1991 NBA draft
The 1991 NBA draft took place on June 25, 1991 in New York City, New York. Dikembe Mutombo is regarded as the best overall pick in this draft, becoming one of the greatest defensive centers in the history of the league. He was a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner and an eight-time All-Star, and played in the league for 18 seasons.[1]
Larry Johnson won the 1992 NBA Rookie of the Year award and was a two-time All-Star, the first player to represent the Charlotte Hornets franchise at an All-Star game. However, early in his professional career ongoing back problems decreased his effectiveness and caused his numbers to decline dramatically. Due to his chronic back problems, he retired in 2001.
The other notable picks include Kenny Anderson, Steve Smith, Terrell Brandon, Dale Davis and Chris Gatling, who all made All-Star appearances, but with the exception of Brandon at two, each only appeared once.
The remaining picks in the first round failed to make an impact. Billy Owens was selected by the Sacramento Kings but refused to sign with them. He was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for high-scoring guard Mitch Richmond, a trade that has been regarded as one of the most lopsided in NBA history. Owens was solid but unspectacular in his career, while Richmond was a six-time All-Star and was the 1989 NBA Rookie of the Year.[2] Luc Longley was a three-time NBA Championship winner with the Chicago Bulls and held the record for playing the most NBA games by an Australian (broken by Andrew Bogut during the 2015–16 season).
As of 2011, two players are deceased: Bobby Phills and Bison Dele (drafted as Brian Williams before changing his name). Phills died in a car accident involving team-mate David Wesley. Dele disappeared in the South Pacific in July 2002, with French authorities claiming that Dele's brother had killed Dele and his girlfriend and thrown them overboard the catamaran they were travelling on. Dele's brother committed suicide in September 2002.
This was the last draft held in New York City until 2001.
Draft
Dikembe Mutombo, the 4th pick
Stacey Augmon, the 9th pick
Rick Fox, the 24th pick
Round |
Pick |
Player |
Position |
Nationality[n 1] |
NBA Team |
School/Club Team |
1 |
1 |
Johnson, LarryLarry Johnson* |
PF |
United States |
Charlotte Hornets |
UNLV (Sr.) |
1 |
2 |
Anderson, KennyKenny Anderson+ |
PG |
United States |
New Jersey Nets |
Georgia Tech (So.) |
1 |
3 |
Owens, BillyBilly Owens |
SF |
United States |
Sacramento Kings (traded to Golden State) |
Syracuse (Jr.) |
1 |
4 |
Mutombo, DikembeDikembe Mutombo^ |
C |
Zaire |
Denver Nuggets |
Georgetown (Sr.) |
1 |
5 |
Smith, SteveSteve Smith+ |
SG |
United States |
Miami Heat |
Michigan State (Sr.) |
1 |
6 |
Smith, DougDoug Smith |
PF |
United States |
Dallas Mavericks |
Missouri (Sr.) |
1 |
7 |
Longley, LucLuc Longley |
C |
Australia |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
New Mexico (Sr.) |
1 |
8 |
Macon, MarkMark Macon |
SG |
United States |
Denver Nuggets (from Washington) |
Temple (Sr.) |
1 |
9 |
Stacey Augmon |
SG/SF |
United States |
Atlanta Hawks (from L.A. Clippers) |
UNLV (Sr.) |
1 |
10 |
Williams, BrianBrian Williams[Note 1] |
PF/C |
United States |
Orlando Magic |
Arizona (Jr.) |
1 |
11 |
Brandon, TerrellTerrell Brandon+ |
PG |
United States |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Oregon (Jr.) |
1 |
12 |
Anthony, GregGreg Anthony |
PG |
United States |
New York Knicks |
UNLV (Sr.) |
1 |
13 |
Davis, DaleDale Davis+ |
PF |
United States |
Indiana Pacers |
Clemson (Sr.) |
1 |
14 |
King, RichRich King |
C |
United States |
Seattle SuperSonics |
Nebraska (Sr.) |
1 |
15 |
Avent, AnthonyAnthony Avent |
PF |
United States |
Atlanta Hawks |
Seton Hall (Sr.) |
1 |
16 |
Gatling, ChrisChris Gatling+ |
PF |
United States |
Golden State Warriors (from Philadelphia) |
Old Dominion (Sr.) |
1 |
17 |
Alexander, VictorVictor Alexander |
C |
United States |
Golden State Warriors |
Iowa State (Sr.) |
1 |
18 |
Brooks, KevinKevin Brooks |
SF |
United States |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Southwestern Louisiana (Sr.) |
1 |
19 |
Smith, LaBradfordLaBradford Smith |
SG |
United States |
