1966 NBA draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)May 11, 1966 (Rounds 1–8)
May 12, 1966 (Rounds 9–19)
LocationNew York City, New York
Overview
112 total selections in 19 rounds
LeagueNBA
First selectionCazzie Russell, New York Knicks

The 1966 NBA draft was the 20th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 11 and 12, 1966 before the 1966–67 season. In this draft, ten NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each division, with the order determined by a coin flip.[1] The New York Knicks won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Detroit Pistons were awarded the second pick. This draft was the first to use the coin flip method, which replaced the territorial pick rule.[2] The remaining first-round picks and the subsequent rounds were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. An expansion franchise, the Chicago Bulls, took part in the NBA Draft for the first time and were assigned the last pick of each round. The draft consisted of 19 rounds comprising 112 players selected.

With the elimination of territorial picks and incorporation of a coin flip for the No. 1 overall pick, 1966 is considered the first modern NBA draft.[3]

Draft selections and draftee career notes

Cazzie Russell from the University of Michigan was selected first overall by the New York Knicks. Dave Bing from Syracuse University, who went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in his first season, was drafted second by the Detroit Pistons.[4] He was named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996 and has also been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.[5][6] He was selected to three All-NBA Teams and seven All-Star Games.[7] He became a politician after ending his playing career and won the election to become the mayor of Detroit in 2009.[8]

Russell won the NBA championship with the New York Knicks 1970. He later was named to the All-Star Game in 1972.[9] Lou Hudson, the 4th pick, and Archie Clark, the 37th pick, have also been selected to both All-NBA Team and All-Star Game. Hudson was selected to six All-Star Games and one All-NBA Team while Clark was selected to two All-Star Games and one All-NBA Team.[10][11] Three other players from this draft, 3rd pick Clyde Lee, 5th pick Jack Marin and 27th pick John Block, have also been selected to at least one All-Star Game.[12][13][14] Matt Guokas, the 9th pick, won the NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in his rookie season. He and his father, Matt Guokas, Sr., became the first father and son duo to win the NBA championships. Matt Guokas, Sr. won the inaugural championship with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1947.[15] The younger Guokas became a head coach after ending his playing career. He coached the 76ers for three seasons and the Orlando Magic for four seasons.[16] John Wetzel, the 75th pick, also became a head coach; he coached the Phoenix Suns for one season.[17]

Key

Pos.GFC
PositionGuardForwardCenter
^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
* Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-NBA Team
+ Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
# Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game

Draft

Cazzie Russell was selected first overall by the New York Knicks
Dave Bing was selected second overall by the Detroit Pistons
Round Pick Player Pos. Nationality Team School/club team
1 1 Cazzie Russell+ G/F  United States New York Knicks Michigan
1 2 Dave Bing^ G  United States Detroit Pistons Syracuse
1 3 Clyde Lee+ F/C  United States San Francisco Warriors Vanderbilt
1 4 Lou Hudson^ G/F  United States St. Louis Hawks Minnesota
1 5 Jack Marin+ G/F  United States Baltimore Bullets Duke
1 6 Walt Wesley C  United States Cincinnati Royals Kansas
1 7 Jerry Chambers F  United States Los Angeles Lakers Utah
1 8 Jim Barnett G/F  United States Boston Celtics Oregon
1 9 Matt Guokas G/F  United States Philadelphia 76ers Saint Joseph's
1 10 Dave Schellhase G  United States Chicago Bulls Purdue
2 11 Henry Akin F/C  United States New York Knicks Morehead State (Jr.)
2 12 Dorie Murrey F/C  United States Detroit Pistons Detroit
2 13 Joe Ellis G/F  United States San Francisco Warriors San Francisco
2 14 Dick Snyder G/F  United States St. Louis Hawks Davidson
2 15 Neil Johnson F/C  United States Baltimore Bullets Creighton
2 16 Jerry Lee Wells# G  United States Cincinnati Royals Oklahoma City
2 17 Hank Finkel C  United States Los Angeles Lakers Dayton
2 18 Leon Clark# F  United States Boston Celtics Wyoming
2 19 Bill Melchionni G  United States Philadelphia 76ers Villanova
2 20 Erwin Mueller F/C  United States Chicago Bulls San Francisco

Other picks

The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game.[18][19]

Round Pick Player Pos. Nationality Team School/club team
3 24 Tommy Kron G  United States St. Louis Hawks Kentucky
3 26 Jim Ware F  United States Cincinnati Royals Oklahoma City
3 27 John Block+ F/C  United States Los Angeles Lakers USC
3 29 Donnie Freeman G  United States Philadelphia 76ers Illinois
4 37 Archie Clark* G  United States Los Angeles Lakers Minnesota
4 38 Johnny Austin G  United States Boston Celtics Boston College
4 39 Ken Wilburn F  United States Philadelphia 76ers Central State
8 69 Mike Silliman F  United States New York Knicks Army
8 73 Roland West G  United States Baltimore Bullets Cincinnati
8 75 John Wetzel G/F  United States Los Angeles Lakers Virginia Tech
9 78 Bill Turner F  United States New York Knicks Akron
10 88 Freddie Lewis G  United States Cincinnati Royals Arizona State
11 94 Stan McKenzie G/F  United States Baltimore Bullets NYU
12 98 Dave Deutsch G  United States New York Knicks Rochester
15 106 Paul Long G  United States St. Louis Hawks Wake Forest

Notable undrafted players

These players were not selected in the 1966 draft but played at least one game in the NBA.

Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
Bud Acton F  United States Hillsdale
Bill Dinwiddie F  United States New Mexico Highlands
Dennis Hamilton F  United States Arizona State
Bob Hogsett F  United States Tennessee

Early entrants

Other eligible players

PlayerTeamNoteRef.
United States Henry Akin Morehead State EaglesLeft Morehead State in 1965; did not play during 1965–66 and had committed to play for William Carey Crusaders in 1966–67[20]

See also

References

General
  • "Complete First Round Results 1960–69". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  • "1966 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  • "1962–1966 NBA Drafts". The Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  • "1966 NBA Draft". The Draft Review. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
Specific
  1. ↑ "Evolution of the Draft and Lottery". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  2. ↑ Dengate, Jeff (May 16, 2007). "Let the Ping-Pong Balls Fall". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  3. ↑ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. p. 101. ISBN 9780810890695. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Rookie of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  5. ↑ "The NBA's 50 Greatest Players". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Dave Bing Bio". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
  8. ↑ "NBA great Dave Bing elected as Detroit mayor". USA Today. May 6, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Cazzie Russell Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Lou Hudson Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Archie Clark Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Clyde Lee Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Jack Marin Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  14. ↑ "John Block Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  15. ↑ Tomasson, Chris (June 3, 2009). "Younger Walton takes third shot at father-son champion club". USA Today. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Matt Guokas Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  17. ↑ "John Wetzel Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
  18. ↑ "1966 NBA Draft - Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com.
  19. ↑ "NBA Past Drafts - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
  20. ↑ Dondero, Tony (July 24, 2008). "A Seattle SuperSonics' original: Henry Akin". Herald Net. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
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