1972 ABA draft
1972 ABA draft | |
---|---|
General information | |
Sport | Basketball |
Date(s) | March 2, 1972 (Rounds 1–5) April 12, 1972 (Rounds 6–20)[1] |
Location | New York, New York |
Overview | |
179 total selections in 20 rounds | |
League | American Basketball Association |
Teams | 11 |
First selection | Bob McAdoo, Virginia Squires via Pittsburgh Condors[2] |
The 1972 ABA draft was the sixth draft done by the American Basketball Association (ABA), a rivaling professional basketball league to the National Basketball Association (NBA) that they would eventually merge as a part of the NBA only a few years later despite official merger talks ultimately being dead during the later, more competitive years of the ABA's history. This year would see an odd thing happen with the first five rounds of this year's draft not be recorded properly as of 2025 in terms of round ordering (outside of arguably the first round due to four teams losing their first round picks in situations relating to the previous draft year, if not the previous season) from March 2, 1972 (weeks before the 1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament was properly completed[1]) via standings from February 20 (though with the Pittsburgh Condors and Memphis Pros alternating between leading round orders this year since they both tied their official records that season at the time[2]), while the rest of the rounds of this draft would be recorded properly in terms of draft ordering on April 12 all at the ABA's headquarters in New York. This draft also was the first draft in the ABA to allow their teams to draft one college underclassman to the first five rounds of the draft after seeing major success with underclassmen like Spencer Haywood, Ralph Simpson, George McGinnis, and Julius Erving going from undrafted players to successful, All-Star quality players in the ABA. This new policy created by the ABA drew strong criticisms from both the NCAA and numerous college coaches when it first happened, but it would eventually help pave the way for numerous college underclassmen to take their chances with later ABA and NBA drafts the more years passed by following this draft period by the ABA.[1] However, the ABA wouldn't see as much success from this year's draft when compared to drafts from their previous years, with most of these college underclassmen opting to return to college for at least one more year instead and a number of Hall of Fame players, including that of their #1 pick in junior Bob McAdoo, going to the NBA instead despite him not being drafted at #1 that year there. This draft period would also be the last draft that the Memphis Pros would participate in under that name since they would rebrand themselves to the Memphis Tams after this main draft period by June 1972,[3] as well as be the last event altogether for "The Floridians" and the Pittsburgh Condors franchises, as they would both fold operations months after this draft concluded on July 13, 1972,[4] with a new team called the San Diego Conquistadors being created a month later on August 10 that same year.[5]
Draftee career notes
[edit]This year's #1 pick would mark the second year in a row where the ABA would not only have a different #1 pick from the NBA altogether, but also had a #1 pick that was owned by one team get itself traded to another team before the upcoming draft year began. While the NBA's draft had one of the biggest busts in NBA history via LaRue Martin from Loyola University Chicago going to the Portland Trail Blazers (which had the ABA see Martin being drafted fifth (presumably speaking) by the Dallas Chaparrals by comparison), the ABA's draft had one of the members of both the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors and later NBA 75th Anniversary Team in junior Bob McAdoo from the University of North Carolina as the #1 pick by the Virginia Squires by a trade with the Pittsburgh Condors (though he was selected second overall in the NBA by the Buffalo Braves). However, much like the previous #1 pick for the ABA draft, Jim McDaniels, McAdoo would not play for the ABA team that drafted him at all (though like most #1 picks done by the ABA, he ended up opting to play for the NBA instead). McAdoo would prove his success almost immediately once he went professional by winning the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award, be named a five-time All-Star there, be named a member of the All-NBA Second Team in 1974 and All-NBA First Team in 1975 (including the NBA's MVP award for the latter year), be named a three-time scoring champion for the NBA from 1974 until 1976, and later be named a two-time NBA Finals champion while with the Showtime Lakers before he later went to Italy for the rest of his career from 1986 until retiring in 1992 with two Italian and EuroLeague championships (the second one including the EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer and EuroLeague Final Four MVP honors) won with Tracer Milano in the process. His honors not just with the NBA, but also Italy would help him earn a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, with McAdoo also being joined by Denver Rockets pick Paul Westphal from the University of Southern California and Dallas Chaparrals selected sophomore Bill Walton from UCLA (the latter of whom would become the #1 pick for the 1974 NBA draft as well), who both won at least one NBA Finals championship themselves during their careers and had significant success during their professional careers in the NBA.
