50 Greatest Players in NBA History
The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History were chosen in 1996 to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association. These fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, current and former general managers. In addition, the top ten head coaches and top ten single-season teams in NBA history were selected by media members as part of the celebration; the fifty players had to have played at least a portion of their careers in the NBA and were selected irrespective of position played. The list was announced by NBA commissioner David Stern on October 29, 1996, at the hotel Grand Hyatt New York, the former site of the Commodore Hotel, where the original NBA charter was signed on June 6, 1946; the announcement marked the beginning of a season-long celebration of the league's anniversary. Forty-seven of the fifty players were assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 1997 All-Star Game.
Three players were absent: Pete Maravich, who had died in 1988, at forty. At the time of the announcement, eleven players were active. O'Neal was the last to be active in the NBA; the list was made through unranked voting completed by fifty selected panelists. Sixteen of the panelists were former players voting in their roles as players, thirteen were members of the print and broadcast news media, twenty-one were team representatives: contemporary and former general managers, head coaches, executives. Of the last group, thirteen were former NBA players. Players were prohibited from voting for themselves. Only three voting veterans were not selected to the team. Eleven players were active in the 1996 -- 97 season. All have since retired. O'Neal was the last to be active in the NBA. All of the selected players have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Lenny Wilkens was the only member of the players list to have been selected as a member of the coaches list. At the time of the list, only Pete Maravich was deceased.
Since Wilt Chamberlain, Dave DeBusschere, Paul Arizin, Hal Greer, George Mikan, Bill Sharman, Moses Malone, Dolph Schayes and Nate Thurmond have all died. Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2010–11 season, the last in which any player on the 50 Greatest list was active. Alongside the selection of the 50 greatest players, was the selection of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History; the list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken by members of the print and broadcast media who cover the NBA. All 10 coaches named were alive at the time of the list's announcement, four of them—Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, Pat Riley, Lenny Wilkens—were active. Five have since died: Red Holzman in 1998, Red Auerbach in 2006, Chuck Daly in 2009, Jack Ramsay in 2014, John Kundla in 2017. Jackson was the last of the ten to coach in the NBA. Nelson was the only member to have never won a championship as a coach though he won five as a player. Wilkens was the only member of the coaches list to have been selected as a member of the players list.
All ten coaches are members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Included in the NBA's 50th-anniversary celebration was the selection of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History; the list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken by members of the print and broadcast media who cover the NBA. Teams were chosen from among all single-season individual teams; each team won the NBA championship, they combined to average 66 wins per season. The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls had, at the moment, the best single-season record in NBA history with 72 wins. Six out of the thirty NBA franchises had a team named to the list. Six players were on the roster of two teams on the list—Wilt Chamberlain with the 1966–67 Sixers and 1971–72 Lakers. Three other individuals both played for and coached honored teams, all of whom completed this "double" with a single franchise—K. C. Jones with the Celtics as a player in 1964–65 and coach in 1985–86, Billy Cunningham with the Sixers as a player in 1966–67 and coach in 1982–83, Pat Riley with the Lakers as a player in 1971–72 and coach in 1986–87.
Phil Jackson, head coach of the Bulls from 1989 to 1998, was the only man to coach two teams that made the list. Although Jackson was under contract to the Knicks as a player in their 1969–70 championship season, he did not play that season as he was recovering from spinal fusion surgery. Players whose names are italicized were inducted after the announcement of the ten best teams; the Hall of Famers listed for each individual team are those inducted as players, do not include those inducted in other roles. ABA All-Time Team General Specific NBA.com: The 50 Greatest Players page NBA.com: Top 10 Coaches page NBA.com: Top 10 Teams page
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute. A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the United States and Canada votes on the recipient; each judge casts a vote for first and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; the player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. To be eligible for the award, a player must come off the bench in more games; the 2008–09 winner, Jason Terry, averaged the most playing time of any sixth man in an award-winning season. Since its inception, the award has been given to 30 different players; the most recent recipient is Lou Williams. Jamal Crawford is the only three time winner of the award. Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce, Detlef Schrempf and Lou Williams have each won the award two times.
