Most Shocking NBA Draft Moments Ever
By
Dan Holmes
Contributor Updated: 29 March 2024
Dan Holmes Contributor
Dan Holmes, a content creator and sports betting enthusiast, brings over a decade of experience to Betting.US. His extensive writing background spans from the internet to prestigious roles at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Dan’s articles, featured on numerous websites, cover various sports, from bowling to disc golf.
Most Shocking NBA Draft Moments
Shocking NBA Draft moments are part of the history of basketball. Since the draft became a reality in the late 1940s, teams have stocked their roster with talented young hoop stars.
With all the iconic drafts in NBA history, at times NBA teams have chosen to pick players that puzzled observers of the sport. These memorable NBA draft moments still live on to help for the tapestry of the game.
In this list, we select our choices for the most shocking moments the NBA Draft has ever produced. Each year, from the draft rooms and behind the podium, breaking news can lead to a new era in the league where men play above the rim.
Every spring, the NBA Draft has a significant impact for online betting on the NBA, with team futures and odds on the NBA Finals in the balance.
Knicks Win First NBA Draft Lottery and Get Ewing
The 1985 NBA Draft Lottery stands as a landmark moment in the league’s history, as it marked the first-ever implementation of a lottery system to determine the draft order. Prior to 1985, teams with the worst regular-season records simply held the top picks, a system that some believed incentivized losing to secure better draft positions. Seeking to address this issue and add an element of chance to the proceedings, the NBA introduced the lottery to determine the draft order for the first seven picks.
The 1985 lottery, held on May 12 of that year, featured envelopes representing each participating team, with their logos placed in a transparent, rotating drum. NBA Commissioner David Stern, amidst palpable anticipation, drew the envelopes one by one to determine the draft order.
The most shocking outcome of the 1985 NBA Draft Lottery was the New York Knicks securing the first overall pick. The Knicks, who had finished the regular season with a mediocre 24-58 record, had only a 14.29% chance of winning the top selection. The moment Stern announced the Knicks as the lottery winners, it sent shockwaves through the basketball world. It was a surprise to many, as teams with worse records, such as the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors, were expected to have better odds. It proved to be one of the biggest NBA Draft moments of all time.
The fortuitous turn of events for the Knicks in the 1985 lottery was a fortune-changer for the franchise. The first overall pick provided them with the opportunity to select Georgetown University’s standout center, Patrick Ewing. Ewing was a highly touted prospect, considered a transformative talent with the potential to elevate the Knicks back to prominence.
The selection of Ewing had a profound impact on the Knicks’ future. Ewing became the face of the franchise, a dominant force on the court who led the team to multiple playoff appearances and a trip to the NBA Finals in 1994. His presence not only revitalized the Knicks but also elevated the league’s profile in the coveted New York market.
The 1985 NBA Draft Lottery marked a significant shift in the league’s approach to draft positioning and parity. It introduced an element of unpredictability that prevented teams from deliberately tanking to secure higher draft picks. The Knicks’ unexpected win added a layer of drama to the inaugural lottery, demonstrating that, in the world of sports, the outcome is often unpredictable and can reshape the destiny of a franchise in an instant.
In retrospect, the 1985 NBA Draft Lottery remains a memorable and pivotal moment, and stands as one of the biggest NBA Draft moments of all time.
1993 NBA Draft: Magic Comes up No. 1 AGAIN in a Memorable NBA Draft Moment
In 1993, the Orlando Magic defied the odds and secured the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, marking one of the most astonishing and memorable moments in the history of the league’s draft. The Magic’s improbable triumph had a profound impact on the franchise’s trajectory, and when experts make their rankings of NBA drafts, it usually comes out near the top.
The Magic’s journey to the top of the 1993 NBA Draft began with their previous year’s selection of Shaquille O’Neal as the No. 1 pick in the 1992 draft. The addition of O’Neal, a dominant and charismatic center out of LSU, had injected a new level of excitement and anticipation into the Orlando fan base. O’Neal’s impact on the court was immediate, earning him the Rookie of the Year award and establishing him as the centerpiece of the Magic’s future. His choice as number one overall surely rates among the biggest NBA Draft moments of all time.
