The best day in NBA sports history. June 27. The NBA Draft, the first high school player was the No. 1 pick, and bust choices. What happened on this day in NBA history?
First High School Player As the No. 1 Pick
Kwame Brown, from Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia, became the first high school player to be selected with the first overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft when the Washington Wizards selected him at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Perhaps as a result of the high expectations, Brown’s performance was not very good, averaging 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Pau Gasol, from the Spanish League powerhouse FC Barcelona, was selected with the third overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks. He became the highest-drafted player in history who had not played high school or college basketball in the United States. Other international players who made the All-Star Game are Tony Parker (France) and Mehmet Okur (Turkey).
Bust Choices
For the first time, the 1989 NBA Draft was broadcast live in primetime on TBS from the Felt Forum in New York City. Louisville Center Pervis Ellison was the first player selected with the first overall pick by the Sacramento Kings.
Although eight of the top ten picks were considered busts, the draft produced many talented individuals, including Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick Anderson, Dana Barros, Tim Hardaway, Vlade Divac, Clifford Robinson, and B.J. Armstrong.
Final Thoughts: This Day In NBA Sports History-June 27
The wealth of talent the NBA attracts represents a tremendous opportunity for the league’s teams. Increasingly, teams are dedicating more time and resources to tracking and researching promising young players to assess their chances of success.
There are situations in which the best prospect doesn’t always perform as expected, or even others who weren’t considered excellent prospects end up emerging as great players. This makes one thing clear. The path to success is never the same for everyone. If you missed the last article entitled This Day In NBA Sports History, read about it here on June 26.
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