1959 NBA Draft Recap
The 1959 NBA Draft took place in Cincinnati on March 31, 1959
Territorial Selections
| Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilt Chamberlain | PHI | C | 7-1 | 265 | 22 | 14 | Kansas | Sr | United States | |
| Bob Ferry | STH | FC | 6-8 | 230 | 21 | 10 | Saint Louis | Sr | United States |
First Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob Boozer | CIN | CIN to STH STH to CIN |
PF | 6-8 | 215 | 21 | 11 | Kansas State | Sr | United States |
| 2 | Bailey Howell | DET | SF | 6-7 | 210 | 22 | 12 | Mississippi State | Sr | United States | |
| 3 | Tom Hawkins | MIN | F | 6-5 | 210 | 22 | 10 | Notre Dame | Sr | United States | |
| 4 | Dick Barnett | SYR | SG | 6-4 | 190 | 22 | 14 | Tennessee State | Sr | United States | |
| 5 | Johnny Green | NYK | SF | 6-5 | 200 | 25 | 14 | Michigan State | Sr | United States | |
| 6 | John Richter | BOS | C | 6-9 | 225 | 22 | 1 | NC State | Sr | United States |
Second Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Tom Robitaille | DET | FC | 6-9 | 200 | N/A | 0 | Rice | Sr | United States | |
| 8 | Don Goldstein | DET | F | 6-5 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Louisville | Sr | United States | |
| 9 | Joe Ruklick | PHI | FC | 6-9 | 220 | 20 | 3 | Northwestern | Sr | United States | |
| 10 | Rudy LaRusso | MIN | FC | 6-7 | 220 | 21 | 10 | Dartmouth | Sr | United States | |
| 11 | Gene Tormohlen | SYR | FC | 6-8 | 230 | 21 | 6 | Tennessee | Sr | United States | |
| 12 | Al Seiden | STH | G | 5-11 | 170 | 21 | 0 | St. John's | Sr | United States | |
| 13 | Cal Ramsey | STH | F | 6-4 | 200 | 21 | 2 | NYU | Sr | United States | |
| 14 | Gene Guarilia | BOS | F | 6-6 | 215 | 21 | 4 | George Washington | Sr | United States |
Third Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Mike Mendenhall | CIN | G | 6-3 | 180 | N/A | 0 | Cincinnati | Sr | United States | |
| 16 | Gary Alcorn | DET | C | 6-8 | 225 | 22 | 2 | Fresno State | Sr | United States | |
| 17 | Jim Hickaday | PHI | F | 6-6 | - | N/A | 0 | Memphis | Sr | United States | |
| 18 | Bobby Smith | MIN | G | 6-4 | 190 | 21 | 2 | West Virginia | Sr | United States | |
| 19 | Jon Cincebox | SYR | F | 6-7 | 225 | N/A | 0 | Syracuse | Sr | United States | |
| 20 | Bob Anderegg | NYK | G | 6-3 | 200 | 21 | 1 | Michigan State | Sr | United States | |
| 21 | Hank Stein | STH | G | 6-2 | 170 | N/A | 0 | Xavier | Sr | United States | |
| 22 | Ralph Croswaite | BOS | C | 6-9 | 240 | 23 | 0 | Western Kentucky | Jr | United States |
Fourth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Leo Byrd | CIN | G | 6-1 | 170 | 21 | 0 | Marshall | Sr | United States | |
| 24 | George Lee | DET | G | 6-3 | - | 22 | 7 | Michigan | Sr | United States | |
| 25 | Ron Stevenson | PHI | F | 6-5 | 205 | N/A | 0 | TCU | Sr | United States | |
| 26 | Wilson Eison | MIN | F | 6-5 | 185 | N/A | 0 | Purdue | Sr | United States | |
| 27 | Paul Neumann | SYR | PG | 6-1 | 170 | 21 | 6 | Stanford | Sr | United States | |
| 28 | Johnny Cox | NYK | G | 6-4 | 185 | 22 | 1 | Kentucky | Jr | United States | |
| 29 | Lee Harman | STH | G | 6-0 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Oregon State | Sr | United States | |
| 30 | Ed Kazakavich | BOS | F | 6-5 | - | N/A | 0 | Scranton | Sr | United States |
Fifth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Harry Kirchner | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | TCU | Sr | United States | ||
| 32 | Tony Windis | DET | G | 6-1 | 160 | 26 | 1 | Wyoming | Sr | United States | |
| 33 | Bill Telasky | PHI | G | 6-1 | - | N/A | 0 | George Washington | Sr | United States | |
| 34 | Bobby Joe Mason | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Bradley | Jr | United States | ||
| 35 | Herb Busch | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Virginia | Sr | United States | ||
| 36 | Nick Mantis | STH | STH to MIN | SG | 6-3 | 190 | 23 | 2 | Northwestern | Sr | United States |
| 37 | Don Lange | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | William & Mary | Sr | United States |
Sixth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Don Hennon | CIN | G | 5-8 | - | N/A | 0 | Pittsburgh | Sr | United States | |
| 39 | Lou Jordan | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Cornell | Sr | United States | ||
| 40 | Joe Spratt | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Saint Joseph's | Sr | United States | ||
| 41 | Jim Henry | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Vanderbilt | Sr | United States | ||
| 42 | Bob Dalton | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | California | Sr | United States | ||
