The 1981 NBA draft was the 35th annual
draft of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the
1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the
USA Network
USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Mad ...
. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S.
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
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
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. The ...
won the coin flip and were awarded the
first overall pick, while the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
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. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was automatically
eligible for selection. Before the draft, five college
underclassmen announced that they would leave college early and would be eligible for selection. The draft consisted of 10 rounds comprising the selection of 223 players.
The Dallas Mavericks used their first pick to draft
1980 Naismith College Player of the Year Mark Aguirre from
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private university, private, Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-centu ...
. Aguirre, who had just finished his
junior season in college, became the second underclassman to be drafted first overall, after
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in th ...
in
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
. The Detroit Pistons used the second overall pick to draft
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is an analyst for '' NBA TV''. The 12-time NBA All-Star was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as well as the 75 Gre ...
, a
sophomore
In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of Post-secondary school, post-secondary educati ...
guard from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
. Thomas had just won the
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major off ...
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship with Indiana and was named as the
tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The
New Jersey Nets
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
used the third pick to draft another underclassman,
Buck Williams, from the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the Flagship un ...
. Williams went on to win the
Rookie of the Year Award and was also selected to the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
in his rookie season.
This draft marked the first time that the first three selections were college underclassmen.
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray Ainge ( ; born March 17, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and former professional baseball player who serves as an executive for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A three-sp ...
, the
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major off ...
Wooden College Player of the Year, was selected in the second round with the 31st pick by the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of ...
.
Ainge had been playing professional baseball since 1979 with the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
in the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...
(MLB) while also playing college basketball at
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
. He reportedly preferred to continue his baseball career, but the Celtics successfully persuaded him to play basketball instead. He is one of only twelve athletes who have played in both the NBA and MLB.
Key
Draft
Notable post-second round picks

The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game.
Notable undrafted players
These players were not selected in the 1981 draft but played at least one game in the NBA.
Trades
Draft-day trades
The following
trades involving drafted players were made on the day of the draft.
* The
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first est ...
acquired the draft rights to 32nd pick
Mike Olliver
Michael Orlando Olliver (born March 21, 1959) is an American former basketball player. He is best known for his college career at Lamar University, where he was the Southland Conference Player of the Year in 1981.
Olliver was born in Temple, T ...
from the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on Januar ...
in exchange for the draft rights to 36th pick
Ray Blume
Bernard Ray Blume (born September 23, 1958) is an American former basketball player. Blume achieved his greatest career success at the collegiate level as a guard for an Oregon State University Beavers men's basketball. During Blume's four-year t ...
and a 1982 second-round pick.
Pre-draft trades
Prior to the day of the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of picks between the teams.
* On June 8, 1981, the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
acquired a 1981 first-round pick and a 1981 second-round pick from the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on Januar ...
in exchange for a 1981 first-round pick, a 1982 second-round pick and an option to swap 1982 first-round draft picks. Previously, the Bulls acquired the draft rights to
Ronnie Lester and the first-round pick on June 10, 1980, from the
Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the draft rights to
Kelvin Ransey and a 1981 first-round pick. Previously, the Blazers acquired the pick on February 8, 1980, from the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...
in exchange for
Lionel Hollins. Previously, the 76ers acquired the pick and a 1983 first-round pick on October 3, 1977, from the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
in exchange for
Terry Furlow.
The Hawks used the picks to draft Al Wood and Clyde Bradshaw. The Bulls used the pick to draft Orlando Woolridge. The Blazers used the pick to draft Darnell Valentine.
* On January 4, 1978, the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conf ...
acquired a first-round pick from the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference, Northwest Division. Since the 1991–92 season, ...
in exchange for
Slick Watts.
The Sonics used the pick to draft Danny Vranes.
* September 25, 1980, the
Kansas City Kings acquired
Joe Meriweather
Joe C. Meriweather (October 26, 1953 – October 13, 2013) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6'10" center from Southern Illinois University, Meriweather played ten seasons (1975–1985) in the NBA as a member of the Houston Rock ...
and a first-round pick from the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associa ...
in a three-team trade with the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Previously, the Knicks acquired a first-round pick on October 4, 1978, from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for
Lonnie Shelton and a 1979 first-round pick. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Knicks signed
Marvin Webster on September 29, 1978. The Kings used the pick to draft Steve Johnson.
* On December 3, 1980, the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. The ...
acquired 1981 and 1985 first-round picks from the
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
in exchange for
Kiki Vandeweghe and a 1986 first-round pick. The Mavericks used the pick to draft Rolando Blackman.