Out of the 92 overall ABA All-Stars, there were six players eligible to be selected in this year's draft that would make it to the ABA All-Star Game either twice or once while the event existed: Brian Taylor, James Silas, and Swen Nater would make it to the All-Star Game twice in the ABA, while Claude Terry, the undrafted Don Buse, and the undrafted Dave Twardzik would make it to the All-Star Game only once there. Brian Taylor would be the player to see some of the most honors given to a player from this year's draft that actually played in the ABA with Taylor not only being named the Rookie of the Year in 1973 and an All-Star in the final two seasons of the ABA's existence, but also won the ABA Finals championship twice while with the New York Nets (including the final ABA Finals championship as a whole), was twice a member of the ABA's All-Defensive Team in the league's final seasons of play (joining six other players to join that team twice in their careers), and led the ABA in steals in 1975, though he would be strangely absent from the ABA All-Time Team in spite of his honors. One player that would make the ABA's All-Time Team, however, was James Silas, whose honors from the ABA included being a member of the ABA's All-Rookie Team in 1973, two All-Star appearances in the league's final seasons of play, an All-ABA Second Team spot in 1975, and an All-ABA First Team spot in 1976 (though he would later have his number retired by the San Antonio Spurs, the predecessors of the Dallas Chaparrals, in 1984, two years after retiring from play altogether and three years after last playing for the franchise in general). Another player from this draft that would also win Rookie of the Year honors by the ABA (albeit a year after Brian Taylor won his award there) was the Dutch-born Swen Nater, who returned to UCLA after the draft following "The Floridians" franchise folding operations entirely before being considered an undrafted signee for the following year's draft that later signed with the Virginia Squires after they had previously picked up his player rights in the ABA's first ever dispersal draft; Swen Nater would not only win the ABA's Rookie of the Year Award in 1974, but he'd also be named an ABA All-Star and a member of the All-ABA Second Team twice in two out of three seasons of play in the ABA (as well as lead not just the ABA in rebounding in 1975, but also the NBA in rebounding in 1980). The last player that was drafted this year to make it to an ABA All-Star Game, Claude Terry, was mainly named an All-Star due to the Denver Nuggets (the modern predecessors of the Denver Rockets) being the best team of the ABA during the final All-Star Game in the ABA's existence due to the unique circumstances from before the 1976 ABA All-Star Game. As for the other two players that made it to an ABA All-Star Game while also not being drafted during this year's draft period, Don Buse from the at the time Division II University of Evansville decided to forgo playing for the Phoenix Suns (who drafted him in the third round of the 1972 NBA draft) immediately for a shot at playing with his home state Indiana Pacers, which led to him being an ABA Finals champion in 1973, a two-time ABA All-Defensive team member in the league's final two seasons of existence, and an ABA All-Star (by replacing a player from the Denver Nuggets), an All-ABA Second Team member, and the ABA's leader in steals during that league's final season of existence before seeing similar looking success in the NBA following the eventual ABA-NBA merger with both the Pacers and Suns later in his career. Finally, Dave Twardzik from Old Dominion University stayed with the area's Virginia Squires team as an undrafted player, yet he was able to make it to the ABA's All-Star Game in 1975 (despite that team having the worst record in league history by that time) before later winning an NBA Finals championship in 1977 and then having his number be retired by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Historic draft notes
[edit]Strangely enough, this draft period would be the only draft period to have recorded inconsistencies in terms of even draft locations of certain players, never mind draft orderings found within the first five rounds of the 1972 ABA draft (if not even later than that), according to the select few basketball websites that are willing to record the ABA's draft record history in the first place.[1][6][7][2][8] As such, the ordering of not just certain players that were drafted, but even certain teams that might have drafted some of these players are expected to be wildly inconsistent in terms of provided results given out to the public as of 2025, meaning this draft order shown here is likely not going to be 100% accurate in terms of output, especially since it looked like many teams lost selections within the first five rounds of the draft during this year (potentially due to some stipulations relating to the first failed ABA-NBA merger plans made earlier in the decade). That being said, this draft period would be considered the last draft period where the Memphis Pros would participate under that team name, since they would later rename themselves to the Memphis Tams (Tams being an acronym of the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi that the franchise hoped to gain a local fanbase from out of each state, with their new logo in that time reflecting that name by showcasing a tam o'shanter style hat in terms of a more physical representation of what the Tams in question were).[3] It also ultimately became the last draft event altogether for both "The Floridians" and the Pittsburgh Condors franchises since they would both fold operations entirely on July 13, 1972, leaving the ABA with only nine operating teams for less than a month before the creation of the San Diego Conquistadors months after this draft period ended on August 10 that same year effectively had the team taking on both of those teams' spots since they both looked at San Diego as a relocation option at one point in time, as well as led to the ABA working with 10 teams for most of its operating tenure instead of 11 teams going forward.