Bobby Jones was the inaugural winner of the award for the 1982–83 NBA season. McHale and Bill Walton are the only Hall of Famers. Manu Ginóbili, Detlef Schrempf, Leandro Barbosa, Toni Kukoč and Ben Gordon are the only award winners not born in the United States. Gordon was the first player to win the award as a rookie. Of the five foreign-born winners, three were trained outside the U. S. namely Ginóbili and Kukoč. Schrempf played two years of high school basketball in Centralia, Washington before playing college basketball at Washington, Gordon was raised in Mount Vernon, New York and went on to play in college at Connecticut. National Basketball Association portal General Specific
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given to the top rookie of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, named after the former Philadelphia Warriors head coach; the winner is selected by a panel of United States and Canadian sportswriters and broadcasters, each casting first and third place votes. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award; the most recent Rookie of the Year winner is Ben Simmons. Twenty-one winners were drafted first overall. There has only been one winner taken in the second round of the draft, Malcolm Brogdon, taken 36th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2016 draft. Sixteen winners have won the NBA Most Valuable Player award in their careers. Nineteen of the forty two non-active winners have been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Three seasons had joint winners—Dave Cowens and Geoff Petrie in the 1970–71 season, Grant Hill and Jason Kidd in the 1994–95 season, Elton Brand and Steve Francis in the 1999–2000 season.
Five players won the award unanimously – Ralph Sampson, David Robinson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, Karl-Anthony Towns. Patrick Ewing of Jamaica, Pau Gasol of Spain, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons of Australia and Andrew Wiggins of Canada are the only winners not born in the United States. Three of these individuals have dual nationality by birth—Wiggins and Simmons have American fathers, both of Irving's parents are Americans. Ewing immigrated to the Boston area at age 11, Irving moved to the United States at age 2, Wiggins and Simmons moved to the U. S. while in high school. Gasol is the only winner trained outside the U. S. Prior to the 1952–53 season, the Rookie of the Year was selected by newspaper writers; the league did publish the pre-1953 winners in their 1994–95 edition of the Official NBA Guide and the 1994 Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, but those winners have not been listed in subsequent publications. National Basketball Association portal NBA Development League Rookie of the Year Award NBA Rookie of the Month Award General Specific
1975 NBA draft
The 1975 NBA draft was the 29th annual draft of the National Basketball Association. The draft was held on May 1975, before the 1975 -- 76 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U. S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each conference, with the order determined by a coin flip; the Atlanta Hawks, who obtained the New Orleans Jazz first-round pick in a trade, won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Los Angeles Lakers were awarded the second pick. 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. Prior to the draft, the Kansas City-Omaha Kings were renamed the Kansas City Kings. 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.
Before the draft, 18 college underclassmen and 2 high school players were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule. These players had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning their living by starting their professional careers earlier; the draft consisted of 10 rounds comprising the selection of 174 players. The league hosted a supplementary draft for American Basketball Association players who never were never drafted by the NBA teams on December 30, 1975; this was the last NBA draft to be held in a month earlier than June. David Thompson from North Carolina State University was selected first overall by the Atlanta Hawks, he was drafted first overall in the 1975 ABA Draft by the Virginia Squires, before the Squires traded his draft rights to the Denver Nuggets. He opted to join the ABA with the Nuggets before moving to the NBA in 1976 after both leagues merged. During his first and only season in the ABA, he won the ABA All-Star Game MVP and ABA Rookie of the Year, as well as selected to the ABA All-Star Game and All-ABA Team.
His NBA achievements include four NBA All-Star Game selections. For his achievements, he has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Marvin Webster, the 3rd pick opted to join the ABA with the Nuggets before moving to the NBA in 1976. Thompson and Webster were the only first-round picks from the draft who declined to play in the NBA and opted to play in the ABA. Coincidentally, Webster was drafted by the Hawks, which means that both the Hawks' first-round picks did not play with them. Instead, both signed to play for the Nuggets in the ABA. Gus Williams, the 20th pick, joined the Seattle SuperSonics after two seasons with the Golden State Warriors, he won the NBA championship with the Sonics in 1979. He was selected to two All-NBA Team and two All-Star Games. World B. Free, the 23rd pick, played for five teams in his 13-year career and was selected to one All-NBA Team and one All-Star Game. Dan Roundfield, the 28th pick, was drafted in the 1975 ABA Draft, he opted to join the ABA with the Indiana Pacers before moving to the NBA in 1976.