As the 1993 NBA Draft Lottery approached, the Magic were considered long shots to secure the top pick. The odds were stacked against them, with only a 1.52% chance of winning the lottery. However, luck was on Orlando’s side that day. Against all expectations, the Magic’s envelope was the first one drawn by impish NBA Commissioner David Stern, propelling them to the coveted No. 1 pick for the second consecutive year.
The Magic’s stunning victory in the 1993 NBA Draft Lottery remains one of the biggest draft moments of all time, a triumph against statistical probabilities that altered the course of the franchise. With the No. 1 pick secured, the spotlight shifted to the player Orlando would choose to join forces with Shaquille O’Neal.
Enter Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, a versatile and dynamic guard from the University of Memphis. The Magic’s selection of Hardaway not only solidified their commitment to building a formidable tandem but also added a new dimension to their style of play. Hardaway’s combination of size, skill, and court vision made him an ideal complement to O’Neal’s dominance in the paint.
The Magic’s decision to draft Hardaway (shunning Chris Webber, who was the consensus No. 1 pick among draft experts) showcased the franchise’s forward-thinking approach and willingness to take risks. While injuries later in his career would hamper his overall impact, during his early years, Hardaway formed a potent partnership with O’Neal, propelling the Magic to new heights.
The O’Neal-Hardaway duo, affectionately known as “Shaq and Penny,” revitalized the Magic and led them to multiple playoff appearances, including the NBA Finals. The team’s dynamic style of play, anchored by O’Neal’s power and Hardaway’s finesse, captured the imagination of basketball fans and solidified their place as one of the most iconic duos in hoops history.
Although the Magic fell short of winning an NBA championship during the O’Neal-Hardaway era, the impact of those draft moments reverberated far beyond the hardwood. The Magic’s improbable lottery win, the consecutive No. 1 picks, and the selection of Anfernee Hardaway all contributed to a period of excitement and relevance for the franchise that remains etched in the annals of NBA history.
2003 NBA Draft: Pistons Pick Darko
One of the most shocking NBA draft moments unfolded in 2003 when the Detroit Pistons selected Darko Milicic as the second overall pick. The highly anticipated draft class included future Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, making the Pistons’ decision to pick Milicic ahead of these stars perplexing. LeBron James was picked first, but Detroit could have had any of those others.
Darko Milicic, a 7-foot Serbian forward, was hailed as a prodigious talent with a unique skill set. However, his tenure with the Detroit Pistons turned out to be a major disappointment. Despite being part of a team that clinched the NBA championship in 2004, Milicic struggled to find a meaningful role on the court. His limited playing time and inability to live up to the expectations associated with a high draft pick marked one of the most regrettable decisions in Pistons’ draft history.
Milicic’s selection over future superstars has become synonymous with shocking NBA draft moments, a cautionary tale about the uncertainties and risks involved in choosing young talents. The disappointment surrounding Darko Milicic serves as a stark reminder that success in the draft is never guaranteed, and the repercussions of such decisions can resonate throughout a team’s trajectory for years to come.
2023 NBA Draft: Somehow, Pistons Slip All The Way to No. 5
The Pistons were dreadful in 2022-23, so bad that they earned a nearly 15% chance at the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. That was the best odds among teams in the lottery. By league rule, the Pistons could not receive anything lower than the fifth pick. When the order was announced live on TV, the Pistons were the first team revealed…for the No. 5 pick. This shocker is definitely among the most iconic drafts in NBA history.
Somehow, the lottery balls had failed to fall in favor of Detroit. Instead, the San Antonio Spurs won the No. 1 pick, which they used to grab Victor Wembanyama, a freakishly gifted 7’4 European with the ability to handle the basketball and shoot from long range. The Pistons celebrated their bad luck by losing 28 consecutive games in the first half of the 2023-24 season. Yikes.
