1989 NBA draft

Basketball player selection February 2012 1989 NBA draft Basketball June 27, 1989 Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York)Bradley Robert D. The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts 2013 Scarecrow Press 9780810890695 TBS NBA 54 2 Pervis Ellison (Sacramento Kings) 3 PG Tim Hardaway C Vlade Divac PF Dino Rađa 1988 1990 The 1989 NBA draft took place on June 27, 1989, in New York City. Despite eight of the top ten picks being considered busts, including the first two picks Pervis Ellison and Danny Ferry, the draft produced many talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick Anderson, Dana Barros, Tim Hardaway, Vlade Divac, Clifford Robinson, B. J. Armstrong and Mookie Blaylock.https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1989.html 1989 NBA drafthttp://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/past_drafts/1989 NBA Past Drafts - RealGM The draft was reduced from three rounds in the previous year to the two-round format that is still in use to the present day.https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1989.html 1989 NBA draft As a result, NBA drafts from this season until 1995 produced the lowest number of total draft picks selected at 54 overall selections. This was the first draft for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic, prior to their inaugural season. This was also the first draft televised prime time on U.S. national television.NBA Draft Will Move To Prime-Time on TBS March 15, 1989 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution D4 Draft selections right|thumb|150px|Pervis Ellison was selected first overall by the Sacramento Kings. right|thumb|150px|Sean Elliott was selected 3rd overall by the San Antonio Spurs. right|thumb|150px|Glen Rice was selected 4th overall by the Miami Heat. right|thumb|150px|Tim Hardaway was selected 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors. right|thumb|150px|Dana Barros was selected 16th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. right|thumb|150px|Shawn Kemp was selected 17th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. right|thumb|150px|Dino Rađa was selected 40th overall by the Boston Celtics. PGPoint guard SGShooting guard SFSmall forward PFPower forward CCenter y y y y Round Pick Player Pos. Nationalityn 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. NBA team School/Club team 1 1 Pervis Ellison PF United States Sacramento Kings Louisville (Sr.) 1 2 Danny Ferry PF United States Los Angeles Clippers Duke (Sr.) 1 3 Sean Elliott+ SF/SG United States San Antonio Spurs Arizona (Sr.) 1 4 Glen Rice* SF United States Miami Heat Michigan (Sr.) 1 5 J. R. Reid PF/C United States Charlotte Hornets North Carolina (Jr.) 1 6 Stacey King C United States Chicago Bulls (from New Jersey) Oklahoma (Sr.) 1 7 George McCloud SG/SF United States Indiana Pacers Florida State (Sr.) 1 8 Randy White basketball PF United States Dallas Mavericks Louisiana Tech (Sr.) 1 9 Tom Hammonds PF/C United States Washington Bullets Georgia Tech (Sr.) 1 10 Pooh Richardson PG United States Minnesota Timberwolves UCLA (Sr.) 1 11 Nick Anderson basketball SF/SG United States Orlando Magic Illinois (Jr.) 1 12 Mookie Blaylock+ PG United States New Jersey Nets (from Portland) Oklahoma (Sr.) 1 13 Michael Smith basketball, born 1965 PF United States Boston Celtics BYU (Sr.) 1 14 Tim Hardaway^ PG United States Golden State Warriors UTEP (Sr.) 1 15 Todd Lichti SG United States Denver Nuggets Stanford (Sr.) 1 16 Dana Barros+ PG United States Seattle SuperSonics (from Houston via Golden State) Boston College (Sr.) 1 17 Shawn Kemp* PF/C United States Seattle SuperSonics (from Philadelphia) Concord HS (Elkhart, Indiana) 1 18 B. J. Armstrong+ PG United States Chicago Bulls Iowa (Sr.) 1 19 Kenny Payne PF United States Philadelphia 76ers (from Seattle) Louisville (Sr.) 1 20 Jeff Sanders PF/C United States Chicago Bulls (from Milwaukee via Seattle) Georgia Southern (Sr.) 1 21 Blue Edwards SF/SG United States Utah Jazz East Carolina (Sr.) 1 22 Byron Irvin SG United States Portland Trail Blazers (from New York) Missouri (Sr.) 1 23 Roy Marble SG/SF United States Atlanta Hawks Iowa (Sr.) 1 24 Anthony Cook basketball PF/C United States Phoenix Suns (traded to Detroit)The Pistons traded the rights to Kenny Battle and Micheal Williams to the Suns for rights to Anthony Cook on the draft day.Walter Berry Associatred Press sports news June 28, 1989 Associated Press Arizona (Sr.) 1 25 John Morton basketball PG United States Cleveland Cavaliers Seton Hall (Sr.) 1 26 Vlade Divac^ C Los Angeles Lakers KK Partizan (Yugoslavia) 1 27 Kenny Battle PF United States Detroit Pistons (traded to Phoenix) Illinois (Sr.) 2 28 Sherman Douglas G United States Miami Heat Syracuse (Sr.) 2 29 Dyron Nix F United States Charlotte Hornets Tennessee (Sr.) 2 30 Frank Kornet F