Key
[edit]Pos. | G | F | C |
Position | Guard | Forward | Center |
Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | ‡ | Denotes player that was selected to the ABA All-Time Team |
* | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-ABA Team | + | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
~ | Denotes a player that won the ABA Rookie of the Year Award | # | Denotes player who has never appeared in either an ABA or NBA regular season or playoff game |
Draft
[edit]








Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Bob McAdoo^ | C | ![]() |
Virginia Squires (from Pittsburgh)[2] | North Carolina (Jr.) |
1 | Memphis Pros (forfeited #2 pick due to them acquiring Larry Cannon from the Denver Rockets[2]) | |||||
1 | 2 | Tom Riker | C/PF | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | South Carolina (Sr.) |
1 | 3 | Bud Stallworth | SG/SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Kansas (Sr.) |
1 | 4 | Dwight Davis | PF | ![]() |
The Floridians | Houston (Sr.) |
1 | New York Nets (forfeited #5 pick due to them signing Jim Chones, a player previously drafted by the Virginia Squires last year that got invalidated due to draft stipulations at the time[2]) | |||||
1 | 5 | LaRue Martin | C | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Loyola (Chicago) (Sr.) |
1 | 6 | Paul Stovall | SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets (from Indiana)[2] | Arizona State (Sr.) |
1 | Virginia Squires (forfeited what would have been the #7 pick due to them signing Julius Erving‡ last year after the previous draft ended[2]) | |||||
1 | Utah Stars (forfeited what would have been the new #7 pick due to them signing Jimmy Jones‡ from the Memphis Pros[2]) | |||||
1 | 7 | Corky Calhoun | SF | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Duke (Sr.) |
2 | 8 | David Brent# | C/PF | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Jacksonville (Fr.) |
2 | 9 | John Gianelli | C/PF | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Pacific (Sr.) |
2 | 10 | Dennis Wuycik | SF | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 11 | Claude Terry+ | SG/SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Stanford (Sr.) |
2 | 12 | Mike Stewart# | C | ![]() |
The Floridians | Santa Clara (Jr.) |
2 | 13 | Bill Chamberlain | SF | ![]() |
New York Nets | North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 14 | Mike Ratliff | C | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Wisconsin–Eau Claire (Sr.) |
2 | 15 | Chris Ford | SG | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Villanova (Sr.) |
2 | 16 | Russ Lee | SG/SF | ![]() |
Memphis Pros (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Kentucky)) | Marshall (Sr.) |
3 | 17 | Chuck Terry | SF | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Long Beach State (Sr.) |
3 | 18 | Jim Price | PG | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Louisville (Sr.) |
3 | 19 | Brian Taylor~* | PG | ![]() |
New York Nets (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Carolina)) | Princeton (Sr.) |
3 | 20 | Paul Westphal^ | PG/SG | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | USC (Sr.) |
3 | 21 | Scott English | SF | ![]() |
The Floridians | UTEP (Sr.) |
3 | 22 | Joby Wright | PF/C | ![]() |
New York Nets (from The Floridians via New York)[2] | Indiana (Sr.) |
3 | 23 | Bob Morse# | SF/PF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Pennsylvania (Sr.) |
3 | 24 | Oscar Evans# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Butler (Sr.) |
3 | 25 | Will Franklin | F | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Purdue (Sr.) |
3 | 26 | Travis Grant | SF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
4 | 27 | Rusty Clair# | C/PF | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Oregon (Sr.) |
4 | 28 | Bob Davis | SF | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Weber State (Sr.) |
4 | 29 | Fred Boyd | PG/SG | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Oregon State (Sr.) |
4 | 30 | Doug Collins | SG | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Illinois State (Sr.) |
4 | 31 | Greg Starrick# | G | ![]() |
The Floridians | Southern Illinois (Sr.) |
4 | 32 | Dwaine Dillard | SF | ![]() |
New York Nets | Eastern Michigan (So.)[9] |
4 | 33 | Bill Walton^ | C | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | UCLA (So.) |
4 | 34 | Art White# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets (acquired via trade of some sort) | Georgetown University (D.C.) (Sr.) |