* On February 8, 1980, the
New Jersey Nets
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
acquired
Maurice Lucas
Maurice Lucas (February 18, 1952 – October 31, 2010) was an American professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a four-time NBA All-Star and won ...
, 1980 and 1981 first-round picks from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for
Calvin Natt. Previously, the Blazers acquired the pick on June 7, 1978, from the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
in exchange for a 1978 first-round pick. The Nets used the pick to draft Albert King.
* On June 12, 1980, the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
acquired a first-round pick from the Kansas City Kings as compensation for the signing of
Leon Douglas as a free agent. The Pistons used the pick to draft Kelly Tripucka.
* On September 21, 1978, the Utah Jazz acquired a first-round pick from the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Divisio ...
in exchange for
Slick Watts.
The Jazz used the pick to draft Danny Schayes.
* On June 8, 1981, the
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first est ...
acquired 1981 and 1982 second-round picks on June 8, 1981, from the Cleveland Cavaliers. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Cavaliers signed
James Edwards on May 25, 1981. Previously, the Kansas City Kings acquired a first-round pick on June 8, 1981, from the Cavaliers in exchange for the second-round pick. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Cavaliers signed Scott Wedman. Previously, the Cavaliers acquired the first-round pick on May 20, 1981, from the New York Knicks in exchange for
Randy Smith. The Kings used the pick to draft Kevin Loder. The Pacers used the pick to draft Ray Blume.
* On August 15, 1980, the New Jersey Nets acquired a first-round pick from the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
as compensation for the signing of
George Johnson as a free agent. The Nets used the pick to draft Ray Tolbert.
* On October 19, 1978, the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of ...
acquired
Chris Ford
Christopher Joseph Ford (born January 11, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. He is known for making the first counted NBA three-point shot on October 12, 1979.
Amateur career
A 6-foot-5 (1.96 m) guard fro ...
and a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for
Earl Tatum. The Celtics used the pick to draft Tracy Jackson.
* On October 9, 1979, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired a second-round pick from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for
Clemon Johnson. Previously, the Pacers acquired
Bob Carrington
Robert Frederick Carrington (born July 3, 1953) is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" (198 cm) 195 lb (89 kg) guard and played collegiately at Boston College.
Carrington was selected with the 11th pick ...
, 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on January 27, 1978, from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for
John Williamson.
The Blazers used the pick to draft Brian Jackson.
* On September 12, 1980, the San Antonio Spurs acquired two second-round picks from the Chicago Bulls as compensation for the signing of
Larry Kenon as a free agent. Previously, the Bulls acquired one of the pick on August 8, 1980, from the Seattle SuperSonics as compensation for the signing of
Dennis Awtrey as a free agent. Previously, the Bulls acquired
Oliver Mack, 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on February 13, 1980, from the
Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for
Mark Landsberger. Previously, the Lakers acquired 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on October 24, 1979, from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for
Kenny Carr. The Spurs used the picks to draft Gene Banks and Ed Rains.
* On July 8, 1980, the Kansas City Kings acquired a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks as compensation for the signing of
Tommy Burleson as a free agent. Previously, the Hawks acquired a 1980 second-round pick and re-acquired their second-round pick on November 23, 1979, from the Utah Jazz in exchange for
Terry Furlow.
Previously, the Jazz acquired the pick and a 1980 second-round pick on October 10, 1979, from the Hawks in exchange for
Ron Lee. The Kings used the pick to draft Eddie Johnson.
* On August 4, 1978, the Boston Celtics acquired
Nate Archibald,
Marvin Barnes,
Billy Knight, 1981 and 1983 second-round picks from the
San Diego Clippers in exchange for
Kevin Kunnert,
Kermit Washington,
Sidney Wicks and
Freeman Williams. The Celtics used the pick to draft Danny Ainge.
* On June 9, 1980, the Chicago Bulls acquired a second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for
Cedrick Hordges. The Bulls used the pick to draft Mike Olliver.
* On June 10, 1980, the Golden State Warriors acquired a second-round pick from the
Washington Bullets
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
in exchange for the draft rights to
Jeff Ruland. The Warriors used the pick to draft Sam Williams.
* On September 11, 1980, the Denver Nuggets acquired
Wayne Cooper and a second-round pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange for
Bernard King. Previously, the Jazz acquired the pick and a 1980 third-round pick on October 9, 1979, from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for
Robert Smith Robert Smith or Bob Smith, or similar, may refer to:
Business
* Robert MacKay Smith (1802–1888), Scottish businessman, meteorologist and philanthropist who founded Glasgow University's Mackay Smith Prizes
* Robert Barr Smith (1824–1915), ...