His achievements include one All-NBA Team selection, three NBA All-Star Game selections, three NBA All-Star Game selections and four NBA All-Defensive Team selections. Alvan Adams from the University of Oklahoma, who went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in his first season, was selected 4th by the Phoenix Suns. Adams and 6th pick Lionel Hollins are the only other players from this draft, selected to an All-Star Game. After retiring as a player, Hollins went on to have a coaching career, he was twice named as the interim head coach for the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies in 1999 and 2004 before becoming a permanent head coach in 2009. Darryl Dawkins, the 5th pick, Bill Willoughby, the 19th pick, became the first two high school players to directly enter the NBA after their high school graduation, they became the second and third players to go directly from high school basketball to professional league, after Moses Malone in the 1974 ABA Draft. They became the second and third high school players drafted in the NBA, after Reggie Harding in the 1962 Draft.
However, because the rules prevented Harding from playing in the league until one year after his high school class graduated, he had to wait a year before entering the league in 1963. Dawkins played 14 seasons in the NBA with four different NBA teams, while Willoughby played 8 seasons with six teams. In the tenth round, the New Orleans Jazz selected a Soviet basketball player Alexander Belov with the 161st pick. Belov, playing with Spartak Leningrad before the draft, stayed with the club until the end of his career, he had a successful career, winning two European Cup Winners' Cup and one Soviet Union championship, as well as four gold medals with the Soviet Union national team. For his achievements, he has been inducted by the International Basketball Federation to the FIBA Hall of Fame; the following list includes other draft picks. A 1 2 On May 20, 1974, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Bob Kauffman, Dean Meminger, 1974 and 1975 first-round picks, 1975 and 1976 second-round picks, a 1980 third-round pick from the New Orleans Jazz in exchange for Pete Maravich.
The Hawks used the picks to draft Bill Willoughby. B 1 2 On October 8, 1974, the New Orleans Jazz acquired Russ Lee and a first-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Steve Kuberski and a second-round pick; the Jazz acquired Neal Walk and the pick on September 16, 1974, from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dennis Awtrey, N
Truck Robinson
Leonard Eugene "Truck" Robinson is an American retired professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association for the Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Jazz, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, he helped the Bullets win the 1975 NBA Eastern Conference and the Suns win the 1981 NBA Pacific Division. Robinson was named to the 1981 West All-Star Team, he was named to the 1978 All-NBA First Team. Robinson led the NBA in minutes played, defensive rebounds, total rebounds and rebounds per game during the 1977–78 season, he ranks 86th on the NBA/ABA career offensive rebounds list, 43rd on the career defensive rebounds list, 81st on the total rebounds list and 73rd on the career rebounds per game list. In 11 seasons Robinson played in 772 games, stayed 25,141 minutes on the court and had a.483 field goal percentage.662 free throw percentage, 7,267 total rebounds, 1,348 assists, 533 steals, 510 blocks, 2,253 personal fouls and 11,988 points. He was hired as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.
Known throughout the league as "Truck", Leonard Robinson used his rugged body, intelligent playmaking, sure shot to become one of the game's best forwards in the 1970s and 1980s. Fundamentally sound in every area, he had the strength and physical attributes of a power forward along with the mobility of a small forward, he delivered a consistent cargo of offensive firepower and uncanny rebounding for 11 years in the NBA. A two-time All-Star, Robinson had his finest season with the New Orleans Jazz in 1977–78, when he averaged 22.7 points and led the NBA with 15.7 rebounds per game. After starring at Tennessee State University, Robinson was taken by the Washington Bullets in the second round of the 1974 NBA draft; as a rookie in 1974–75, Robinson had to wait his turn behind Elvin Hayes and Mike Riordan and averaged just 5.8 points in 13.1 minutes per game. He made small contributions on a Bullets team that reached the NBA Finals that year, losing to the Golden State Warriors in four games. Robinson's playing time doubled in his sophomore season, his scoring and rebounding numbers improved accordingly.
