The NBA draft is a player’s best opportunity to be drafted into the league. Since 1947, the NBA has drafted eligible players, typically from college to the league. Below, we are going to review the history of the number 21 draft pick in the NBA.
What is the NBA Draft?
The NBA draft is an annual ceremony, in which NBA teams, through a lottery system, select eligible players from college and the international stage to join their teams. College players who have completed all four years of their education are automatically eligible for the draft.
However, college players who have not completed all four years of their education, but are one-year removed from high school, must declare their eligibility for the draft. In declaring their eligibility, these underclassmen will effectively give up their remaining college eligibility.
For international players, any player older than 22 years old are automatically eligible for the draft. However, any international player younger than 22 years old must declare their eligibility.
How Does the Lottery System Work?
The NBA draft lottery system was revamped for the 2018 season. Looking at these new rules, the 14 NBA teams which did not make the playoffs will be eligible for the first 14 picks in the draft. Under the new system, the NBA Draft Lottery will ensure that the team with the worst overall record in the league will receive no worse than the fifth overall pick.
Similarly, in the new system, the three NBA teams with the worst regular-season records will each have a 14% chance of winning the lottery and the first overall pick. Once the first four teams with the worst records have been selected, the remaining ten teams will continue to pick in inverse order of their regular-season record.
How Does the NBA Draft Work?
Going a bit deeper, and speaking only of the new system, the NBA draft will be televised on ESPN, who will air the results live. Drawings will be conducted to determine the first four picks, with the remaining ten picks being doled out in inverse order of an NBA teams regular-season record.
The actual lottery procedure, however, takes place in a separate room before ESPN announces the results. In this room, a member of the media, an NBA official, and a representative of the accounting firm Ernst & Young are present to ensure no foul play or tampering with the machine.
In this separate room, fourteen ping-pong balls numbered 1-14 will be placed in the lottery machine. The lottery machine used by the NBA is manufactured by Smart Play Company. This company also weighs, measures, and certifies the ping-pong balls before the drawing.
There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, without regard to their order of selection. Before the lottery, 1,000 of those 1,001 combinations will be assigned to the 14 participating NBA teams.
Once all 14 balls have been placed into the machine, they will be mixed for 20-seconds before the first ball is removed. Similarly, the balls will be mixed for another 10-seconds before the second ball is drawn. Again, the machine will be mixed for another 10-seconds for both the third and fourth picks.
Full History of all 21st Overall NBA Draft Picks
| PLAYER | TEAM | AFFILIATION | YEAR | ||
| Keon Johnson | New York Knicks | Tennessee | 2021 | ||
| Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | Kentucky | 2020 | ||
| Brandon Clarke | Oklahoma City Thunder | Gonzaga | 2019 | ||
| Grayson Allen | Utah Jazz | Duke | 2018 | ||
| Terrance Ferguson | Oklahoma City Thunder | Adelaide 36ers (Australia) | 2017 | ||
| DeAndre’ Bembry | Atlanta Hawks | Saint Joseph’s | 2016 | ||
| Justin Anderson | Dallas Mavericks | Virginia | 2015 | ||