. The Nuggets used the pick to draft Ken Green.
* On June 8, 1981, the Washington Bullets acquired 1981 and 1983 second-round picks from the Houston Rockets in exchange for
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17, 1945), nicknamed "the Big E", is an American former professional basketball player and radio analyst for his alma-mater Houston Cougars. He is a member of the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and a ...
. The Bullets used the pick to draft Charles Davis.
* On October 1, 1980, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for
Wayne Robinson
Wayne Lavern Robinson (January 14, 1930 – December 20, 2015) was a professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1952 through 1956. He played college football at the University ...
. Previously, the Pistons acquired a second-round pick on September 18, 1979, from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for
Jim Brewer. The Lakers used the pick to draft Harvey Knuckles.
* On September 26, 1980, the Washington Bullets acquired 1981 and 1982 second-round picks from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for
Dave Corzine. The Bullets used the pick to draft Claude Gregory.
* On June 9, 1980, the Dallas Mavericks acquired a second-round pick from the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Pacific Division (NBA), P ...
in exchange for
Wiley Peck
Wiley J. Peck (born September 15, 1957) is a retired American professional basketball player. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, he was a 6'7" and 220 lb shooting guard and played college basketball at Mississippi State University. He had a brief ...
. The Mavericks used the pick to draft Elston Turner.
* On February 4, 1980, the Washington Bullets acquired John Williamson and a second-round pick from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for
Roger Phegley
Roger Dale Phegley (born October 16, 1956) is an American retired professional basketball player. A 6'6" (198 cm) 205 lb (93 kg) shooting guard, he played college basketball at Bradley University and had a career in the NBA from 19 ...
.
Previously, the Nets acquired
Otis Birdsong
Otis Lee Birdsong (born December 9, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons (1977–1989) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games.
A guard who attended Wint ...
and the pick on June 8, 1981, from the Kansas City Kings in exchange for
Cliff Robinson. Previously, the Kings acquired the pick on June 19, 1980, from the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
as compensation for the signing of
Len Elmore as a free agent. The Bullets used the pick to draft Steve Lingenfelter.
* On June 28, 1978, the Houston Rockets acquired a second-round pick from the Boston Celtics as compensation for the signing of Kevin Kunnert as a free agent. The Rockets used the pick to draft Ed Turner.
* On October 31, 1980, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired
Kim Hughes
Kimberley John Hughes (born 26 January 1954) is a former cricketer who played for Western Australia, Natal and Australia. He captained Australia in 28 Test matches between 1979 and 1984 before captaining a rebel Australian team in a tour o ...
, a 1981 third-round pick and a 1982 second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for
Dave Robisch
David George Robisch (born December 22, 1949) is a retired American professional basketball player in the ABA and NBA. Robisch played at the University of Kansas, where he was initiated into the Sigma Nu fraternity. He was positioned at center ...
. The Cavaliers used the pick to draft Mickey Dillard.
* On December 4, 1979, the New York Knicks acquired a third-round pick from the Washington Bullets in exchange for
Jim Cleamons. The Knicks used the pick to draft Frank Brickowski.
* On November 3, 1980, the Golden State Warriors acquired a fourth-round pick from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for
Rudy White
Rudolph White (born June 23, 1953) is an American former basketball player. He was a 6'2" (1.88 m), 195 lb (88.5 kg) guard born in Silver City, New Mexico and attended Arizona State University and played in the National Basketball Asso ...
. The Warriors used the pick to draft Lewis Lloyd.
* On July 10, 1978, the Kansas City Kings acquired a fourth-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for
Geoff Crompton
Jeffrey Crompton, often stylized as "Geoff" or "Geff" (July 4, 1955 – January 7, 2002), was an American professional basketball player.
A 6'11 Parade All-American center from Walter M. Williams High School in Burlington, North Carolina, Crompt ...
. The Kings used the pick to draft Kenny Dennard.
Draftee career notes
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is an analyst for '' NBA TV''. The 12-time NBA All-Star was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as well as the 75 Gre ...
is the only player from this draft who has been inducted to the
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
. He was also named in the
50 Greatest Players in NBA History
The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...
list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. He spent his entire 13-year career with the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
and won two
NBA championships. He also one
Finals Most Valuable Player Award, five consecutive
All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sele ...
selections and twelve consecutive
All-Star Game selections. After retiring as a player, Thomas went on to have a coaching career with the
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first est ...
and the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associa ...