But it wasn't until the 1976–77 campaign, when the Bullets sent Robinson to Atlanta for Tom Henderson and a draft choice, that Robinson established himself as a star. In split duty between the Bullets and Hawks, Robinson averaged 10.8 rebounds. Prior to the 1977–78 season Robinson signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Jazz, the Jazz sent the Hawks' Ron Behagen as compensation. In his only full season with the Jazz, Robinson turned in the finest performance of his career. At just 6-foot-7, he became one of the first non-centers to lead the league in rebounding, grabbing 15.7 boards per game. He notched his career-best scoring effort, made his first All-Star appearance, was named to the All-NBA First Team at season's end; the Jazz, under Coach Elgin Baylor, went 39-43 but missed the playoffs for the fourth time in their four-year history. Robinson started well in 1978–79, averaging 24.2 points and 13.4 rebounds through the first 43 games. But on January 12 the Jazz traded Robinson to the Phoenix Suns for two players and two first-round draft picks.
The Suns boasted a deeper roster than the Jazz, over the season's final 26 games Robinson averaged just 16.0 points in 29.1 minutes per game. Phoenix won 50 games that year and advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to Seattle in seven games. Over his next three seasons with the Suns, Robinson averaged at least 17 points and 9 rebounds each year. Following the 1981–82 campaign he was traded to the New York Knicks for Maurice Lucas. In 1982–83 Robinson suffered through the worst slump of his career, averaging just 9.5 points and 8.1 rebounds. Fans began complaining about their "truck with four flat tires" and would chant "Dump Truck." He played another full season for New York—with similar results—before retiring in 1984–85. In 11 NBA seasons Robinson amassed 7,267 rebounds. List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the team play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins; the Celtics are one of the most successful teams in NBA history. The Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, of which the Celtics have won nine. Four Celtics players have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards. Both the nickname "Celtics" and their mascot "Lucky the Leprechaun" are a nod to Boston's large Irish population. After winning 16 championships throughout the 20th century, the Celtics, after struggling through the 1990s, rose again to win a championship in 2008 with the help of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen in what was known as the new "Big Three" era, following the original "Big Three" era that featured Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, which combined to win the 1981, 1984, 1986 championships.
Following the win in 2008, general manager Danny Ainge began a rebuilding process with the help of head coach Brad Stevens, who led the Celtics to a return to the playoffs from 2015. During the following season, the Celtics clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in the Conference Finals; this prompted an aggressive rebuild in 2017, where the team acquired All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. However, the pair struggled with injuries throughout the 2017–18 season, the team was again defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals; the Boston Celtics were formed on June 6, 1946, by Boston Garden-Arena Corporation president Walter A. Brown as a team in the Basketball Association of America, became part of the National Basketball Association after the absorption of the National Basketball League by the BAA in the fall of 1949. In 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper; the Celtics struggled until the hiring of coach Red Auerbach. In the franchise's early days, Auerbach had no assistants, ran all the practices, did all the scouting—both of opposing teams and college draft prospects—and scheduled all road trips.
One of the first great players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, whom Auerbach refused to draft out of nearby Holy Cross because he was "too flashy." Cousy's contract became the property of the Chicago Stags, but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft. After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade, sending perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights to Cliff Hagan for the second overall pick in the draft. After negotiating with the Rochester Royals—a negotiation that included a promise that the Celtics owner would send the sought-after Ice Capades to Rochester if the Royals would let Russell slide to #2—Auerbach used the pick to select University of San Francisco center Bill Russell. Auerbach acquired Holy Cross standout, 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year, Tommy Heinsohn. Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, they were the players around whom Auerbach would build the champion Celtics for more than a decade.
With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the 1957 NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, the first of a record 17 championships. Russell went on making him the most decorated player in NBA history. In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games. However, with the acquisition of K. C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty. In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers, the first of their record eight consecutive championships. During that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tommy Heinsohn, joining Tom'Satch' Sanders, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, Bill Russell in the starting lineup; the Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn.