4 | 35 | Chuck Jura# | C | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Nebraska (Sr.) |
5 | 36 | Wil Robinson | SG | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | West Virginia (Sr.) |
5 | 37 | Dave Bustion | PF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Denver (Sr.) |
5 | 38 | Bob Lackey | SG | ![]() |
New York Nets | Marquette (Sr.) |
5 | 39 | Steve Hawes | C/PF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Washington (Sr.) |
5 | 40 | Nate Stephens# | C | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Long Beach State (Jr.) |
5 | 41 | Bob Nash | SF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Hawaii (Sr.) |
5 | 42 | Harold Fox | PG | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Kentucky)) | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
6 | 43 | Bob Ford | F | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Purdue (Sr.) |
6 | 44 | James Silas*‡ | PG | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Stephen F. Austin (Sr.) |
6 | 45 | Steve Bracey | PG | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Tulsa (Sr.) |
6 | 46 | Sam Sibert | SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
6 | 47 | Charlie Thorpe# | C | ![]() |
The Floridians | Belhaven College (Sr.) |
6 | 48 | Ron Harris# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets | Wichita State (Sr.) |
6 | 49 | Jim Creighton | PF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Colorado (Sr.) |
6 | 50 | George Adams | F | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Gardner–Webb College (Jr.) |
6 | 51 | Reggie Bird# | G | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Princeton (Sr.) |
6 | 52 | Tom Patterson | SF/PF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Ouachita Baptist (Jr.) |
6 | 53 | Matt Gantt# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | St. Bonaventure (Sr.) |
7 | 54 | Joe Mackey# | F | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | USC (Sr.) |
7 | 55 | Rowland Garrett | SF | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Florida State (Sr.) |
7 | 56 | Dan Holcomb# | C | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Memphis State (Sr.) |
7 | 57 | Ron Riley | PF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | USC (Sr.) |
7 | 58 | Swen Nater~* | C | ![]() |
The Floridians | UCLA (Jr.) |
7 | 59 | Hank Siemiontkowski# | SF/PF | ![]() |
New York Nets | Villanova (Sr.) |
7 | 60 | Frank Schade | G | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Wisconsin–Eau Claire (Sr.) |
7 | 61 | Richie Garner# | SG | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Manhattan (Sr.) |
7 | 62 | Al Sanders | PF | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | LSU (Sr.) |
7 | 63 | Eric McWilliams | SF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Long Beach State (Sr.) |
7 | 64 | Bill Kennedy# | G | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Arizona State (Sr.) |
8 | 65 | Sam Simmons# | G | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Bradley (Sr.) |
8 | 66 | Marshall Wingate# | G | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Niagara (Sr.) |
8 | 67 | Henry Bibby | PG | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | UCLA (Sr.) |
8 | 68 | Ted Martiniuk# | F | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Saint Peter's (Sr.) |
8 | 69 | Ron Thomas | PF | ![]() |
The Floridians | Louisville (Sr.) |
8 | 70 | Walter Jones# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets | LIU Brooklyn (Sr.) |
8 | 71 | Ansley Truitt | PF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | California (Sr.) |
8 | 72 | Cavin Andersen# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Valley City State (Sr.) |
8 | 73 | Billy Shepherd | PG | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Butler (Sr.) |
8 | 74 | Frank Russell | SG | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Detroit (Sr.) |
8 | 75 | Terry Benton# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Wichita State (Sr.) |
9 | 76 | Charles Edge | SF | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | LeMoyne–Owen (Jr.) |
9 | 77 | Steve Davidson# | F | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | West Texas State (Sr.) |
9 | 78 | Jerry Crocker# | G | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Guilford (Sr.) |
9 | 79 | Bernie Fryer | SG | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | BYU (Sr.) |
9 | 80 | Ernie Fleming# | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
9 | 81 | Ed Czernota# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets | Sacred Heart (Sr.) |
