1989 NBA draft

1989 NBA draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)June 27, 1989
LocationFelt Forum, Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York)[1]
Network(s)TBS
Overview
54 total selections in 2 rounds
LeagueNBA
First selectionPervis Ellison (Sacramento Kings)
← 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.[2][3]

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.[4][3] 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.[5]

  1. ^ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695.
  2. ^ "1989 NBA draft".
  3. ^ a b "NBA Past Drafts - RealGM".
  4. ^ "1989 NBA draft".
  5. ^ "NBA Draft Will Move To Prime-Time on TBS". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 15, 1989. pp. D4.