| Mitch McGary | Oklahoma City Thunder | Michigan | 2014 | ||
| Gorgui Dieng | Utah Jazz | Louisville | 2013 | ||
| Jared Sullinger | Boston Celtics | Ohio State | 2012 | ||
| Nolan Smith | Portland Trail Blazers | Duke | 2011 | ||
| Craig Brackins | Oklahoma City Thunder | Iowa State | 2010 | ||
| Darren Collison | New Orleans Hornets | California-Los Angeles | 2009 | ||
| Ryan Anderson | New Jersey Nets | California | 2008 | ||
| Daequan Cook | Philadelphia 76ers | Ohio State | 2007 | ||
| Rajon Rondo | Phoenix Suns | Kentucky | 2006 | ||
| Nate Robinson | Phoenix Suns | Washington | 2005 | ||
| Pavel Podkolzin | Utah Jazz | Pallacanestro Varese (Italy) | 2004 | ||
| Boris Diaw | Atlanta Hawks | Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (France) | 2003 | ||
| Qyntel Woods | Portland Trail Blazers | Northeast Mississippi Community College | 2002 | ||
| Joseph Forte | Boston Celtics | North Carolina | 2001 | ||
| Morris Peterson | Toronto Raptors | Michigan State | 2000 | ||
| Jeff Foster | Golden State Warriors | Texas State | 1999 | ||
| Ricky Davis | Charlotte Hornets | Iowa | 1998 | ||
| Anthony Parker | New Jersey Nets | Bradley | 1997 | ||
| Dontae’ Jones | New York Knicks | Mississippi State | 1996 | ||
| Michael Finley | Phoenix Suns | Wisconsin | 1995 | ||
| Dickey Simpkins | Chicago Bulls | Providence | 1994 | ||
| James Robinson | Portland Trail Blazers | Alabama | 1993 | ||
| Jon Barry | Boston Celtics | Georgia Tech | 1992 | ||
| Eric Murdock | Utah Jazz | Providence | 1991 | ||
| Jayson Williams | Phoenix Suns | St. John’s (NY) | 1990 | ||
| Blue Edwards | Utah Jazz | East Carolina | 1989 | ||
| Mark Bryant | Portland Trail Blazers | Seton Hall | 1988 | ||
| Dallas Comegys | Atlanta Hawks | DePaul | 1987 | ||
| Anthony Jones | Washington Bullets | Nevada-Las Vegas | 1986 | ||
| Terry Catledge | Philadelphia 76ers | South Alabama | 1985 | ||
| Kenny Fields | Milwaukee Bucks | California-Los Angeles | 1984 | ||
| Greg Kite | Boston Celtics | Brigham Young | 1983 | ||
| Eddie Phillips | New Jersey Nets | Alabama | 1982 | ||
| Alton Lister | Milwaukee Bucks | Arizona State | 1981 | ||
| Monti Davis | Philadelphia 76ers | Tennessee State | 1980 | ||
| Sly Williams | New York Knicks | Rhode Island | 1979 | ||
| Mike Evans | Denver Nuggets | Kansas State | 1978 | ||
| Anthony Roberts | Denver Nuggets | Oral Roberts | 1977 | ||
| Earl Tatum | Los Angeles Lakers | Marquette | 1976 | ||
| Bruce Seals | Seattle SuperSonics | Xavier (LA) | 1975 | ||
| Billy Knight | Los Angeles Lakers | Pittsburgh | 1974 | ||
| Allan Bristow | Philadelphia 76ers | Virginia Tech | 1973 | ||
| Steve Bracey | Atlanta Hawks | Tulsa | 1972 | ||
| John Mengelt | Cincinnati Royals | Auburn | 1971 | ||
| Rex Morgan | Boston Celtics | Jacksonville | 1970 | ||
| Bernie Williams | San Diego Rockets | La Salle | 1969 | ||
| Dick Cunningham | Phoenix Suns | Murray State | 1968 | ||
| Darrell Hardy | Detroit Pistons | Baylor | 1967 | ||
| Stew Johnson | New York Knicks | Murray State | 1966 | ||
| Joe Newton | Baltimore Bullets | Auburn | 1965 | ||
| Tom Dose | Los Angeles Lakers | Stanford | 1964 | ||
| Mike McCoy | Detroit Pistons | Miami (FL) | 1963 | ||
| Porter Meriwether | Syracuse Nationals | Tennessee State | 1962 | ||
| Don Kojis | Chicago Packers | Marquette | 1961 | ||
| Joe Roberts | Syracuse Nationals | Ohio State | 1960 | ||
| Hank Stein | St. Louis Hawks | Xavier | 1959 | ||
| John Nacincik | Syracuse Nationals | Maryland | 1958 | ||
| Gary Clark | New York Knicks | Syracuse | 1957 | ||
| Jack Sallee | Syracuse Nationals | Dayton | 1955 | ||
| Ben Peters | Philadelphia Warriors | Benedictine (KS) | 1954 | ||
| Ron Bontemps | Milwaukee Hawks | Beloit | 1951 |