9 | 82 | Wayne Grabiec# | G | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Michigan (Sr.) |
9 | 83 | Wardell Dyson# | F | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Shaw University (Sr.) |
9 | 84 | Mike Barr | G | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Duquesne (Sr.) |
9 | 85 | Mike Jackson | PF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Cal State Los Angeles (Sr.) |
9 | 86 | Ernest Pettis# | G | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Western Michigan (Sr.) |
10 | 87 | Jackie Young# | G | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Rocky Mountain (Sr.) |
10 | 88 | Bryan Adrian# | G | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Davidson (Sr.) |
10 | 89 | Mike Collins# | F | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Seattle (Sr.) |
10 | 90 | Jerry Pender | SG | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Fresno State (Sr.) |
10 | 91 | Sam Cash | PF | ![]() |
The Floridians | UC Riverside (Jr.) |
10 | 92 | Randy Noll# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets | Marshall (Jr.) |
10 | 93 | Jerry Zielinski# | SG/SF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Northern Illinois (Sr.) |
10 | 94 | Jolly Spight# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Santa Clara (Sr.) |
10 | 95 | Rick Aydlett# | F | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | South Carolina (Sr.) |
10 | 96 | Kevin Porter | PG | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Saint Francis (Jr.) |
10 | 97 | Cleveland Hill# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Nicholls State (Sr.) |
11 | 98 | Joe Gaines# | F | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Belmont (Sr.) |
11 | 99 | Steve Turner# | C | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Vanderbilt (Jr.) |
11 | 100 | Wilbert Loftin# | F | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Southwest Louisiana (Sr.) |
11 | 101 | Gary Stewart# | F | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Canisius (Sr.) |
11 | 102 | Tracy Tripucka# | G | ![]() |
The Floridians | Lafayette (Sr.) |
11 | 103 | Quinas Brower# | F | ![]() |
New York Nets | Hofstra (Sr.) |
11 | 104 | Jeff Hickman# | SG | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Houston (Sr.) |
11 | 105 | Billy Burton# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Eastern Kentucky (Sr.) |
11 | 106 | Kent Hollenbeck# | G | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Kentucky (Sr.) |
11 | 107 | Willie Hart# | C | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Grambling (Jr.) |
11 | 108 | Andrew Pettes# | G | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
12 | 109 | Henry Bacon | SG | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Louisville (Sr.) |
12 | 110 | Chic Downing# | F | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Benedictine College (Sr.) |
12 | 111 | Charles Dudley | PG | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Washington (Sr.) |
12 | 112 | Michael Reid# | G | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | UC Riverside (So.) |
12 | 113 | Jerry Brucks# | C | ![]() |
The Floridians | Wyoming (Sr.) |
12 | 114 | Bill Phillips# | C | ![]() |
New York Nets | St. John's (Sr.) |
12 | 115 | Stan Key# | G | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Kentucky (Sr.) |
12 | 116 | Wally Rice# | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | PMC Colleges (Sr.) |
12 | 117 | Milton Adams# | G | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Portland (Sr.) |
12 | 118 | Lloyd Neal | C/PF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Tennessee State (Sr.) |
12 | 119 | David Hall# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Kansas State (Sr.) |
13 | 120 | Billy Pleas# | F | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Detroit (Sr.) |
13 | 121 | Ruppert Breedlove# | C | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Oglethorpe (Sr.) |
13 | 122 | Mike Sneed# | F | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Fayetteville State (Sr.) |
13 | 123 | John Burks# | F | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | San Francisco (Sr.) |
13 | 124 | Bobby Jack# | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
13 | 125 | Kelly Utley# | G | ![]() |
New York Nets | Shaw University (Sr.) |
13 | 126 | Donn Weise#[10] | C | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Ripon College (Sr.) |
13 | 127 | Mel Sims#[11] | G | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Cal State Los Angeles (Sr.) |
