1974 NBA draft
The 1974 NBA draft was the 28th annual draft of the National Basketball Association. The draft was held on May 28, 1974, before the 1974–75 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball 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 Portland Trail Blazers won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Philadelphia 76ers 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. Prior to the draft, the Capital Bullets were renamed the Washington Bullets. An expansion franchise, the New Orleans Jazz, took part in the NBA Draft for the first time and were assigned the tenth pick in each round. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. Before the draft, 20 college were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule. These players had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning their living by starting their professional careers earlier. The draft consisted of 10 rounds comprising the selection of 178 players.
Draft selections and draftee career notes
, from the University of California Los Angeles, was selected first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Jamaal Wilkes, from UCLA, was selected 11th by the Golden State Warriors and went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Walton, Wilkes, and 40th pick George Gervin have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Both Walton and Gervin were also named to the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Walton won the NBA championship, along with the Finals Most Valuable Player Award, with the Blazers in 1977. Later in his career, he won another NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 1986. During that season, he also won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Walton's other achievements include one Most Valuable Player Award in 1978, two All-NBA Team selections and five All-Star Game selections. Gervin had left college in 1972 to play professionally in the American Basketball Association with the Virginia Squires. He later joined the NBA in 1976 after both leagues merged. His achievements include two All-ABA Team selections, seven All-NBA Team selections, three ABA All-Star Game selections and nine NBA All-Star Game selections.Jamaal Wilkes won four NBA championships, one with the Golden State Warriors and three with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was selected to three All-Star Games. Maurice Lucas, the 14th pick, was selected to one All-NBA Team and four All-Star Games. He also won the NBA championship in 1977 with the Trail Blazers. Truck Robinson, the 22nd pick, and Phil Smith, the 29th pick, were selected to one All-NBA Team and two All-Star Games each. Bobby Jones, the 5th pick, initially opted to play in the ABA. He played two seasons in the ABA before finally joined the NBA with the Denver Nuggets when both leagues merged. His achievements include an NBA championship with the 76ers in 1983, one All-ABA Team selection, one ABA All-Star Game selection, four NBA All-Star Game selections, nine NBA All-Defensive Team selections and one Sixth Man of The Year Award. Five other players from this draft, 6th pick Scott Wedman, 8th pick Campy Russell, 12th pick Brian Winters, 21st pick Billy Knight and 25th pick John Drew, were also selected to at least one All-Star Game. Two players drafted went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: Brian Winters and 45th pick Kim Hughes.
Key
Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/club team |
| 1 | 1 | ^ | F/C | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | UCLA |
| 1 | 2 | F/C | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | Providence | |
| 1 | 3 | C | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | North Carolina State | |
| 1 | 4 | F/C | United States | Phoenix Suns | Notre Dame | |
| 1 | 5 | ^ | F | United States | Houston Rockets | North Carolina |
| 1 | 6 | + | G/F | United States | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | Colorado |
| 1 | 7 | G | United States | Atlanta Hawks | Hawaii | |
| 1 | 8 | + | F | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers | Michigan |
| 1 | 9 | F/C | United States | Buffalo Braves | Maryland | |
| 1 | 10 | F/C | United States | Atlanta Hawks | Utah | |
| 1 | 11 | Keith Wilkes^ | G/F | United States | Golden State Warriors | UCLA |
| 1 | 12 | + | G/F | United States | Los Angeles Lakers | South Carolina |
| 1 | 13 | F/C | United States | Washington Bullets | Maryland | |
| 1 | 14 | * | F/C | United States | Chicago Bulls | Marquette |
| 1 | 15 | F | United States | Detroit Pistons | Missouri | |
| 1 | 16 | F/C | United States | Chicago Bulls | Long Beach State | |
| 1 | 17 | G/F | United States | Boston Celtics | Long Beach State | |
| 1 | 18 | G | United States | Milwaukee Bucks | Notre Dame | |
| 2 | 19 | G | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | Dayton | |
| 2 | 20 | G/F | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | Vanderbilt | |
| 2 | 21 | + | G/F | United States | Los Angeles Lakers | Pittsburgh |
| 2 | 22 | * | F/C | United States | Washington Bullets | Tennessee State |
| 2 | 23 | G/F | United States | Houston Rockets | Texas-El Paso | |
| 2 | 24 | C | United States | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | Tennessee | |
| 2 | 25 | + | G/F | United States | Atlanta Hawks | Gardner–Webb |
| 2 | 26 | F | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | Long Beach State | |
| 2 | 27 | G | United States | Chicago Bulls | Jacksonville | |
| 2 | 28 | F | United States | New Orleans Jazz | Grambling | |
| 2 | 29 | * | G | United States | Golden State Warriors | San Francisco |
| 2 | 30 | G | United States | Washington Bullets | Syracuse | |
| 2 | 31 | F | United States | Phoenix Suns | Syracuse | |
| 2 | 32 | G | United States | New York Knicks | Virginia Commonwealth | |
| 2 | 33 | G | United States | Detroit Pistons | Arizona | |
| 2 | 34 | G | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | Miami | |
| 2 | 35 | G | United States | Boston Celtics | Providence | |
| 2 | 36 | # | G | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | Maryland-Eastern Shore |
Other picks
The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game.was selected 40th overall by the Phoenix Suns.|alt=A man, wearing a black coat, white shirt and tie, is standing in front of the American flag.