Washington Bullets (from Detroit via Dallas and Denver) |
Louisville (Sr.) |
1 |
20 |
Turner, JohnJohn Turner |
PF |
United States |
Houston Rockets |
Phillips (Sr.) |
1 |
21 |
Murdock, EricEric Murdock |
PG |
United States |
Utah Jazz |
Providence (Sr.) |
1 |
22 |
Ellis, LeRonLeRon Ellis |
PF |
United States |
Los Angeles Clippers (from Phoenix via Seattle) |
Syracuse (Sr.) |
1 |
23 |
Roberts, StanleyStanley Roberts |
C |
United States |
Orlando Magic (from San Antonio) |
Real Madrid (Spain) |
1 |
24 |
Fox, RickRick Fox |
SF |
Canada |
Boston Celtics |
North Carolina (Sr.) |
1 |
25 |
Vandiver, ShaunShaun Vandiver# |
PF |
United States |
Golden State Warriors (from L.A. Lakers) |
Colorado (Sr.) |
1 |
26 |
Randall, MarkMark Randall |
PF |
United States |
Chicago Bulls |
Kansas (Sr.) |
1 |
27 |
Chilcutt, PetePete Chilcutt |
PF |
United States |
Sacramento Kings (from Portland) |
North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 |
28 |
Lynch, KevinKevin Lynch |
G/F |
United States |
Charlotte Hornets (from Denver) |
Minnesota (Sr.) |
2 |
29 |
Ackles, GeorgeGeorge Ackles# |
C/PF |
United States |
Miami Heat |
UNLV (Sr.) |
2 |
30 |
Monroe, RodneyRodney Monroe |
G/F |
United States |
Atlanta Hawks (from Sacramento) |
NC State (Sr.) |
2 |
31 |
Brown, RandyRandy Brown |
PG |
United States |
Sacramento Kings (from New Jersey) |
New Mexico State (Sr.) |
2 |
32 |
Gallagher, ChadChad Gallagher |
C |
United States |
Phoenix Suns (from Charlotte) |
Creighton (Sr.) |
2 |
33 |
Hodge, DonaldDonald Hodge |
C |
United States |
Dallas Mavericks |
Temple (Jr.) |
2 |
34 |
Brown, MyronMyron Brown |
G |
United States |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
Slippery Rock (Sr.) |
2 |
35 |
Iuzzolino, MikeMike Iuzzolino |
G |
United States |
Dallas Mavericks (from Washington via Sacramento) |
Saint Francis (PA) (Sr.) |
2 |
36 |
Corchiani, ChrisChris Corchiani |
G |
United States |
Orlando Magic |
NC State (Sr.) |
2 |
37 |
Perry, ElliotElliot Perry |
PG |
United States |
Los Angeles Clippers |
Memphis State (Sr.) |
2 |
38 |
Wylie, JoeJoe Wylie# |
PF |
United States |
Los Angeles Clippers (from Cleveland) |
Miami (FL) (Sr.) |
2 |
39 |
Oliver, JimmyJimmy Oliver |
G/F |
United States |
Cleveland Cavaliers (from New York via Charlotte) |
Purdue (Sr.) |
2 |
40 |
Overton, DougDoug Overton |
PG |
United States |
Detroit Pistons (from Seattle) |
La Salle (Sr.) |
2 |
41 |
Green, SeanSean Green |
F/G |
United States |
Indiana Pacers |
Iona (Sr.) |
2 |
42 |
Hood, SteveSteve Hood# |
SF |
United States |
Sacramento Kings (from Atlanta) |
James Madison (Sr.) |
2 |
43 |
Strothers, LamontLamont Strothers |
G |
United States |
Golden State Warriors |
Christopher Newport (Sr.) |
2 |
44 |
Teherán, ÁlvaroÁlvaro Teherán# |
C |
Colombia |
Philadelphia 76ers |
Houston (Sr.) |
2 |
45 |
Phills, BobbyBobby Phills |
SG |
United States |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Southern (Sr.) |
2 |
46 |
Dumas, RichardRichard Dumas |
F |
United States |
Phoenix Suns (from Detroit) |
Hapoel Holon (Israel) |
2 |
47 |
Hughes, KeithKeith Hughes# |
PF |
United States |
Houston Rockets |
Rutgers (Sr.) |
2 |
48 |
Austin, IsaacIsaac Austin |
C |
United States |
Utah Jazz |
Arizona State (Sr.) |
2 |
49 |
Sutton, GregGreg Sutton |
G |
United States |
San Antonio Spurs |
Oral Roberts (Sr.) |
2 |
50 |
Wright, JoeyJoey Wright# |
SG |
United States |
Phoenix Suns |
Texas (Sr.) |
2 |
51 |
Tabak, ŽanŽan Tabak |
C |
Croatia |
Houston Rockets (from Boston via New Jersey and Cleveland) |
KK Split (Croatia) |
2 |
52 |
Jones, AnthonyAnthony Jones# |
SF |
United States |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Oral Roberts (Sr.) |
2 |
53 |
McDade, VonVon McDade# |
SG |
United States |
New Jersey Nets (from Chicago) |
Milwaukee (Sr.) |
2 |
54 |
Kennedy, MarcusMarcus Kennedy# |
PF |
United States |
Portland Trail Blazers |
Eastern Michigan (Sr.) |
- ↑ Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
Notable undrafted players
Darrell Armstrong was undrafted but had a 13-year career in the NBA and was the
Sixth Man of the Year in 1999.
Notes
- ^ Brian Williams changed his name to Bison Dele in 1998.[3]
References
External links
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