1986 NBA draft


The 1986 NBA draft was held on June 17, 1986.

Overview and aftermath

This draft holds the record for the most players who later debuted in the NBA, with 66.

Drug and health issues involving drafted players

There were various drug-related problems that plagued players in the 1986 NBA draft. Most notable was the death of highly touted Len Bias. Bias died less than two days after being selected second overall by the defending champion Boston Celtics. His death was ruled an overdose that resulted from the abuse of the drug cocaine. Other problems involving drugs hampered the careers of Chris Washburn, Roy Tarpley, and William Bedford.

Successful second-round players

While a number of first-round selections were unable to make an impact in the league, this draft did feature a number of talented second-round selections. Dennis Rodman, who became one of the leading defenders and rebounders in NBA history, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2011. Mark Price, Kevin Duckworth, and Jeff Hornacek also went on to have successful careers, and each made the NBA All-Star Game. Three others – Johnny Newman, Nate McMillan, and David Wingate – had long, productive careers as role players.

International draftees

This draft contained two exceptional international players, both of whom had shortened careers for unusual reasons. Third-round selection Dražen Petrović was coming off an All-Star caliber fourth season when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1993. He has since been elected to both the Naismith Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame. The other, Arvydas Sabonis, was not permitted to play in the United States because of the dangerous political climate in the Soviet Union. He won two Olympic medals before his arrival in the NBA—a gold in 1988 with the USSR, and a bronze in 1992 with Lithuania. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Sabonis had a very successful career in Europe before finally joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 1995. Sabonis had lost much of his mobility by the time he joined the team because of a string of knee and Achilles tendon injuries. He finished second in both the Sixth Man Award and Rookie of the Year voting; after the 1995–96 season, he won a second Olympic bronze medal with Lithuania. He played seven seasons with Portland before returning to his homeland of Lithuania where he finished his career. Sabonis entered the FIBA Hall in 2010 and the Naismith Hall in 2011.

Other draftee contributions to the game

This draft is also known for the number of players who made important contributions to the sport of basketball outside of the court. For example, Nate McMillan had a highly successful run with the Seattle SuperSonics as a player and then as head coach, and then spent seven seasons as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Scott Skiles was the former coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and also the first coach to lead the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs in the post-Jordan era. Larry Krystkowiak, a former Bucks head coach, was hired in April 2011 as the new head coach at the University of Utah. John Salley won four championship rings with three different NBA teams before becoming one of the hosts of The Best Damn Sports Show Period on Fox Sports Network. Mark Price served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, a shooting consultant with Memphis and Atlanta, a shooting coach for Golden State, and in December 2011 was named Player Development Coach for the Orlando Magic. Jeff Hornacek would also be a full-time assistant head coach for the Utah Jazz for two seasons before accepting a job as the head coach for the Phoenix Suns in the 2013–14 NBA season. In 2016, Jeff Hornacek became the head coach for the New York Knicks, and coached them until 2018. Pete Myers, selected in the sixth round as the 120th overall pick, was an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls from 2001 to 2010 and Golden State Warriors since 2011. Jim Les, the 70th overall pick, was an assistant coach for the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs from 1999 to 2001 then was head coach at Bradley University from 2002 to 2011 and UC Davis since 2011.
Jay Bilas, who was selected in the fifth round as the 108th overall pick but never played in the NBA, is an ESPN college basketball analyst.