13 | 128 | Ralph Houston | F | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Houston (Sr.) |
13 | 129 | Simpson Degrate# | SG/SF | ![]() |
Utah Stars | TCU (Sr.) |
13 | 130 | Jerry Clack# | G | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Oklahoma State (Sr.) |
14 | 131 | Sam McCarney# | F | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Oral Roberts (Sr.) |
14 | 132 | David Werthman# | SF | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | West Virginia (Sr.) |
14 | 133 | Steve Previs | PG | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | North Carolina (Sr.) |
14 | 134 | John Tschogl | SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | UC Santa Barbara (Sr.) |
14 | 135 | Greg Flaker# | G | ![]() |
The Floridians | Missouri (Sr.) |
14 | 136 | Paul Hoffman# | G | ![]() |
New York Nets | St. Bonaventure (Sr.) |
14 | 137 | Rhea Taylor# | SF | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Arizona State (Sr.) |
14 | 138 | Nate Williams# | SF | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | Utah State (Sr.) |
14 | 139 | Rudolph Peele# | G | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Norfolk State (Sr.) |
14 | 140 | Mose Adolph# | G | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Cal State Los Angeles (Sr.) |
14 | 141 | Tom Parker# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Kentucky (Sr.) |
15 | 142 | Henry Seawright# | G | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Manhattan (Sr.) |
15 | 143 | Gene Mack# | PG | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Iowa State (Sr.) |
15 | 144 | Kent Martens# | C | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Abilene Christian (Sr.) |
15 | 145 | Leon Huff# | G | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Drake (Sr.) |
15 | 146 | Ray Golson# | G | ![]() |
The Floridians | West Texas State (Sr.) |
15 | New York Nets (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
15 | 147 | Ron Williams# | G | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Murray State (Sr.) |
15 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
15 | 148 | Scott McCandlish# | C | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Virginia (Sr.) |
15 | 149 | Harvey Catchings | PF/C | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Hardin–Simmons (So.) |
15 | 150 | Jerry Dunn# | F | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
16 | 151 | Ken May# | F | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Dayton (Sr.) |
16 | 152 | Lee McCullough# | F | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Indiana (Pennsylvania) (Sr.) |
16 | 153 | Rod Behrens# | PF | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Samford (Sr.) |
16 | 154 | Phillip Sisk# | G | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Georgia Southern (Sr.) |
16 | 155 | Willie Cherry# | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Denver (Sr.) |
16 | New York Nets (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
16 | 156 | Rich Walker# | G | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Bowling Green (Sr.) |
16 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
16 | 157 | Harry Taylor# | G/F | ![]() |
Virginia Squires | Los Angeles Baptist (Sr.) |
16 | 158 | Richard Dixon# | G | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Loyola Los Angeles (Sr.) |
16 | 159 | Frank Lorthridge# | C/PF | ![]() |
Kentucky Colonels | Pan American (Sr.) |
17 | 160 | Harry Anderson# | SG | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Saint Peter's (Jr.) |
17 | 161 | Steve Schmidt# | G | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | South Alabama (Sr.) |
17 | 162 | David Smith# | G | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | Western Carolina (Sr.) |
17 | 163 | Dave Hullman# | PF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Arizona State (Sr.) |
17 | 164 | Arnie Berman# | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Brown (Sr.) |
17 | 165 | Ron Bradley# | G | ![]() |
New York Nets | Eastern Nazarene (Jr.) |
17 | 166 | Al Vilcheck# | PF/C | ![]() |
Dallas Chaparrals | Louisville (Sr.) |
17 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
17 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
17 | 167 | Henry Steele# | C | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Northeast Louisiana (Sr.)[12] |
17 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | 168 | Terry Hankton# | F | ![]() |
Memphis Pros | Arkansas Polytechnic College (Sr.) |
