1987 NBA draft
The 1987 NBA draft was held on June 22, 1987, in New York City.
1987 NBA draft | |
---|---|
General information | |
Sport | Basketball |
Date(s) | June 22, 1987 |
Location | Felt Forum (New York City, New York) |
Network(s) | TBS Superstation |
Overview | |
161 total selections in 7 rounds | |
League | NBA |
First selection | David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs) |
This draft included two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen, as well as fellow Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Other notable selections include Kevin Johnson, Kenny Smith, Horace Grant, Reggie Lewis, Muggsy Bogues, Mark Jackson, and Šarūnas Marčiulionis. Also in this draft, former Florida Gators men's basketball head coach Billy Donovan (drafted 68th by the Utah Jazz), who led that program to NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships in 2006 and in 2007.
David Robinson did not join the NBA until the 1989–90 season due to his service commitment with the United States Navy. This was the last NBA draft to go over three rounds, as it was reduced to exactly three next year and later to two since 1989.
Draft selections
PG | Point guard | SG | Shooting guard | SF | Small forward | PF | Power forward | C | Center |
^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
* | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-NBA Team |
+ | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-NBA Team |
# | Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game |
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Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality[n 1] | Team | School/club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | David Robinson^ | C | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Navy (Sr.) |
1 | 2 | Armen Gilliam | PF | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | UNLV (Sr.) |
1 | 3 | Dennis Hopson | SF | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Ohio State (Sr.) |
1 | 4 | Reggie Williams | SF | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Georgetown (Sr.) |
1 | 5 | Scottie Pippen^ | SF | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics (from New York, traded to Chicago for Olden Polynice) | Central Arkansas (Sr.) |
1 | 6 | Kenny Smith | PG | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | North Carolina (Sr.) |
1 | 7 | Kevin Johnson* | PG | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | California (Sr.) |
1 | 8 | Olden Polynice | C | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls (from Denver via New York, traded to Seattle for Scottie Pippen) | Hamby Rimini (Italy) |
1 | 9 | Derrick McKey | SF/PF | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | Alabama (Jr.) |
1 | 10 | Horace Grant+ | PF/C | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Clemson (Sr.) |
1 | 11 | Reggie Miller^ | SG | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | UCLA (Sr.) |
1 | 12 | Muggsy Bogues | PG | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | Wake Forest (Sr.) |
1 | 13 | Joe Wolf | C | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers (from Houston) | North Carolina (Sr.) |
1 | 14 | Tellis Frank | PF | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
1 | 15 | José Ortiz | PF | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Oregon State (Sr.) |
1 | 16 | Christian Welp | C | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Washington (Sr.) |
1 | 17 | Ronnie Murphy | SG | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
1 | 18 | Mark Jackson+ | PG | ![]() |
New York Knicks (from Milwaukee via Seattle) | St. John's (Sr.) |
1 | 19 | Ken Norman | SF | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers (from Detroit) | Illinois (Sr.) |
1 | 20 | Jim Farmer | SG | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Alabama (Sr.) |
1 | 21 | Dallas Comegys | C | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | DePaul (Sr.) |
1 | 22 | Reggie Lewis+ | SG | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Northeastern (Sr.) |
1 | 23 | Greg "Cadillac" Anderson | PF | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs (from L.A. Lakers) | Houston (Sr.) |
2 | 24 | Freddie Banks# | SG | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | UNLV (Sr.) |
2 | 25 | Ron Moore | C | ![]() |
New York Knicks | West Virginia State (Sr.) |
2 | 26 | Steve Alford | SG | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Indiana (Sr.) |
2 | 27 | Nate Blackwell | PG | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Temple (Sr.) |
2 | 28 | Rickie Winslow | SF | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Houston (Sr.) |
2 | 29 | Lester Fonville# | C | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Jackson State (Sr.) |
2 | 30 | Nikita Wilson | SF | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | LSU (Sr.) |