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/club team |
| 3 | 37 | G | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | Arizona | |
| 3 | 38 | G | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers | West Georgia | |
| 3 | 39 | F/C | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers | San Francisco | |
| 3 | 40 | ^ | G/F | United States | Phoenix Suns | Virginia Squires |
| 3 | 42 | F/C | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | Hardin–Simmons | |
| 3 | 43 | G | United States | Atlanta Hawks | North Carolina | |
| 3 | 44 | G/F | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | Maryland-Eastern Shore | |
| 3 | 45 | C | United States | Buffalo Braves | Wisconsin | |
| 3 | 47 | F | United States | Golden State Warriors | Purdue | |
| 3 | 49 | F/C | United States | Phoenix Suns | Winston-Salem State | |
| 3 | 52 | G | United States | Chicago Bulls | Wichita State | |
| 4 | 56 | F | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | Aurora | |
| 4 | 63 | F | United States | Buffalo Braves | Virginia Commonwealth | |
| 4 | 66 | G | United States | Washington Bullets | San Diego State | |
| 5 | 77 | F | United States | Houston Rockets | Detroit | |
| 5 | 80 | F | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | Arkansas | |
| 5 | 82 | F | United States | New Orleans Jazz | St. John's | |
| 5 | 86 | G | United States | New York Knicks | Guilford | |
| 5 | 89 | F | United States | Boston Celtics | Florida State | |
| 6 | 92 | G | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | USC | |
| 6 | 98 | F | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | Ohio State | |
| 7 | 115 | G | United States | Atlanta Hawks | UCLA | |
| 9 | 145 | G | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | Georgia Southern | |
| 9 | 154 | F | United States | New Orleans Jazz | Boston University | |
| 9 | 160 | G | United States | Boston Celtics | Massachusetts | |
| 10 | 169 | G | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | Seattle | |
| 10 | 175 | G | United States | Detroit Pistons | Vanderbilt |
Trades
- On the draft-day, the Seattle SuperSonics acquired a first-round pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Dick Snyder and a first-round pick. The Sonics used the pick to draft Tommy Burleson. The Cavaliers used the pick to draft Campy Russell.
- On May 20, 1974, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Bob Kauffman, Dean Meminger, the tenth pick, a 1975 first-round pick, 1975 and 1976 second-round picks, and a 1980 third-round pick from the New Orleans Jazz in exchange for Pete Maravich. The Hawks used the pick to draft Mike Sojourner.
- On the draft-day, the Chicago Bulls acquired a first-round pick from the New York Knicks in exchange for Howard Porter and a 1975 second-round pick. The Bulls used the pick to draft Maurice Lucas.
- On August 31, 1972, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a second-round pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Jim Cleamons. The Lakers used the pick to draft Billy Knight.
- On August 23, 1973, the Washington Bullets acquired a second-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Stan Love. Previously, the Lakers acquired the pick on September 19, 1972, from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Paul Stovall. The Bullets used the pick to draft Truck Robinson.
- On September 10, 1973, the Chicago Bulls acquired John Hummer and a second-round pick from the Buffalo Braves in exchange for Gar Heard, Kevin Kunnert and a 1975 second-round pick. The Bulls used the pick to draft Leon Benbow.
- On October 30, 1973, the Phoenix Suns acquired Keith Erickson and a second-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Connie Hawkins. The Suns used the pick to draft Fred Saunders.
- On October 14, 1973, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired a second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Rick Adelman. The Blazers used the pick to draft Phil Lumpkin.
- On September 11, 1972, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired a second-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers as compensation for the signing of Gary Gregor as a free agent. Previously, the 76ers acquired the pick and future consideration on December 13, 1971, from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Wali Jones. The Blazers used the pick to draft Rubin Collins.
- On October 24, 1972, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired a third-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Charlie Davis. The Cavaliers used the pick to draft Foots Walker.
- On January 26, 1973, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Tom Van Arsdale and a third-round pick from the Kansas City-Omaha Kings in exchange for John Block. The 76ers used the pick to draft Harvey Catchings.
- On October 9, 1973, the Phoenix Suns acquired 1974 and 1975 third-round picks from the Washington Bullets in exchange for Walt Wesley. The Suns used the pick to draft Earl Williams.
Early entrants
College underclassmen
On May 9, 1974, the NBA announced that 20 college undergraduates had successfully applied for an NBA hardship that enabled them to be selected in the 1974 draft.- Alvan Adams – F/C, Oklahoma
- Jimmy Baker Jr. – Nevada
- Gary Brokaw – G, Notre Dame
- Luther Burden – G, Utah
- Rubin Collins – G, Maryland Eastern Shore
- John Drew – F, Gardner–Webb
- Rudy Jackson – Hutchinson CC
- Maurice Lucas – F, Marquette
- David Mitchell Jr. – West Florida
- Eric Money – G, Arizona
- Coniel Norman – G, Arizona
- Cliff Pondexter – F/C, Long Beach State
- Roscoe Pondexter – Long Beach State
- Campy Russell – Michigan
- Mike Sojourner – Utah
- Robert Traylor – F/C, Michigan
- Mel Utley – G, St. John's
- Michael Washington – Southeastern CC
- Henry Williams – Jacksonville
- Fly Williams – G, Austin Peay