| 1959 NBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date(s) | March 31, 1959 |
| Location | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Overview | |
| 85 total selections in14 rounds | |
| League | NBA |
| Territorial pick(s) | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors Bob Ferry, St. Louis Hawks |
| First selection | Bob Boozer, Cincinnati Royals |
← 1958
1960 →
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The 1959 NBA draft was the 13th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 31, 1959, before the 1959–60 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. The draft consisted of 14 rounds comprising 85 players selected.[1][2]
Bob Boozer from Kansas State University was selected first overall by the Cincinnati Royals. Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Ferry were selected before the draft as Philadelphia Warriors' and St. Louis Hawks' territorial picks respectively. Although Chamberlain played at the University of Kansas, outside the territory of any NBA team, he was selected as the Warriors' territorial pick because the Warriors argued that Chamberlain had grown up in Philadelphia and played high school basketball at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. The NBA agreed with the argument, hence making him the first territorial pick based solely on his pre-college roots.[3] Chamberlain went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award in his first season.[4][5] Two players from this draft, Wilt Chamberlain and Bailey Howell, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.[6]
| Pos. | G | F | C |
| Position | Guard | Forward | Center |
| ^ | 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 |
| # | Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game |
^ 1: Wilt Chamberlain was playing for the University of Kansas until May 1958, when he decided to leave college early to play professional basketball. However, the NBA rules prevented college players from playing in the league until their class graduated, therefore Chamberlain wasn't eligible to play in the 1958–59 season. He spent the 1958–59 season playing for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to the 1959 draft.[3]
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NBA draft history by team
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| Eastern Conference |
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| Western Conference |
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| Territorial pick |
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| First round |
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| Second round |
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