2 | 31 | Andre Moore | PF | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | Loyola (IL) (Jr.) |
2 | 32 | Bob McCann | SF | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | Morehead State (Sr.) |
2 | 33 | Tony White | PG | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Tennessee (Sr.) |
2 | 34 | Brian Rowsom | PF | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | UNC Wilmington (Sr.) |
2 | 35 | Doug Lee | SG | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Purdue (Sr.) |
2 | 36 | Duane Washington | SG | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | Middle Tennessee (Sr.) |
2 | 37 | Derrick Dowell# | SF | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | USC (Sr.) |
2 | 38 | Norris Coleman | SF | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Kansas State (So.) |
2 | 39 | Vincent Askew | SG/SF | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Memphis State (Jr.) |
2 | 40 | Winston Garland | PG | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | Southwest Missouri State (Sr.) |
2 | 41 | Kannard Johnson | SF | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
2 | 42 | Terrance Bailey# | SG | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Wagner (Sr.) |
2 | 43 | Andrew Kennedy# | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Virginia (Sr.) |
2 | 44 | Terry Coner# | PG | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Alabama (Sr.) |
2 | 45 | Brad Lohaus | PF/C | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Iowa (Sr.) |
2 | 46 | Bruce Dalrymple# | G | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Georgia Tech (Sr.) |
3 | 47 | Tim McCalister# | G | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
3 | 48 | Jamie Waller | SG | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Virginia Union (Sr.) |
3 | 49 | Jerome Batiste# | F | ![]() |
New York Knicks | McNeese State (Sr.) |
3 | 50 | Phil Zevenbergen | C | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Washington (Sr.) |
3 | 51 | Sven Meyer# | C | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Oregon (Sr.) |
3 | 52 | Donald Royal | SF | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | Notre Dame (Sr.) |
3 | 53 | Winston Crite | SF | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Texas A&M (Sr.) |
3 | 54 | Tom Schafer# | F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | Iowa State (Sr.) |
3 | 55 | Tommy Amaker# | G | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | Duke (Sr.) |
3 | 56 | John Fox# | F | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Millersville (Sr.) |
3 | 57 | Hansi Gnad# | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Alaska Anchorage (Sr.) |
3 | 58 | Darryl Johnson | PG | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | Michigan State (Sr.) |
3 | 59 | Danny Pearson# | F | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
3 | 60 | Sean Couch# | F | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Columbia (Sr.) |
3 | 61 | Clarence Martin# | C | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
3 | 62 | Tim McCalister# | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Rutgers (Sr.) |
3 | 63 | Kevin Gamble | SG | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Iowa (Sr.) |
3 | 64 | J. J. Weber# | F | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | Wisconsin (Sr.) |
3 | 65 | Eric White | PF | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Pepperdine (Sr.) |
3 | 66 | Mike Richmond# | C | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | UTEP (Sr.) |
3 | 67 | Song Tao# | F | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | China |
3 | 68 | Billy Donovan | PG | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Providence (Sr.) |
3 | 69 | Willie Glass# | F | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | St. John's (Sr.) |
4 | 70 | Tom Sheehey# | C | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Virginia (Sr.) |
4 | 71 | Mike Morgan# | C | ![]() |
New York Knicks | Drake (Sr.) |
4 | 72 | Andrew Moten# | G | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Florida (Sr.) |
4 | 73 | Todd May# | F | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Pikeville (Sr.) |
4 | 74 | Joe Arlauckas | SF | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Niagara (Sr.) |
4 | 75 | Chris Dudley | C | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | Yale (Sr.) |
4 | 76 | Steve Beck# | G | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Arizona State (Sr.) |
4 | 77 | David Boone# | F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | Marquette (Sr.) |
4 | 78 | Todd Linder# | F | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | Tampa (Sr.) |
4 | 79 | Jack Haley | C | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | UCLA (Sr.) |
4 | 80 | Carven Holcombe# | G | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | TCU (Sr.) |