United States Milwaukee Bucks Vanderbilt (Sr.) 2 31 Jeff Martin basketball G United States Los Angeles Clippers Murray State (Sr.) 2 32 Stanley Brundy F United States New Jersey Nets DePaul (Sr.) 2 33 Jay Edwards basketball G United States Los Angeles Clippers Indiana (So.) 2 34 Gary Leonard C United States Minnesota Timberwolves Missouri (Sr.) 2 35 Pat Durham F United States Dallas Mavericks Colorado State (Sr.) 2 36 Clifford Robinson basketball, born 1966+ PF/C United States Portland Trail Blazers Connecticut (Sr.) 2 37 Michael Ansley F United States Orlando Magic Alabama (Sr.) 2 38 Doug West G/F United States Minnesota Timberwolves Villanova (Sr.) 2 39 Ed Horton PF/C United States Washington Bullets Iowa (Sr.) 2 40 Dino Rađa^ PF Boston Celtics KK Split (Yugoslavia) 2 41 Doug Roth C United States Washington Bullets Tennessee (Sr.) 2 42 Michael Cutright# SG United States Denver Nuggets McNeese State (Sr.) 2 43 Chucky Brown PF United States Cleveland Cavaliers NC State (Sr.) 2 44 Reggie Cross# PF United States Philadelphia 76ers Hawaii (Sr.) 2 45 Scott Haffner G United States Miami Heat Evansville (Sr.) 2 46 Ricky Blanton F United States Phoenix Suns LSU (Sr.) 2 47 Reggie Turner basketball# SF United States Denver Nuggets UAB (Sr.) 2 48 Junie Lewis# PG United States Utah Jazz South Alabama (Sr.) 2 49 Haywoode Workman G United States Atlanta Hawks Oral Roberts (Sr.) 2 50 Brian Quinnett F United States New York Knicks Washington State (Sr.) 2 51 Mike Morrison basketball, born 1967 G United States Phoenix Suns Loyola (MD) (Sr.) 2 52 Greg Grant basketball, born 1966 G United States Phoenix Suns Trenton State (Sr.) 2 53 Jeff Hodge# SG United States Dallas Mavericks South Alabama (Sr.) 2 54 Toney Mack# SG United States Philadelphia 76ers Georgia (Jr.) Notable undrafted players List of undrafted NBA players These players were not selected in the 1989 draft but played at least one game in the NBA. Player Position Nationality School/Club teamRaymond Brown basketballPFUnited StatesIdaho (Sr.)Torgeir BrynPF/CTexas State (Sr.)Steve BucknallSG/SFNorth Carolina (Sr.)Adrian CaldwellPFUnited StatesLamar (Sr.)Chris Childs Chris Childs (basketball)SGUnited StatesBoise State (Sr.)Lanard CopelandSGUnited States Georgia State (Sr.)Terry Davis basketballPF/CUnited StatesVirginia Union (Sr.)Tony DawsonSFUnited StatesFlorida State (Sr.)Byron DinkinsPGUnited StatesCharlotte (Sr.)Aleksandar ĐorđevićSGPartizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia)Terry DozierSFUnited StatesSouth Carolina (Sr.)Andrew GazeFAustraliaSeton Hall (Fr.)Paul Graham basketball playerSG/SFUnited StatesOhio (Sr.)Alvin HeggsSFUnited StatesTexas (Sr.)Mike Higgins basketballPFUnited States Northern Colorado (Sr.)Tom HovasseSFUnited StatesPenn State (Sr.)Jaren JacksonSGUnited StatesGeorgetown (Sr.)Eric Johnson basketballPGUnited States Nebraska (Sr.)Thomas Jordan basketballPFUnited StatesOklahoma State (So.)Stan KimbroughPGUnited StatesXavier (Sr.)Jeff LeboSGUnited StatesNorth Carolina (Sr.)Clifford LettPGUnited StatesFlorida (Sr.)Mel McCantsSF/PFUnited StatesPurdue (Sr.)Charles Smith basketball, born 1967PG/SGUnited StatesGeorgetown (Sr.)Jay Taylor basketballSG/SFUnited StatesEastern Illinois (Sr.)Leonard Taylor basketballPFUnited StatesCalifornia (Sr.)Gundars VētraSG/SFVEF Rīga (Soviet Union)Kennard WinchesterSF/SGUnited StatesAverett (Sr.)Howard Wright basketballSF/PFUnited StatesStanford (Sr.) Early entrants College underclassmen For the seventh year in a row and the eleventh time in twelve years, no college underclassman would withdraw their entry into the NBA draft. Not only that, but this would be the fourth year in a row where a player that qualified for the status of a "college underclassman" would be playing professional basketball overseas, with the French-born Rudy Bourgarel playing for the Boulogne-Levallois in France after leaving Marist College. In addition to that, this would also be the first year where an international player would be considered a direct underclassman to participate in an NBA draft, with Vlade Divac from the KK Partizan Belgrade of the Eastern Bloc nation known as SFR Yugoslavia (now since separated, with Divac representing Serbia) being the first ever international underclassman to be taken directly from an overseas team without previously going to an American college or playing for any prior American institution. Including those two players and Andrew Gaze, who had previously played in Australia for multiple years before playing only one season at Seton Hall University while being over the age of 22 by that time, the number of underclassmen would officially be considered a grand total of fourteen players instead of eleven (or twelve including Gaze). Regardless, the following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.1989 Underclassmen