Top 10 NBA Draft Day Moments
The NBA Draft has seen some exciting, emotional, and interesting moments. Here are the top 10 moments that have happened on NBA Draft Day.
Chris Webber was the first player taken in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, who had drafted Shaquille O'Neal a year prior. It seemed like there was a perfect front court for Orlando until moments later when he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in return for Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks.
Kobe Bryant (1978 - 2020) was an American retired professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Kobe Bryant has won 5 NBA championships with the Lakers and was the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.
He Retired in 2016. He died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California at age 41. The Lakers and Hornets made an agreement that once Charlotte drafted Kobe Bryant with the 13th pick, they would trade him to the Lakers. The deal was made and the high school sensation would star in Hollywood to become one of the greatest to ever play the game.
The Vancouver Grizzlies had selected Steve Francis with the second pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. But Francis wasn't wanting to play for Vancouver as he had said that before the pick was made. Francis would later be dealt to Houston for his rookie season.
Lusia Harris made history when she was picked by the New Orleans Jazz in the seventh round to become the first female player selected in the NBA. Despite the honor, Harris turned down the NBA as she was pregnant at the time.
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association. In 1995, Kevin Garnett was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. This was a big deal because he was coming out of high school, which was rare for athletes to be drafted from. Garnett would prove to be an incredible talent to have a hall of fame career and would start a trend for high school athletes to follow.
Just days prior to realizing his dream of playing in the NBA, Baylor University center was shocked to learn that he had been diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, which all but effectively ended his basketball career. But that didn't stop the NBA from deciding to make him a draft selection. Wearing the NBA hat, he was drafted as a proud member of the NBA
Caitlyn Marie Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, is an American television personality and retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete. She is also transgender, and came out in 2015. Back when Caitlyn was Bruce Jenner, the former U.S Olympic gold medalist in the decathalon was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the seventh round of the 1977 NBA Draft. This was seen as a marketing strategy as they held a "Bruce Jenner" night where fans saw the athlete and received a mini box Wheaties cereal. Jenner never played in the NBA.
Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. He is one of the most beloved, as well as hated, stars in the NBA today. The Minnesota Timberwolves had the fifth and sixth picks of the NBA Draft and Davidson point guard Steph Curry was still on the board. The Timberwolves had two opportunities to take Curry. But, in a surprising twist, they took Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio while Golden State took Curry. Needless to say, Curry is a legend and Minnesota finds reasons to falter.
After LeBron James was picked No. 1, the Detroit Pistons selected Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony. While the Pistons did win a title in Milicic's rookie season, it's clear that Detroit made a mistake in picking Darko over Anthony.
Yao Ming is a Chinese basketball executive and retired professional basketball player who played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. 2002 saw the Houston Rockets win the first pick of the NBA Draft. Their top pick was 7'6 Yao Ming of China, who made NBA history by becoming the first international player to be taken first overall.