4 | 81 | Scott Thompson# | C | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | San Diego (Sr.) |
4 | 82 | Joe Niego# | F | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Lewis (Sr.) |
4 | 83 | Bennie Bolton# | F | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | NC State (Sr.) |
4 | 84 | Reuben Holmes# | C | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Alabama State (Sr.) |
4 | 85 | Brian Rahilly# | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Tulsa (Sr.) |
4 | 86 | Norwood Barber# | G | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Florida State (Sr.) |
4 | 87 | Darryl Bedford# | C | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | Austin Peay (Sr.) |
4 | 88 | Dave Popson | PF | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | North Carolina (Sr.) |
4 | 89 | David Johnson# | F | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
4 | 90 | Theofanis Christodoulou# | C | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Panionios (Greece) |
4 | 91 | Darryl Kennedy# | F | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
4 | 92 | Ralph Tally# | G | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | Norfolk State (Sr.) |
5 | 93 | Chad Kessler# | F | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Georgia (Sr.) |
4 | 94 | James Blackmon Sr.# | G | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Kentucky (Sr.) |
5 | 95 | Glen Clem# | F | ![]() |
New York Knicks | Vanderbilt (Sr.) |
5 | 96 | Dennis Williams# | G | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Georgia (Sr.) |
5 | 97 | Vernon Carr# | G | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Michigan State (Sr.) |
5 | 98 | Carl Lott# | G | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | TCU (Sr.) |
5 | 99 | Brent Counts# | C | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Pacific (Sr.) |
5 | 100 | Ronnie Grandison | SF | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | New Orleans (Sr.) |
5 | 101 | Michael Tait# | G | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | Clemson (Sr.) |
5 | 102 | Anthony Wilson# | G | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | LSU (Sr.) |
5 | 103 | Mike Milling# | F | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Charlotte (Sr.) |
5 | 104 | Andre LaFleur# | G | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Northeastern (Sr.) |
5 | 105 | Terry Williams# | C | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | SMU (Sr.) |
5 | 106 | Patrick Fairs# | G | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | Texas (Sr.) |
5 | 107 | Bart Kofoed | SG | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Nebraska–Kearney (Sr.) |
5 | 108 | Frank Ross# | G | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | American (Sr.) |
5 | 109 | David Moss# | F | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Tulsa (Sr.) |
5 | 110 | Brian Vaughns# | F | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | UC Santa Barbara (Sr.) |
5 | 111 | Gerry Wright# | C | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Iowa (Sr.) |
5 | 112 | Sam Hill# | C | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Iowa State (Sr.) |
5 | 113 | José Antonio Montero# | G | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Joventut Badalona (Spain) |
5 | 114 | Dave Butler# | F | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | California (Sr.) |
6 | 115 | Kenny Travis# | G | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | New Mexico State (Sr.) |
6 | 116 | Martin Nessley | C | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Duke (Sr.) |
6 | 117 | Howard Triche# | G | ![]() |
New York Knicks | Syracuse (Sr.) |
6 | 118 | Perry Bromwell# | G | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Penn (Sr.) |
6 | 119 | Ricky Brown# | F | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Pensacola Tornados (CBA) |
6 | 120 | Daryl Thomas# | F | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Indiana (Sr.) |
6 | 121 | Harold Jensen# | G | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | Villanova (Sr.) |
6 | 122 | Marcel Boyce# | F | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Akron (Sr.) |
6 | 123 | Kelvin Scarborough# | G | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | New Mexico (Sr.) |
6 | 124 | Tom Gneiting# | C | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | BYU (Sr.) |
6 | 125 | Doug Altenberger# | G | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Illinois (Sr.) |
6 | 126 | Gary Graham# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | UNLV (Sr.) |
6 | 127 | Šarūnas Marčiulionis^ | SG | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | Statyba Vilnius (Soviet Union) |
6 | 128 | Dwayne Scholten# | C | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | Washington State (Sr.) |
