| 1963 NBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date(s) | April 30, 1963 (Rounds 1–7) May 7, 1963 (Rounds 8–15) |
| Location | Plaza Hotel (New York City, New York)[1] |
| Overview | |
| 84 total selections in 15 rounds | |
| League | NBA |
| Territorial pick(s) | Tom Thacker, Cincinnati Royals |
| First selection | Art Heyman, New York Knicks |
The 1963 NBA draft was the 17th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 30 and May 7, 1963, before the 1963–64 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. Before the draft, a team could forfeit its first-round draft pick and then select any player from within a 50-mile radius of its home arena as their territorial pick.[2][3] The Chicago Zephyrs relocated to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Bullets prior to the draft.[4] The Syracuse Nationals participated in the draft, but relocated to Philadelphia and became the Philadelphia 76ers prior to the start of the season.[5] The draft consisted of 15 rounds comprising 84 players selected.
This draft holds the record for the fewest non-territorial picks who later debuted in the NBA, with 17 (18 if the territorial pick Tom Thacker is included).