Draft selections

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityNBA TeamSchool/Club Team
11*CUnited StatesCleveland Cavaliers North Carolina
12#SFUnited StatesBoston Celtics Maryland
13CUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsNC State
14SFUnited StatesIndiana PacersAuburn
15SFUnited StatesNew York KnicksKentucky
16CUnited StatesPhoenix SunsMemphis State
17CUnited StatesDallas Mavericks Michigan
18SFUnited StatesCleveland Cavaliers *Miami
19CUnited StatesChicago BullsOhio State
110PGUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursDuke
111PFUnited StatesDetroit Pistons Georgia Tech
112PFUnited StatesWashington BulletsLSU
113PGUnited StatesNew Jersey NetsSyracuse
114SF/PFUnited StatesPortland Trail BlazersSt. John's
115SG/SFUnited StatesUtah JazzVirginia Tech
116SFUnited StatesDenver Nuggets Saint Joseph's
117SFUnited StatesSacramento Kings Villanova
118PFUnited StatesDenver NuggetsDuke
119SFUnited StatesAtlanta HawksLouisville
120SFUnited StatesHouston RocketsAlabama
121SFUnited StatesWashington Bullets UNLV
122PGUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksMichigan State
123#PFUnited StatesLos Angeles LakersNotre Dame
124^CPortland Trail Blazers Zalgiris
225*PGUnited StatesDallas Mavericks, traded on draft day to the Cleveland CavaliersGeorgia Tech
226CUnited StatesIndiana PacersKansas
227^PFUnited StatesDetroit PistonsSoutheastern Oklahoma State
228PFUnited StatesChicago BullsMontana
229SFUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersRichmond
230PGUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsNC State
231#SFUnited StatesPhoenix SunsGeorgia
232PFUnited StatesAtlanta HawksGeorgia
233+CUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursEastern Illinois
234PFSpainSacramento KingsUC Irvine
235SGUnited StatesDallas MavericksLouisville
236#PGUnited StatesWashington BulletsUAB
237#CPortland Trail BlazersNC State
238#CUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsDePaul
239SFUnited StatesPhoenix SunsSyracuse
240#CItalyAtlanta HawksVirtus Bologna
241SGUnited StatesDenver NuggetsJacksonville
242#SFUnited StatesAtlanta HawksKansas
243CUnited StatesHouston RocketsUTEP
244SGUnited StatesPhiladelphia 76ersGeorgetown
245PGUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksLoyola Marymount
246+SGUnited StatesPhoenix SunsIowa State
247PGUnited StatesNew York KnicksGeorgetown

Notable post-second round picks

These players selected after the second round have played at least one game in the NBA.
RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeamSchool/club team
348SFUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursLoyola Marymount
350PGUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersCal State Fullerton
351PF/SFUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsBradley
352PGUnited StatesChicago BullsGeorge Mason
353PFUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsUC Irvine
354SGUnited StatesLos Angeles ClippersPepperdine
355PFUnited StatesPhoenix SunsOld Dominion
357SGUnited StatesSacramento KingsIllinois
358PGUnited StatesWashington BulletsDuke
359PFUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsSyracuse
360^SG
Portland Trail BlazersCibona
361CUnited StatesUtah JazzMinnesota
365CUnited StatesAtlanta HawksNebraska
366SGUnited StatesHouston RocketsOklahoma
367SGUnited StatesPhiladelphia 76ersSt. John's
369PGUnited StatesLos Angeles LakersMemphis State
370PGUnited StatesAtlanta HawksBradley
474PFUnited StatesChicago BullsIllinois
477SGUnited StatesPhoenix SunsPepperdine
484CUnited StatesUtah JazzDePaul
485PGUnited StatesDallas MavericksArkansas–Little Rock
489SGUnited StatesHouston RocketsUC Santa Barbara
595SFUnited StatesIndiana PacersMichigan
597SGUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsCleveland State
599PGUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsBoston College
5100PFUnited StatesLos Angeles ClippersSan Diego State
6120G/SFUnited StatesChicago BullsArkansas–Little Rock
6122PFUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsSouth Florida
6124PFUnited StatesLos Angeles ClippersNotre Dame
6133SFUnited StatesDenver NuggetsPepperdine
6134C
Atlanta HawksBudivelnik Kiev

* compensation for draft choices traded away by Ted Stepien

Notable undrafted players

These players who declared or were automatically eligible for the 1986 draft were not selected but played in the NBA.
PlayerPositionNationalitySchool/Club Team
SGUnited States
George Mason
SFUnited StatesNorthern Arizona
SGUnited StatesUtah
C KK Zadar