Quick Quiz - about basketball - Brief Article

Basketball Digest, Summer, 2001

1. The first year of the NBA draft lottery was fraught with controversy. Can you name the year, the team with the top pick, the player chosen, and the controversy?

2. Which of the following players was not an NBA territorial draft pick: Gail Goodrich, Bill Bradley, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Lucas.

a. Can you name the two current high-profile college coaches who were third-round draft picks in 1987?

4. There's some deserved fuss over the debut of China's Wang Zhizhi with the Dallas Mavericks and his countryman Yao Ming's potential as a NBA lottery pick. But neither are draft pioneers; can you name the first Chine player drafted into the NBA?

5. Name the NBA superstar who wasn't a second-round pick: Willis Reed, Nate Archibald, Bill Sharman, Hal Green Calvin Murphy, Chet Walker, Kevin McHale, Gus Johnson Dennis Johnson, Mark Price, Jeff Hornacek.

6. Which three players came to the Boston Celtics via the draft in 1956, immediately changing the course of the team's fortunes?

7. In 1985, the Atlanta Hawks ended up wasting a fourth-round pick on a center who was later declared ineligible for the draft. Who was the player (who is still in the NBA) and what team later drafted him?

8. The last year of the 10-round NBA draft was 1984, and there have been some creative late-round picks. Connect the athlete with the team that picked him in the 10th round or lower.

1. Carl Lewis, selected No. 208 in 1984

2. Tony Gwynn, selected No. 210 in 1981

3. Bubba Smith, selected No. 114 in 1967

4. Bob Beamon, selected No. 189 in 1969

5. Bruce Jenner, selected No. 139 in 1977

a. Baltimore Bullets

b. San Diego Clippers

c. Phoenix Suns

d. Kansas City Kings

e. Chicago Bulls

9. What dubious distinction do the 1975 and 1996 NBA drafts share?

10. Which of the first five picks in the 1970 NBA draft became Hall-of-Famers?

Quick Quiz Answers

1. In 1985, the New York Kicks won the lottery and selected Patrick Ewing; draft order was determined by selecting envelopes, and the Knicks' envelope was "earmarked." 2. Oscar Robertson of the University of Cindrmati was the Cincinnati Royals' regular first-round pick in 1960. 3. Michigan coach Tommy Amaker was selected No. 55 by the Seattle Supersonics and Florida coach Billy Donovan was taken No. 68 by the Utah Jazz. 4. Song Tao was drafted No. 67 in 1987 by the Atlanta Hawks. 5. Kevin McHale was picked No. 3 overall in 1980 by the Boston Celtics. 6. The Celtics acquired the draft rights to Bill Russell and selected Tom Heinsohn and K.C. Jones. 7. The Hawks selected Arvydas Sabonis with the No. 77 pick in 1985. After he was ruled ineligible, the Portland Trail Blazers took Sabonis in 1986 with the No. 24 pick. 8. 1.-e 2.-b 3.-a 4.-c 5.-d 9. Two high schoolers were among the first 20 picks. In 1975, Darryl Dawkins was drafted No. 5 by the Philadelphia 76ers and Bill Willoughby was drafted No. 19 by Atlanta. In 1996, Kobe Bryant was selected No. 13 by the Charlotte Hornets, while Jermaine O'Neal went to Portland at No. 17. 10. Bob Lanier (No. 1), Pete Maravich (No. 3), and Dave Cowens (No. 4) all are Hall-of-Famers. Rudy Tomjanovich (No. 2) and Sam Lacey (No. 5) became NBA stars. Photo: Chris Webber (Orlando Magic) and David Thompson (Atlanta) are the only two No. 1 picks in the past 35 years who didn't play for the team that drafted them.

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