Date(s) June 18, 1985 | Time 7:35 pm EDT | |
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First selection | ||
The 1985 NBA draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA draft of the "lottery" era. A total of 162 players were selected over seven rounds by the league's 23 teams. The New York Knicks were awarded the first overall pick by winning the first-ever NBA draft lottery, which was held in May of that year. The Knicks ultimately used it on Georgetown's Patrick Ewing.
Contents
Draft selections
* compensation for draft choices traded away by Ted Stepien
Notable post-second round picks
This list includes only players who appeared in at least one NBA game but were not selected in the first or second rounds of the 1985 NBA draft.
* Compensation for the Utah Jazz signing Billy Paultz
** Compensation for the Los Angeles Lakers signing Larry Spriggs
*** Compensation for the Atlanta Hawks signing Billy Paultz
Controversy
Some have argued that NBA Commissioner David Stern fixed the first overall pick to help his hometown team, the struggling New York Knicks. When an accountant from Ernst & Whinney inserted the seven envelopes into the glass drum, some have claimed that he banged the fourth one against the side of the drum to create a creased corner, thereby making it easier for Stern to determine which envelope to choose: the envelope containing the Knicks logo.