18 | 169 | Manuel Raga# | SG | ![]() |
Pittsburgh Condors | Ignis Varese (Italy) |
18 | 170 | Curtis Pritchett# | F | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | St. Augustine's (Sr.) |
18 | 171 | Harold Little# | SG/SF | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | New Mexico (Sr.) |
18 | 172 | Fred DeVaughn# | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Westmont (Jr.) |
18 | New York Nets (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | Dallas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | 173 | Dwight Holiday# | SG | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Hawaii (Sr.) |
18 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Pittsburgh Condors (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Memphis Pros (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | 174 | Paul Coder# | C | ![]() |
Carolina Cougars | NC State (Sr.) |
19 | 175 | Andy Knowles# | PG | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Louisiana Tech (Sr.) |
19 | 176 | Bob Zender#[13] | F | ![]() |
The Floridians | Kansas State (Sr.) |
19 | New York Nets (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Dallas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | 177 | George Price# | G | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Colorado State (Sr.) |
19 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Memphis Pros (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Pittsburgh Condors (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Carolina Cougars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 178 | Al Davis# | F | ![]() |
Denver Rockets | Hawaii (Sr.) |
20 | The Floridians (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | New York Nets (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Dallas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Indiana Pacers (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 179 | George Bryant# | PG | ![]() |
Utah Stars | Eastern Kentucky (Sr.) |
20 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) |
Notable undrafted players
[edit]These players were officially considered draft eligible for the 1972 ABA draft and went undrafted this year, yet played at least one regular season or playoff game for the ABA before the ABA-NBA merger actually commenced a few years later.
Player | Pos. | Nationality | School |
---|---|---|---|
Don Buse* | PG | ![]() |
Evansville (Sr.) |
Bill Newton | PF/C | ![]() |
LSU (Sr.) |
Dave Twardzik+ | PG | ![]() |
Old Dominion (Sr.) |
1972 ABA dispersal draft
[edit]On July 13, 1972, two of the ABA's eleven inaugural teams in "The Floridians" and the Pittsburgh Condors would have their players be dispersed in the first dispersal draft in the ABA's history. This dispersal draft would involve all of the original ABA teams that remained alive and kicking at the time, but it would not include the San Diego Conquistadors expansion team since their creation was done after the dispersal draft happened. This draft would also be considered the debut drafting period of the Memphis Tams under their newly rebranded name.[3] There would be six total rounds of draft picks from this dispersal draft that the nine ABA teams that were left over at the time would utilize from taking either "The Floridians" or Pittsburgh Condors players that were available for themselves.[14] Any players that weren't selected after this draft concluded would be placed on waivers and enter free agency afterward.[4] The following teams would select these players from either "The Floridians" or the Pittsburgh Condors franchises, with parentheses showcasing the original team they were either on or had the player rights to at the time before the dispersal draft commenced unless directly stated otherwise.


- Round 1, Pick 3: Mike Lewis (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 1, Pick 6: Mack Calvin (The Floridians)‡
- Round 2, Pick 3: Mike Stewart (The Floridians)
- Round 3, Pick 3: Mike Grosso (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 4, Pick 2: George Starrick (The Floridians)
- Round 1, Pick 4: John Brisker (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 1, Pick 5: Skeeter Swift (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 2, Pick 4: John Gianelli (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 3, Pick 4: Jerry Brucks (The Floridians)
- Round 4, Pick 3: Bobby Jack (The Floridians)
- Denver Rockets
- Denver would only select players that were on "The Floridians" franchise at the time of this dispersal draft.