The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are considered as one of the most dominant teams of all time. Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, Auerbach's ploy to keep Russell interested. With his appointment Russell became the first African-American coach in any U. S. pro sport. Auerbach would remain a position he would hold well into the 1980s. However, the Celtics' string of NBA titles ended when they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1966 Eastern Conference Finals; the aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers each time. Russell retired after the 1969 season ending a Celtics dynasty that had garnered an unrivaled 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons; the team's run of 8 consecutive is the longest championship streak in U. S. professional sports history. The 1970 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had their first losing record since the 1949–50 season
1973 NBA draft
The 1973 NBA draft was the 27th annual draft of the National Basketball Association. The draft was held on May 5, 1973, before the 1973 -- 74 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U. S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each conference, with the order determined by a coin flip; the Philadelphia 76ers won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Portland Trail Blazers were awarded the second pick. 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. Prior to the draft, the Baltimore Bullets relocated to Landover and became the Capital Bullets; the Philadelphia 76ers were awarded an extra first-round draft pick as compensation when the Seattle SuperSonics signed John Brisker. 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. Before the draft, 11 college underclassmen were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule; these players had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning their living by starting their professional careers earlier. The draft consisted of 20 rounds comprising the selection of 211 players; this was the last NBA draft to last until teams run out of prospects. Doug Collins from Illinois State University was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Jim Brewer from the University of Minnesota was selected second by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who obtained the pick from the Blazers in a trade. Ernie DiGregorio from Providence College, who went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in his first season, was selected third by the Buffalo Braves. George McGinnis, selected by the 76ers with the 22nd pick, is the only player, selected to both the All-NBA Team and the All-Star Game.
Collins, 5th pick Kermit Washington and 50th pick Larry Kenon are the only other players from this draft who were selected to an All-Star Game. Collins's achievements include four All-Star Game selections. After retiring as a player, he went on to coach the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards. Brewer won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982, he played basketball in Europe, where he won the Euroleague championship with the Ford Cantù in 1983. McGinnis had played in the American Basketball Association prior to the draft, he left college after his sophomore year in 1971 to play with the Indiana Pacers for four seasons. He played in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him, after the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, he had one ABA Most Valuable Player Award, three ABA All-Star Game selections, three NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-ABA Team selections and two All-NBA Team selections. Kenon opted to play in the ABA, he spent three seasons in the ABA before joining the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs when both leagues merged.
He was selected to three ABA All-Star Games and two NBA All-Star Games. Mike D'Antoni, the 20th pick, only played four seasons in the NBA and ABA before he moved to Italy with the Olimpia Milano, he won five Italian league titles and two Euroleague titles. After retiring as a player, he coached Olimpia Milano and Benetton Treviso, leading the latter to two Italian league titles, he returned to the NBA and coached three NBA teams. He won the Coach of the Year Award in 2005 with the Phoenix Suns and in 2017 with the Houston Rockets. M. L. Carr, the 76th pick, won two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 1981 and 1984 as a player. Carr became the Celtics' head coach for two seasons in the 1990s. Two other players drafted went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: 21st pick Allan Bristow and 66th pick George Karl. In the fifth round, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Krešimir Ćosić from Brigham Young University with the 84th pick. However, he opted to return to Yugoslavia after his college career.
Ćosić had a successful career in Europe, winning numerous league and club titles, as well as six gold medals with the Yugoslavian national team. For his achievements, he has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, he has been inducted by the International Basketball Federation to the FIBA Hall of Fame. The Atlanta Hawks used the 79th pick to draft Dave Winfield, who starred at both baseball and basketball at the University of Minnesota, he was drafted in three other major sport leagues. He chose baseball and played 22 seasons in MLB; the following list includes other draft picks. A 1 2 On the draft-day, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired a first-round pick and a third-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for John Johnson, Rick Roberson and Los Angeles Lakers' first-round pick; the Cavaliers used the picks to draft Jim O'Brien. The Blazers used the pick to draft Barry Parkhill. B On October 13, 1971, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a 1973 first-round pick, 1972 and 1973 second-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Rick Roberson.
The Lakers used the picks to draft Bill Schaeffer. C On April 13, 1973, the Atlanta Hawks acquired the ninth pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for George Trapp; the Hawks used the pick to draft Dwight Jones. D On October 18, 1971, the Capital B
