1986 NBA Draft

The 1986 NBA Draft was held on June 17, 1986. This particular draft was uncommonly disappointing because of drug problems involving various prospective players.

Drug Issues Involving Drafted Players

There were various drug-related problems that plagued players in the 1986 NBA draft. Most notably was the death of highly-touted Len Bias. Bias died less than two days after being selected second overall by the defending champion Boston Celtics. His death was ruled an overdose that resulted from the abuse of the drug cocaine. Other problems involving drugs hampered the careers of Chris Washburn, Roy Tarpley, and William Bedford.

Some of these problems opened the door for lesser-known, second-round draft choices such as Mark Price, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Duckworth, and Jeff Hornacek, who all went on to have all-star careers.

Players Who Became Coaches

Following their retirements, a few players from this draft have moved on to become coaches in the NBA. Nate McMillan currently coaches the Portland Trail Blazers. Scott Skiles previously coached the Chicago Bulls, but was let go during the 2007-08 season. He was later hired by the Milwaukee Bucks.

International Draftees

This draft contained two exceptional international players, both of whom had shortened careers for unusual reasons. Third-round selection Drazen Petrovic was coming off an all-star caliber fourth season when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1993. He has since been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. The other, Arvydas Sabonis, was not permitted to play in the United States because of the dangerous political climate in the Soviet Union. He won gold and bronze Olympic medals in 1988 (USSR), and in 1992 (Lithuania). After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, Sabonis had a very successful career in Europe before finally joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 1995. Arvydas Sabonis had lost much of his mobility by the time he joined the team because of a string of knee and Achilles tendon injuries. He finished second in both the Sixth Man Award, and Rookie of the Year voting. He played seven seasons with Portland before returning to his homeland of Lithuania where he finished his career.

Other Draftee Contributions to the Game

This draft is known for the number of players who made important contributions to the sport of basketball outside of the court. For example, Nate McMillan had a highly successful run with the Sonics as head coach before taking his current job with the Portland Trail Blazers, Scott Skiles is the current coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and also the first coach to lead the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs in the post-Jordan era.

Round one

Round three

Round four

* 82. Barry Mungar, St. Bonaventure, Washington
* 83. David Shaffer, Florida State, Portland
* 84. Marty Embry, DePaul, Utah
* 85. Myron Jackson, Arkansas-Little Rock, Dallas
* 86. Chauncey Robinson, Mississippi State, Detroit
* 87. Anthony Watson, San Diego State, Denver
* 88. Efrem Winters, Illinois, Atlanta
* 89. Conner Henry, UC Santa Barbara, Houston
* 90. Wes Stallings, East Tennessee State, Philadelphia
* 91. Bob Beecher, Virginia Tech, Sacramento
* 92. Dale Blaney, West Virginia, LA Lakers
* 93. Tony Benford, Texas Tech, Boston

Round five

* 94. Jerome Mincy , UAB , New York
* 95. Richard Rellford , Michigan , Indiana
* 96. Ben Davis , Gardner-Webb , Cleveland
* 97. Clinton Smith , Cleveland State , Golden State
* 98. Jimmy Gilbert , Texas A&M , Chicago
* 99. Dominic Pressley , Boston College , Seattle
* 100. Steffond Johnson , San Diego State , LA Clippers
* 101. Greg Spurling , Carson-Newman , Phoenix
* 102. Earl Kelley , Connecticut , San Antonio
* 103. Keith Morrison , Washington State , Sacramento
* 104. Paul Fortier , Washington , Washington
* 105. Archie Johnson , UAB , New Jersey
* 106. Jerry Adams , Oregon , Portland
* 107. Kerry Boagni , Cal State Fullerton, Utah
* 108. Jay Bilas , Duke , Dallas
* 109. Clarence Hanley , Old Dominion , Detroit
* 110. Jon Collins , Eastern Illinois , Denver
* 111. Nicky Jones , Virginia Commonwealth , Atlanta
* 112. Andre Banks , Iowa , Houston
* 113. Kevin Holmes , DePaul , Philadelphia
* 114. Bobby Deaton , Southwestern (TX) , Milwaukee
* 115. Roger Harden , Kentucky , LA Lakers
* 116. Dave Colbert , Dayton , Boston

Round six

* 117. Butch Wade , Michigan , New York
* 118. Jeff Hall , Louisville , Indiana
* 119. Gilbert Wilburn , New Mexico State , Cleveland
* 120. Pete Myers , Arkansas-Little Rock , Chicago
* 121. Bobby Lee Hurt , Alabama , Golden State
* 122. Curtis Kitchen , South Florida , Seattle
* 123. Jim McCaffrey , Holy Cross , Phoenix
* 124. Tim Kempton, Notre Dame , LA Clippers
* 125. Kevin Lewis , SMU , San Antonio
* 126. John Flowers , UNLV , Sacramento
* 127. Troy Webster , George Washington , New Jersey
* 128. Lorenzo Duncan , Sam Houston State , Washington
* 129. Tony Hampton , Montana State , Portland
* 130. Chuck Everson , Villanova , Utah
* 131. Greg Anderson , Lamar , Dallas
* 132. Greg Grant , Utah State , Detroit
* 133. Anthony Frederick , Pepperdine , Denver
* 134. Alexander Volkov , USSR , Atlanta
* 135. Robert Worthy , Dyke (OH) , Houston
* 136. Andre McCloud , Seton Hall , Philadelphia
* 137. John Kimbrell , David Lipscomb , Milwaukee
* 138. Walter Downing , Marquette , LA Lakers
* 139. Greg Wendt , Detroit , Boston

Round seven

* 140. Duane Kendall , South Carolina , New York
* 141. Steve Woodside , Oregon State , Indiana
* 142. Ralph Dalton , Georgetown , Cleveland
* 143. Steve Kenilvort , Santa Clara , Golden State
* 144. Robert Henderson , Michigan , Chicago
* 145. Glen McCants , Clemson , Seattle
* 146. Johnny Brown , New Mexico , LA Clippers
* 147. Damon Goodwin , Dayton , Phoenix
* 148. Michael Anderson , Pan American , San Antonio
* 149. Ron Rankin , SE Missouri State , Sacramento
* 150. Joe Price , Notre Dame , Washington
* 151. Jim Dolan , Notre Dame , New Jersey
* 152. Randy Schiff , Linfield , Portland
* 153. Mark Mitchell , Hartford , Utah
* 154. Kim Cooksey , Middle Tennessee State , Dallas
* 155. Larry Polec , Michigan State , Detroit
* 156. Mike Marshall , McNeese State , Denver
* 157. Valery Tikhonenko , USSR , Atlanta
* 158. Rick Olson , Wisconsin , Houston
* 159. Dan Palombizio , Ball State , Philadelphia
* 160. Jeff Strong , Missouri , Milwaukee
* 161. Mark Coleman , Mississippi Valley St , LA Lakers
* 162. Tom Ivey , Boston U , Boston

External links

* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/the_bonus/06/22/86.draft/index.html SI.com's twenty-year retrospective on the 1986 NBA Draft]

NBA Drafts
preceded=1985 NBA Draft
succeeded=1987 NBA Draft