1983 NBA draft


The 1983 NBA draft took place on June 28, 1983, in New York City. A total of 226 players were selected over 10 rounds by the league's 23 teams.
The first overall pick of this draft was 7’4” center Ralph Sampson, predicted as an NBA superstar since high school. The three-time College Player of the Year had spent all four years of his college career at the University of Virginia, and was taken first by the Houston Rockets. Displaying his graceful above-the-rim game and ability to run the court like a guard, he got off to a certain Hall of Fame bound start as an NBA All-Star and NBA Rookie of the Year before injuries several seasons in derailed his career.
Sampson was joined in the Hall by University of Houston Cougars standout Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, taken number 14 by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Despite there being only 23 teams at the time of the draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers were awarded the 24th pick out of courtesy. Then-owner Ted Stepien was infamous for repeatedly trading first-round picks in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which, considering Cleveland's morose records in that time period, eventually culminated in the NBA creating a rule banning teams from dealing all of their first-round picks in consecutive years.
Four players from the 1983 draft later served or now serve as coaches—Doc Rivers for the Los Angeles Clippers, Randy Wittman for the Washington Wizards, Byron Scott for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2014 to 2016, and point guard of the 1983 NCAA championship North Carolina State Wolfpack Sidney Lowe.
While Scott won the Coach of the Year award in 2008, Rivers won an NBA Championship with the Celtics in that same year.
7’7” Manute Bol was selected in the 5th round by the Clippers, but the NBA rejected the pick on technicalities. Manute had never filed draft paperwork, and his passport listed him at 19.
Florida State star Mitchell Wiggins, father of future No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins, was drafted 23rd by the Indiana Pacers.

Draft

PGPoint guardSGShooting guardSFSmall forwardPFPower forwardCCenter

RoundPickPlayerPos.NationalityTeamSchool/club team
11^CUnited StatesHouston RocketsVirginia
12CUnited StatesIndiana PacersMissouri
13SFUnited StatesHouston Rockets Louisville
14SGUnited StatesSan Diego ClippersArizona State
15PFUnited StatesChicago BullsUNLV
16CUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsPurdue
17PFUnited StatesUtah JazzNC State
18PFUnited StatesDetroit PistonsWichita State
19*SGUnited StatesDallas MavericksTennessee
110+SGUnited StatesWashington BulletsMississippi State
111PG/SGUnited StatesDallas Mavericks Illinois
112SGUnited StatesNew York KnicksArkansas
113PGUnited StatesKansas City KingsAlabama
114^SGUnited StatesPortland Trail BlazersHouston
115SGUnited StatesDenver NuggetsLSU
116PGUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsMissouri
117SFCanadaPhiladelphia 76ers Syracuse
118CUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksMinnesota
119PGUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursNotre Dame
120CUnited StatesCleveland Cavaliers Rutgers
121CUnited StatesBoston CelticsBYU
122SGUnited StatesWashington Bullets Indiana
123SGUnited StatesIndiana Pacers Florida State
124PGCanadaCleveland Cavaliers *Villanova
225PGUnited StatesChicago BullsNC State
226SFUnited StatesIndiana PacersOklahoma State
227PFUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersBoston College
228PGUnited StatesPhoenix SunsUCLA
229PFUnited StatesChicago BullsHouston
230CUnited StatesDallas MavericksOld Dominion
231+PGUnited StatesAtlanta HawksMarquette
232#SFUnited StatesWashington BulletsUDC
233PGUnited StatesDallas MavericksKentucky
234FUnited StatesWashington BulletsWashington State
235CUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursAuburn
236PFUnited StatesSeattle SuperSonicsLouisville
237#SFUnited StatesDenver NuggetsSt. John's
238PFUnited StatesKansas City KingsSan Jose State
239CUnited StatesPortland Trail BlazersOhio State
240SGUnited StatesIndiana PacersIndiana
241#SFUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksIndiana
242#SGUnited StatesMilwaukee BucksAlabama
243SFUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsUtah
244#SGUnited StatesNew Jersey NetsRhode Island
245#SFUnited StatesPhoenix SunsArizona State
246PGUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursSt. John's
247#PFUnited StatesPhiladelphia 76ersNorth Texas State

*Compensation for draft choices previously traded away by Ted Stepien.

Notable post-second round picks

These picks have played at least one game in the NBA but were not selected in the first or second rounds.
Round 3Pick 6Larry AndersonSGUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersUNLV
348SGUnited StatesHouston RocketsWashington State
350SFUnited StatesCleveland CavaliersTulane
353SGUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsUCLA
354SGUnited StatesUtah JazzIowa
357SFUnited StatesWashington BulletsUCLA
358SFUnited StatesAtlanta HawksVillanova
359PFUnited StatesNew Jersey NetsConnecticut
362CUnited StatesPortland Trail BlazersLa Salle
475CCanadaChicago BullsBoston College
477SFUnited StatesGolden State WarriorsSaint Mary's
482PGUnited StatesNew York KnicksSt. Bonaventure
490PFUnited StatesSan Antonio SpursWilliam & Mary
491SGUnited StatesBoston CelticsOle Miss
597CSan Diego Clippers -
5101PFUnited StatesDetroit PistonsRice
5102CUnited StatesDallas MavericksArkansas–Little Rock
6139SGUnited StatesPhiladelphia 76ersWest Virginia Tech
7152SGUnited StatesKansas City KingsPepperdine