- Round 1, Pick 2: Warren Jabali‡
- Round 1, Pick 7: Willie Long
- Round 2, Pick 2: Scott English
- Round 3, Pick 2: Al Tucker
- Round 1, Pick 13: Dwight Davis (The Floridians)
- Round 2, Pick 8: Dwight Jones (The Floridians)
- Round 3, Pick 9: Tracy Tripucka (The Floridians)
- Round 4, Pick 7: Brian Adrian (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 1, Pick 11: Walt Szczerbiak (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 2, Pick 7: Ernie Fleming (The Floridians)
- Round 3, Pick 7: Lonnie Wright (The Floridians)
- Round 4, Pick 6: Greg Flaker (The Floridians)
- Round 1, Pick 1: George Thompson (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 1, Pick 8: Ron Franz (The Floridians)
- Round 2, Pick 1: Dave Lattin (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 3, Pick 1: Sam Cash (The Floridians)
- Round 4, Pick 1: Ron Thomas (The Floridians)
- Round 5, Pick 1: Charles Edge (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 6, Pick 1: Ray Golson (The Floridians)
- Round 1, Pick 12: Chuck Terry (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 3, Pick 8: George Tinsley (The Floridians)
- Round 1, Pick 10: Larry Jones (The Floridians)
- Round 2, Pick 6: Chic Downing (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 3, Pick 6: Wil Robinson (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 4, Pick 5: Henry Seawright (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 5, Pick 3: Bill Pleas (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 1, Pick 9: Swen Nater (The Floridians)
- Round 2, Pick 5: Joe Mackey (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 3, Pick 5: Craig Raymond (The Floridians)
- Round 4, Pick 4: Jim Ligon (Pittsburgh Condors)
- Round 5, Pick 2: Greg Lowery (The Floridians)
- Round 6, Pick 2: Al Davis (The Floridians)
1972 ABA expansion draft
[edit]Following the dispersal draft of "The Floridians" and Pittsburgh Condors franchises, the ABA would host their first and only expansion draft in league history with the San Diego Conquistadors taking on one of the replacement spots for either "The Floridians" or the Pittsburgh Condors since both franchises, coincidentally enough, previously looked at San Diego as a relocation option before folding operations altogether. The expansion draft for the San Diego Conquistadors would take place on August 10, 1972, almost a month after the dispersal draft had concluded, with the Conquistadors being allowed to have two selections of players in essentially one total round (but really two rounds[7]) from the nine remaining inaugural ABA teams at hand. However, the Indiana Pacers would later negotiate a deal with San Diego to only allow them to acquire the negating draft rights to Dwight Jones alongside George Peeples instead of two of their actual players on their end.[5] In any case, Mike Barrett of the Virginia Squires would be named the #1 pick for the San Diego Conquistadors during the expansion draft. Alongside those particular notes of interest, the following players would be selected by the Conquistadors for the franchise's expansion draft.
- San Diego Conquistadors
- Expansion draft roster:
- Round 1: Stew Johnson, Carolina Cougars
- Round 1: George E. Johnson, Dallas Chaparrals
- Round 1: Art Becker, Denver Rockets
- Round 1: George Peeples, Indiana Pacers
- Round 1: Les Hunter, Kentucky Colonels
- Round 1: Don Sidle, Memphis Tams
- Round 1: Ollie Taylor, New York Nets
- Round 1: Red Robbins, Utah Stars
- Round 1: Mike Barrett, Virginia Squires
- Round 2: Larry Miller, Carolina Cougars
- Round 2: Simmie Hill, Dallas Chaparrals
- Round 2: Chuck Williams, Denver Rockets
- Round 2: Draft rights to Dwight Jones, Indiana Pacers
- Round 2: Lonnie Wright, Kentucky Colonels
- Round 2: Charlie Williams, Memphis Tams
- Round 2: Gene Moore, New York Nets
- Round 2: Mike Butler, Utah Stars
- Round 2: Craig Raymond, Virginia Squires
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695., pg. 183
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "1972 ABA Draft Pick Transactions". Pro Sports Transactions. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c Bradley, Robert. "Remember the ABA: New Orleans Bucs/Memphis Pros/Memphis Tams/Memphis Sounds/Baltimore Claws Year-to-Year Notes". Remember the ABA. Archived from the original on May 8, 2009. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695., pg. 426
- ^ a b Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695., pg. 422
- ^ "1972 NBA Draft". DatabaseBasketball.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Bradley, Robert; Grasso, John. "ABA Player Drafts". APBR.org. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "American Basketball Association - 1971-72 ABA Draft Picks". 21 March 2023.
- ^ "Dwaine Dillard". The Draft Review. September 24, 2018. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "Ripon College Men's Basketball Career Record Book". Ripon College Athletics. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "Mel Sims". SRCBB. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "Former NLU Hoops Standout & Longtime High School Coach Jesse Burnette Passes Away at Age 70". University of Louisiana Monroe Athletics. August 13, 2022. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "Bob Zender". SRCBB. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
- ^ "1972 ABA Draft". The Draft Review. June 6, 2007. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.