1950 NBA draft


The 1950 NBA draft was the fourth annual draft of the National Basketball Association. This is the first draft after the Basketball Association of America was renamed the NBA. The draft was held on April 25, 1950, before the 1950–51 season. In this draft, 12 remaining NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. The Chicago Stags participated in the draft but folded prior to the start of the season. The draft consisted of 12 rounds comprising 121 players selected.

Draft selections and draftee career notes

from Bowling Green State University was selected first overall by the Boston Celtics. Paul Arizin from Villanova University was selected before the draft as Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick. The sixth pick, Irwin Dambrot, did not play in the NBA and opted for a career as a dentist. Four players from this draft, Paul Arizin, Bob Cousy, George Yardley and Bill Sharman, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Chuck Cooper, the 12th pick, and Earl Lloyd, the 100th pick, were the first African Americans to be drafted by an NBA team. Lloyd became the first African American to play in the NBA on October 31, 1950, one day before Cooper made his debut.

Key

Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeamCollege
T–^G/FUnited StatesPhiladelphia WarriorsVillanova
11CUnited StatesBoston CelticsBowling Green
12FUnited StatesBaltimore BulletsWisconsin
13^GUnited StatesTri-Cities BlackhawksHoly Cross
14FUnited StatesWashington CapitolsOhio State
15*F/CUnited StatesChicago StagsLa Salle
16#FUnited StatesNew York KnicksCCNY
17^G/FUnited StatesFort Wayne PistonsStanford
18F/CUnited StatesIndianapolis OlympiansWestern Kentucky
19F/CUnited StatesRochester RoyalsSan Francisco
110GUnited StatesMinneapolis LakersNotre Dame
111F/CUnited StatesSyracuse NationalsSan Francisco
212^FUnited StatesBoston CelticsDuquesne
213FUnited StatesBaltimore BulletsWyoming
214FUnited StatesPhiladelphia WarriorsDuquesne
215G/FUnited StatesTri-Cities BlackhawksWashington State
216^GUnited StatesWashington CapitolsUSC
217F/CUnited StatesChicago StagsIllinois
218CUnited StatesNew York KnicksLong Island
219FUnited StatesFort Wayne PistonsTulane
220#FUnited StatesIndianapolis OlympiansBradley
221#G/FUnited StatesRochester RoyalsUCLA
222#G/FUnited StatesMinneapolis LakersHamline
223GUnited StatesSyracuse NationalsSt. John's

Other picks

The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game.
was selected 100th overall and became the first African American to play in the NBA.
RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeamCollege
324G/FUnited StatesBoston CelticsOhio State
325GUnited StatesBaltimore BulletsNC State
328FUnited StatesWashington CapitolsUCLA
331FUnited StatesFort Wayne PistonsTennessee
332FUnited StatesIndianapolis OlympiansEastern Kentucky
440GUnited StatesWashington CapitolsGeorgetown
441G/FUnited StatesChicago StagsSt. Bonaventure
446FUnited StatesMinneapolis LakersMinnesota
549FUnited StatesBaltimore BulletsCCNY
550F/CUnited StatesPhiladelphia WarriorsTemple
551F/CUnited StatesTri-Cities BlackhawksToledo
552GUnited StatesWashington CapitolsEast Central State
558FUnited StatesMinneapolis LakersWest Virginia
660FUnited StatesBoston CelticsBrown
668GUnited StatesIndianapolis OlympiansButler
780GUnited StatesIndianapolis OlympiansArizona
782GUnited StatesMinneapolis LakersHamline
889GUnited StatesChicago StagsMorris Harvey
999CUnited StatesTri-Cities BlackhawksRiver Falls State
9100F/CUnited StatesWashington CapitolsWest Virginia State

Notable undrafted players

These players were not selected in the 1950 draft, but played at least one game in the NBA.
PlayerPositionNationalityCollege
FUnited StatesLoyola
GUnited StatesCanisius
GUnited StatesLoyola
GUnited StatesWest Virginia State