point guard to support rookie John Wall and a raw but athletic big man in Seraphin for frontcourt depth.[34] Later, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded the rights to the 18th pick, Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe, to the Los Angeles Clippers for a conditional future first-round pick (protected top-4 in 2012, top-3 in 2013-15, or unprotected in 2016 if not conveyed earlier). The Clippers viewed Bledsoe as a high-upside playmaker to build around amid their rebuilding phase, though the pick ultimately became the unprotected 2013 first-rounder used in other deals.[35][36] First-round activity included the New Orleans Hornets sending center Cole Aldrich (11th pick) and shooting guard Morris Peterson to the Thunder for the rights to forwards Craig Brackins (21st pick) and Quincy Pondexter (26th pick), allowing Oklahoma City to consolidate picks and shed Peterson's expiring $6.3 million contract for better financial flexibility. The Wizards further adjusted by trading the rights to the 30th pick (Marquette forward Lazar Hayward) and 35th pick (Serbian forward Nemanja Bjelica) to the Timberwolves for the 23rd pick (Clemson forward Trevor Booker) and 56th pick (Rutgers center Hamady Ndiaye), enabling Washington to prioritize Booker's defensive tenacity in the late first round.[37] Second-round trades dominated the proceedings, reflecting teams' willingness to swap lower-value assets for specific needs. The Portland Trail Blazers acquired the rights to the 16th pick, University of Nevada forward Luke Babbitt—a sharpshooting wing—and veteran forward Ryan Gomes from the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for swingman Martell Webster, enhancing Portland's perimeter shooting while offloading Webster's inconsistent production. Similarly, the Atlanta Hawks dealt the rights to the 24th pick, Texas forward Damion James, to the New Jersey Nets for the 27th pick (Xavier guard Jordan Crawford), the 31st pick (German center Tibor Pleiß), and cash considerations, netting the Hawks a dynamic scorer in Crawford to bolster their bench. The Dallas Mavericks outright purchased the 25th pick, South Florida guard Dominique Jones, from the Memphis Grizzlies for cash, adding a versatile scorer to their championship-contending rotation without sacrificing future picks.[37] These maneuvers, executed amid the draft's fast pace, reshaped the final pick order and contributed to varied team outcomes in the ensuing season.Draft Selections
First-Round Selections
The first round of the 2010 NBA Draft, held on June 24 at the WaMu Theater in New York City, featured 30 selections determined primarily by the preceding lottery process, with the Washington Wizards securing the top pick via the lottery draw.[1] This draft emphasized college underclassmen, particularly from powerhouse programs like Kentucky, which set a record with five first-round selections.[38] The selections highlighted a class noted for its athletic guards and versatile forwards, though scouts observed a general lack of elite star potential compared to stronger classes.[39]| Pick | Player | Position | Team | College/Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Wall | PG | Washington Wizards | Kentucky |
| 2 | Evan Turner | SG | Philadelphia 76ers | Ohio State |
| 3 | Derrick Favors | PF | New Jersey Nets | Georgia Tech |
| 4 | Wesley Johnson | SG | Minnesota Timberwolves | Syracuse |
| 5 | DeMarcus Cousins | C | Sacramento Kings | Kentucky |
| 6 | Ekpe Udoh | PF | Golden State Warriors | Baylor |
| 7 | Greg Monroe | C | Detroit Pistons | Georgetown |
| 8 | Al-Farouq Aminu | SF | Los Angeles Clippers | Wake Forest |
| 9 | Gordon Hayward | SF | Utah Jazz | Butler |
| 10 | Paul George | SF | Indiana Pacers | Fresno State |
| 11 | Cole Aldrich | C | New Orleans Hornets | Kansas |
| 12 | Xavier Henry | SG | Memphis Grizzlies | Kansas |
| 13 | Ed Davis | PF | Toronto Raptors | North Carolina |
| 14 | Patrick Patterson | PF | Houston Rockets | Kentucky |
| 15 | Larry Sanders | PF | Milwaukee Bucks | VCU |
| 16 | Luke Babbitt | SF | Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Portland Trail Blazers) | Nevada |
| 17 | Kevin Séraphin | C | Chicago Bulls (traded to Washington Wizards) | France |
| 18 | Eric Bledsoe | PG | Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to Los Angeles Clippers) | Kentucky |
| 19 | Avery Bradley | PG | Boston Celtics | Texas |
| 20 | James Anderson | SG | San Antonio Spurs | Oklahoma State |
| 21 | Craig Brackins | PF | Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to Philadelphia 76ers) | Iowa State |
| 22 | Elliot Williams | SG | Portland Trail Blazers | Memphis |
| 23 | Trevor Booker | PF | Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Washington Wizards) | Clemson |
| 24 | Damion James | SF | Atlanta Hawks (traded to San Antonio Spurs) | Texas |
| 25 | Dominique Jones | PG | Memphis Grizzlies | South Florida |
| 26 | Quincy Pondexter | SF | Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to New Orleans Hornets) | Washington |
| 27 | Jordan Crawford | SG | New Jersey Nets (traded to Washington Wizards) | Xavier |
| 28 | Greivis Vásquez | PG | Memphis Grizzlies | Maryland |
| 29 | Daniel Orton | C | Orlando Magic | Kentucky |
| 30 | Lazar Hayward | SF | Washington Wizards (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves) | Marquette |
Second-Round Selections
The second round of the 2010 NBA draft began after a brief intermission following the conclusion of the first round, shifting focus from high-profile lottery selections to a mix of developmental prospects, international talents, and high-upside projects with lower immediate expectations. Unlike the first round's emphasis on potential stars, the second round featured picks often viewed as low-risk investments, with teams prioritizing long-term potential over ready contributors.[1] This round exhibited a higher rate of trades compared to the first, as teams frequently exchanged picks for cash considerations, future draft assets, or roster players to optimize salary cap flexibility or acquire specific targets. Several selections were effectively bought outright through cash-involved deals, with reported amounts ranging from $1 million to $3 million, reflecting the lower value and speculative nature of late-second-round picks. The 2010 second round included six international players—more than in recent prior drafts at that stage—highlighting the growing global scouting emphasis, alongside numerous non-college origins such as European professionals and high school prospects. Of the 30 picks, nine players never appeared in an NBA game, underscoring the round's hit-or-miss developmental focus.[41][33][1]
*Did not play in the NBA.[1]