6 | 129 | Fred Jenkins# | G | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Tennessee (Sr.) |
6 | 130 | Art Sabb# | G | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Bloomfield (Sr.) |
6 | 131 | Tracy Foster# | G | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | UAB (Sr.) |
6 | 132 | Bernard Jackson# | G | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | Loyola Chicago (Sr.) |
6 | 133 | Gay Elmore# | F | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | VMI (Sr.) |
6 | 134 | Antoine Joubert# | F | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Michigan (Sr.) |
6 | 135 | Quintan Gates# | F | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | UTEP (Sr.) |
6 | 136 | Riccardo Morandotti# | F | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Berloni Torino (Italy) |
6 | 137 | Tim Naegeli# | F | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Wisconsin–Stevens Point (Sr.) |
6 | 138 | Frank Ford# | G | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | Auburn (Sr.) |
7 | 139 | Henry Carr# | C | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Wichita State (Sr.) |
7 | 140 | Frank Booker# | G | ![]() |
New Jersey Nets | Bowling Green (Sr.) |
7 | 141 | Wayne Williams# | G | ![]() |
New York Knicks | Saint Joseph's (Sr.) |
7 | 142 | Raynard Davis# | F | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Texas (Sr.) |
7 | 143 | Scott Adubato# | G | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Upsala (Sr.) |
7 | 144 | Michael Foster# | G | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | South Carolina (Sr.) |
7 | 145 | Roy Singleton# | G | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns | Grand Canyon (Sr.) |
7 | 146 | Rowan Gomes# | F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | Hampton (Sr.) |
7 | 147 | Mike Giomi# | F | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | NC State (Sr.) |
7 | 148 | Ervin Leavy# | G | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Central Michigan (Sr.) |
7 | 149 | Montel Hatcher# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | UCLA (Sr.) |
7 | 150 | Jamie Dixon# | G | ![]() |
Washington Bullets | TCU (Sr.) |
7 | 151 | Clarence Grier# | F | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Campbell (Sr.) |
7 | 152 | Ronnie Leggette# | G | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors | West Virginia State (Sr.) |
7 | 153 | Keith Webster# | G | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Harvard (Sr.) |
7 | 154 | Eric Semisch# | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | West Virginia (Sr.) |
7 | 155 | Kenny Stone# | F | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers | George Fox (Sr.) |
7 | 156 | Curtis Hunter# | F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | North Carolina (Sr.) |
7 | 157 | Mark Gottfried# | G | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Alabama (Sr.) |
7 | 158 | Gerald White# | G | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Auburn (Sr.) |
7 | 159 | Franjo Arapović# | C | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Cibona (Yugoslavia) |
7 | 160 | Gerry Corcoran# | C | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Northeastern (Sr.) |
7 | 161 | Ron vanderSchaaf# | F | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | Central Washington (Sr.) |
- Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
Notable undrafted players
These players were not selected in the draft but still appeared in at least one regular or postseason NBA game.
Player | Position | Nationality | School/club team |
---|---|---|---|
Randy Allen | F | ![]() |
Florida State (Sr.) |
Sergei Bazarevich | SG | ![]() |
CSKA Moscow (Soviet Union) |
Scott Brooks | PG | ![]() |
UC Irvine (Sr.) |
Mike Champion | PF | ![]() |
Gonzaga (Sr.) |
Tom Copa | C | ![]() |
Marquette (Sr.) |
Radisav Ćurčić | C | ![]() |
Union Olimpija (Yugoslavia) |
Andrew Gaze | F | ![]() |
Melbourne Tigers (Australia) |
Cedric Hunter | PG | ![]() |
Kansas (Sr.) |
Mark Wade | PG | ![]() |
UNLV (Sr.) |
David Wood | F | ![]() |
Nevada (Sr.) |
A. J. Wynder | PG | ![]() |
Fairfield (Sr.) |
Early entrants
College underclassmen
The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[1]
Vincent Askew – F, Memphis (junior)
Norris Coleman – F, Kansas State (sophomore)
Kenny Drummond – G, High Point (junior)
Derrick McKey – F, Alabama (junior)
Russell Pierre – F, Virginia Tech (junior)
Reinhard Schmuck – F, Baruch (junior)
Kevin Smith – F, Minnesota (junior)
References
- "1987 Underclassmen". The Draft Review. August 4, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- "Ricky Brown". The Draft Review. May 29, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- Jenkins, Sally (June 20, 1987). "On Eve of NBA Draft, Polynice Insists, 'I've Grown Up'". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 13, 2022.