https://www.thedraftreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3036:1989-underclassmen&catid=136&Itemid=384 The Draft Review August 4, 2007 December 14, 2022 USA Nick Anderson – G, Illinois (junior) NLD Martin Den Hengst – C, Sheridan (freshman) USA Jay Edwards – G, Indiana (sophomore) AUS Andrew Gaze – Seton Hall (freshman) USA Benny Green – G, Tennessee–Chattanooga (junior) USA Shawn Kemp – F, Trinity Valley CC (freshman) USA Toney Mack – G, Georgia (junior) USA J. R. Reid – F, North Carolina (junior) USA Maurice Selvin – G, Puget Sound (sophomore) NGR Alex Soyebo – C, Northland Pioneer (freshman) USA Johnny Steptoe – F, Southern (sophomore) USA Richard Whitmore – G, Brown (junior) International players This would be the first time in NBA history where an international born and raised player would be considered an underclassman in an NBA draft. The following international player successfully applied for early draft entrance. SFR Yugoslavia Vlade Divac – C, KK Partizan (Yugoslavia) Other eligible players This would be the fourth year in a row with at least one player that previously played in college entering the NBA draft as an underclassman. It was also the second year in a row where a player would qualify as an eligible underclassman for the NBA draft while previously playing for a French-based team in order to do so. Player Team Most recent team played for before the draft Note Ref.FRA Rudy Bourgarel Boulogne-Levallois (France) Left Marist in 1988; playing professionally since the 1988–89 season Rudy Bourgarel, Basketball Player https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/74904/rudy-bourgarel Proballers August 16, 2024 Invited attendees The 1989 NBA draft is considered to be the twelfth NBA draft to have utilized what's properly considered the "green room" experience for NBA prospects. The NBA's green room is a staging area where anticipated draftees often sit with their families and representatives, waiting for their names to be called on draft night. Often being positioned either in front of or to the side of the podium (in this case, being positioned in the Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum for the eighth year in a row1989 Green Room Invites - the Draft Review December 26, 2025 https://www.thedraftreview.com/historical-draft-events/green-room/1989-green-room-invites ), once a player heard his name, he would walk to the podium to shake hands and take promotional photos with the NBA commissioner. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. However, once the NBA draft started to air nationally on TV starting with the 1980 NBA draft, the green room evolved from players waiting to hear their name called and then shaking hands with these select players who were often called to the hotel to take promotional pictures with the NBA commissioner a day or two after the draft concluded to having players in real-time waiting to hear their names called up and then shaking hands with David Stern, the NBA's commissioner at the time.Maurer Matthew 2024-02-18 Draft Broadcasts - The Draft Review https://www.thedraftreview.com/sundry/sundry-articles/draft-broadcasts 2025-12-27 The Draft Review en-us The NBA compiled its list of green room invites through collective voting by the NBA's team presidents and general managers alike, which in this year's case belonged to only what they believed were the top 16 prospects at the time.Green Room - The Draft Review https://www.thedraftreview.com/historical-draft-events/green-room 2025-08-20 The Draft Review en-us Despite the large amount of invites that held some very successful players (including the first truly international born, raised, and developed prospect in Vlade Divac), some notable absences from this group outside of future Hall of Famer Dino Rada include Dana Barros from Boston College and power forward Shawn Kemp, with Gary Leonard and Clifford Robinson both waiting into the second round themselves. Even so, the following players were invited to attend this year's draft festivities live and in person. USA Nick Anderson – SG/SF, Illinois USA B. J. Armstrong – PG, Iowa USA Mookie Blaylock – PG, Oklahoma SFR Yugoslavia/SRB Vlade Divac – C, KK Partizan (Yugoslavia) USA Sean Elliott – SG/SF, Arizona USA Pervis Ellison – PF, Louisville USA Danny Ferry – PF, Duke USA Tom Hammonds – PF/C, Georgia Tech USA Tim Hardaway – PG, UTEP USA Stacey King – C, Oklahoma USA Gary Leonard – C, Missouri USA George McCloud – SG/SF, Florida State USA John Morton – PG, Seton Hall USA Glen Rice – SF, Michigan USA Clifford Robinson – PF/C, Connecticut USA Randy White – PF, Louisiana Tech Notes n See also List of first overall NBA draft picks References External links 1989 NBA Draft Draft Category:NBA draft NBA draft NBA draft Category:1980s in Manhattan Category:Basketball in New York City Category:Sporting events in New York City Category:Sports in Manhattan