2002 NBA draft


The 2002 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2002, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North American leagues. The draft was broadcast on TNT at 7:30 PM. The NBA announced that about 42 college and high school players, and five international players, had filed as early-entry candidates for the draft. The Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors both had a 22.5 percent probability of acquiring the first overall pick, but the Houston Rockets, with an 8.9 percent probability, won the NBA draft lottery on May 19. The Bulls and Warriors were second and third, respectively. As punishment for salary-cap violations during the 2000–01 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves forfeited their first-round draft pick.
The 2002 draft set a record with 17 international selections, with six coming in the first round alone.
Number 2 pick Jay Williams violated his contract by riding a motorcycle, and nearly lost his life in an accident that shattered his pelvis, severed a main nerve in his leg, and tore three ligaments in his left knee including his ACL. Although he underwent an intense rehabilitation program, Williams never played a game in the NBA again. When it became clear Williams would not be returning to the Bulls because of his injuries, he was waived. The Bulls could have voided Williams' contract, since riding a motorcycle was contractually prohibited. Instead the Bulls completed a $3 million buyout of the contract instead of having him walk away with nothing.
The draft was notable for its relative weakness outside the top prospects, as well as the rampant injury concerns of those players. Top players had promising careers end prematurely due to injury, such as Yao Ming, Williams and Dajuan Wagner. Nevertheless, Yao was named a Hall of Famer—a selection predicated as much on his role in popularizing basketball in China as it was his actual on-court play. As of 2020, Nenê and Udonis Haslem are the only remaining active players from this draft, though Haslem went undrafted.

Draft selections

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeamSchool or club team
11^CChinaHouston RocketsShanghai Sharks
12PGUnited StatesChicago BullsDuke
13SF/SGUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsDuke
14PF/CUnited StatesMemphis GrizzliesKansas
15PF/CGeorgiaDenver NuggetsBenetton Treviso
16PGUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersMemphis
17C/PFBrazilNew York Knicks Vasco da Gama
18PF/CUnited StatesLos Angeles Clippers Maryland
19*~PF/CUnited StatesPhoenix SunsCypress Creek HS
110+SFUnited StatesMiami HeatConnecticut
111PF/CUnited StatesWashington WizardsIndiana
112C/PFUnited StatesLos Angeles ClippersFresno State
113PFUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksTennessee
114SGUnited StatesIndiana PacersOregon
115SF/PFHouston Rockets Benetton Treviso
116SG/SFPhiladelphia 76ers Union Olimpija
117PGUnited StatesWashington Wizards Maryland
118CUnited StatesOrlando Magic Stanford
119PFUnited StatesUtah Jazz Notre Dame
120SGUnited StatesToronto Raptors Missouri
121SFUnited StatesPortland Trail BlazersNortheast Mississippi CC
122SGUnited StatesPhoenix Suns Stanford
123SFUnited StatesDetroit PistonsKentucky
124C/PFNew Jersey NetsPartizan Belgrade
125PGUnited StatesDenver Nuggets Illinois
126SF/SGUnited StatesSan Antonio Spurs Miami
127SFUnited StatesLos Angeles Lakers Fresno State
128PGUnited StatesSacramento Kings Gonzaga
129Forfeited pickMinnesota Timberwolves
230#PGUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsCincinnati
231SGUnited StatesChicago BullsVirginia
232PFMemphis GrizzliesIllinois
233SFUnited StatesDenver NuggetsTennessee
234CNetherlandsMilwaukee Bucks UCLA
235*PFUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersDuke
236#PGNew York KnicksPartizan Belgrade
237CAustraliaAtlanta HawksVirtus Bologna
238PGUnited StatesHouston Rockets Fresno State
239#SGUnited StatesWashington Wizards Alabama
240PGSpainWashington WizardsFC Barcelona
241CLos Angeles ClippersOpel Skyliners
242SGUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksShaw
243#CUnited StatesPortland Trail Blazers Arkansas State
244PFUnited StatesChicago Bulls Maryland
245#PFUnited StatesPhiladelphia 76ersUSC
246SFUnited StatesMemphis Grizzlies UCLA
247CUnited StatesUtah Jazz California
248PFUnited StatesMilwaukee Bucks Texas
249#PFGermanySeattle SuperSonicsHalle
250PFBoston CelticsWake Forest
251#SFPortland Trail BlazersOurense
252#PGUnited StatesMinnesota TimberwolvesMichigan State
253SFUnited StatesMiami Heat La Salle
254SGUnited StatesNew Jersey NetsMarshall
255#SGDallas MavericksFMP Železnik
256PFSan Antonio Spurs TAU Cerámica
257PFUnited States
San Antonio Spurs San Diego State
258PFUnited StatesSacramento KingsCentral Connecticut

Notable undrafted players

These players were not selected in this draft but played at least one game in the NBA.
PlayerPositionNationalitySchool or club team
PGUnited StatesSt. Bonaventure
SGUnited StatesUTSA
PF/SFUnited StatesWyoming
PFUnited StatesIowa
PG/SGUnited StatesTemple
PG/SGUnited StatesNC State
PG/SGUnited StatesAuburn
PG/SGUnited StatesWingate
PFUnited StatesFlorida
SFUnited StatesTulane
SGLietuvos Rytas
PGUnited StatesBowling Green
PGUnited StatesArkansas
C
Leuven Bears
PG/SGUnited StatesFordham
SGHawaii
PF/SFUnited StatesArizona State
PGBYU–Hawaii