.
Mark Aguirre, the first pick, won two NBA championships with Thomas and the Pistons. His other achievements include three All-Star Game selections.
Buck Williams, the third pick, was selected to one All-NBA Team, three All-Star Games and four
All-Defensive Teams.
Tom Chambers Tom or Thomas Chambers may refer to:
Government and politics
* Sir Thomas Chambers (colonial administrator) (died 1692), British administrator and factor of the British East India Company in Madras
* Sir Thomas Chambers (British politician) (1814 ...
, the eighth pick, was selected to two All-NBA Teams and four All-Star Games. Five other players from this draft, seventh pick
Steve Johnson, ninth pick
Rolando Blackman
Rolando Antonio Blackman (born February 26, 1959) is a Panamanian-American former professional basketball player. He was a four-time NBA All-Star who spent most of his career with the Dallas Mavericks.
Blackman was born in Panama City, Panam ...
, 12th pick
Kelly Tripucka, 20th pick
Larry Nance and 31st pick Danny Ainge, were also selected to at least one All-Star Game each.
Eddie Johnson Edward, Eddie or Ed Johnson may refer to:
Politicians
* Edward Johnson (founder of Woburn, MA) (1598–1672), colonial military officer and writer
* Edward Johnson (mayor) (1767–1829), mayor of Baltimore
*Edward A. Johnson (1860–1944), first A ...
, the 29th pick, is the only other player from this draft who has won an annual NBA award as a player; he won the
Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitu ...
in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ru ...
. Aside from Thomas, four other players drafted also went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: Danny Ainge, 11th pick
Frank Johnson, 14th pick
Herb Williams and 179th pick
Jay Triano
A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian m ...
.
In the eighth round, the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
used the 171st pick to selected
Yasutaka Okayama
is a Japanese former professional basketball player and coach. He was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 171st pick of the eighth round of the 1981 NBA draft, although he did not sign with them. At 7'8" (233 cm), he is the tallest ...
, a Japanese basketball player who was measured at and .
Okayama, who attended and played
junior varsity basketball at the
University of Portland
, mottoeng = The truth will set you free
, established = 1901
, type = Private university
, religious_affiliation = Catholic (Congregation of Holy Cross)
, endowment = $218 million
, president = Robert D. Kelly
, students = 3,731 (fall 20 ...
for one and a half years in 1976 as an exchange student, declined to try out for the Warriors and never played in the NBA. He is the tallest person ever drafted and would have been the
tallest player in the NBA had he played in the league. The
San Diego Clippers used their last pick in the draft, the 210th pick, to draft
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed h ...
, who starred at both baseball and basketball at
San Diego State University
San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) syste ...
.
Gwynn was also selected in the
1981 MLB draft
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.
Compensation Picks
Other notable players
* Darrin Jackson, 2nd round, 28th overall by the Chicago Cubs
* Mike Gallego, 2nd round, 3 ...
by the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. He opted to play baseball and ended up playing 20 seasons with the Padres. He received multiple awards and honors during his playing career, is one of only 28 players in MLB history with
3,000 career hits, and was inducted to the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball ...
at his first opportunity in .
Kenny Easley, a
college football star from the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a Normal school, teachers colle ...
, was selected by the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on Januar ...
with the 216th pick in the 10th round. Easley, who was selected fourth in the
1981 National Football League (NFL) Draft by the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
, played seven seasons with the Seahawks and received several awards and honors before retiring in 1988 due to kidney problems that eventually led to a
transplant
Transplant or Transplantation may refer to:
Sciences
*Transplanting a plant from one location to another
*Organ transplantation, moving an organ from one body to another
*Transplant thought experiment, an experiment similar to Trolley problem
*Tra ...
.
Early entrants
College underclassmen
The following
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
players successfully applied for early draft entrance.
*
Mark Aguirre – F,
DePaul (junior)
* / Leonel Marquetti – F,
Hampton (junior)
* Kenny Page – G,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex
, Offi ...
(junior)
*
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is an analyst for '' NBA TV''. The 12-time NBA All-Star was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as well as the 75 Gre ...
– G,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
(sophomore)
*
Buck Williams – F,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
(junior)
Notes
See also
*
List of first overall NBA draft picks
The National Basketball Association's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual National Basketball Association (NBA) NBA draft, draft. The first pick is awarded to the team ...
References
;General
*
*
*
;Specific
External links
NBA.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:1981 Nba Draft
Draft
National Basketball Association draft
National Basketball Association lists