| 43 | Bucky McDonald | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | George Washington | Sr | United States | ||
| 44 | Mike Moran | STH | FC | 6-9 | - | N/A | 0 | Marquette | Sr | United States | |
| 45 | Bob Cumings | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | Boston University | Sr | United States |
Seventh Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Dale Moore | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Eastern Kentucky | Sr | United States | ||
| 47 | Doug Smart | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Washington | Sr | United States | ||
| 48 | Joe Ryan | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Villanova | Sr | United States | ||
| 49 | Charley Grote | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Georgetown College (Kentucky) | Sr | United States | ||
| 50 | Darnell Haney | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Navy | Sr | United States | ||
| 51 | Russ Robinson | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Missouri State | Sr | United States | ||
| 52 | Orby Arnold | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Memphis | Sr | United States |
Eighth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | Don Matuszak | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Kansas State | Sr | United States | ||
| 54 | Chuck Curtis | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Pacific Lutheran | Sr | United States | ||
| 55 | Dave Gunther | PHI | F | 6-7 | 190 | 21 | 1 | Iowa | Sr | United States | |
| 56 | Leon Hill | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Texas Tech | Sr | United States | ||
| 57 | Walt Torrence | NYK | G | - | - | N/A | 0 | UCLA | Sr | United States | |
| 58 | Willie Merriweather | STH | STH to MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Purdue | Sr | United States |
Ninth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Joe Billy McDade | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Bradley | Sr | United States | ||
| 60 | Doyle Edmiston | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Hardin-Simmons | Sr | United States | ||
| 61 | Carl Belz | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Princeton | Sr | United States | ||
| 62 | Jim Mudd | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | North Texas | Jr | United States | ||
| 63 | Jerry Shipp | NYK | SF | 6-6 | 196 | 23 | 0 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | Sr | United States | |
| 64 | Lou Pucillo | STH | G | 5-9 | 155 | N/A | 0 | NC State | Sr | United States |
Tenth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Joe Viviano | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Xavier | Sr | United States | ||
| 66 | Bruno Boin | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Washington | Jr | United States | ||
| 67 | Tony Sellari | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Sr | United States | ||
| 68 | Roger Johnson | MIN | PG | - | - | N/A | 0 | Minnesota | Sr | United States | |
| 69 | Paul Wilcox | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Davis & Elkins | Sr | United States | ||
| 70 | Ron Loneski | STH | GF | 6-4 | 217 | N/A | 0 | Kansas | Sr | United States |
11th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Charley Brown | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Seattle | Sr | United States | ||
| 72 | M.C. Burton | DET | - | - | 21 | 0 | Michigan | Sr | United States | ||
| 73 | Phil Warren | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Northwestern | Sr | United States | ||
| 74 | Jack Evans | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Lake Superior State | Sr | United States | ||
| 75 | Paul Benes | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Hope College (MI) | Sr | United States | ||
| 76 | John Barnhill | STH | G | 6-1 | 180 | 21 | 7 | Tennessee State | Sr | United States |
12th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Roger Wendel | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Tulsa | Sr | United States | ||
| 78 | Vern Baggenstoss | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | St. Cloud State | Sr | United States | ||
| 79 | Ed Blair | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Western Michigan | Jr | United States |
13th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | Dwayne Smith | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Gustavus Adolphus | Sr | United States | ||
| 81 | John Nicoll | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Brigham Young | Sr | United States |
14th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | Jack Israel | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Missouri State | Sr | United States |
* Team owns the player's draft rights