1951 NBA Draft Recap
The 1951 NBA Draft took place in New York on April 25, 1951
First Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gene Melchiorre | BAL | G | 5-8 | 175 | 23 | 0 | Bradley | Sr | United States | |
| 2 | Mel Hutchins | TCB | FC | 6-6 | 200 | 22 | 7 | Brigham Young | Sr | United States | |
| 3 | Marcus Freiberger | IND | C | 6-10 | - | 22 | 0 | Oklahoma | Sr | United States | |
| 4 | Zeke Sinicola | FWP | G | 5-10 | 165 | 22 | 2 | Niagara | Sr | United States | |
| 5 | John McConathy | SYR | SYR to MIL | F | 6-5 | 195 | 21 | 1 | Northwestern State | Sr | United States |
| 6 | Ed Smith | NYK | F | 6-6 | 180 | 21 | 1 | Harvard | Sr | United States | |
| 7 | Ernie Barrett | BOS | GF | 6-3 | 180 | 21 | 2 | Kansas State | Sr | United States | |
| 8 | Sam Ranzino | ROR | G | 6-1 | 185 | 23 | 1 | NC State | Sr | United States | |
| 9 | Don Sunderlage | PHI | PHI to MIL | SG | 6-1 | 180 | 21 | 2 | Illinois | Sr | United States |
| 10 | Whitey Skoog | MIN | G | 5-11 | 180 | 24 | 6 | Minnesota | Sr | United States |
Second Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Jack Stone | BAL | G | 6-3 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Kansas State | Sr | United States | |
| 12 | Bill Gossett | TCB | F | 6-7 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Colorado State | Sr | United States | |
| 13 | Scotty Steagall | IND | G | 5-11 | 170 | 21 | 0 | Millikin | Sr | United States | |
| 14 | Jack Kiley | FWP | G | 6-1 | 170 | 22 | 2 | Syracuse | Sr | United States | |
| 15 | Don Savage | SYR | SF | 6-3 | 205 | 23 | 2 | Le Moyne | Sr | United States | |
| 16 | Roland Minson | NYK | F | 6-0 | 180 | N/A | 0 | Brigham Young | Sr | United States | |
| 17 | Bill Garrett | BOS | GF | 6-3 | - | 22 | 0 | Indiana | Sr | United States | |
| 18 | Ray Ragelis | ROR | GF | 6-4 | 205 | 22 | 1 | Northwestern | Sr | United States | |
| 19 | Mel Payton | PHI | GF | 6-4 | 185 | 24 | 2 | Tulane | Sr | United States | |
| 20 | Lew Hitch | MIN | FC | 6-8 | 200 | 21 | 6 | Kansas State | Sr | United States |
Third Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Bill Mann | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Bradley | Sr | United States | ||
| 22 | Ron Bontemps | TCB | G | 6-2 | 174 | 24 | 0 | Beloit | Sr | United States | |
| 23 | Glenn Kammeyer | IND | - | - | N/A | 0 | Central Missouri | Sr | United States | ||
| 24 | Jake Fendley | FWP | G | 6-0 | 180 | 21 | 2 | Northwestern | Sr | United States | |
| 25 | Bato Govedarica | SYR | G | 5-11 | 170 | 23 | 1 | DePaul | Sr | United States | |
| 26 | Joe Luchi | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Cincinnati | Sr | United States | ||
| 27 | John Furlong | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | Pepperdine | Sr | United States | ||
| 28 | Fred Diute | ROR | SG | 6-3 | 210 | 22 | 1 | St. Bonaventure | Sr | United States | |
| 29 | Bob Schloss | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Georgia | Sr | United States | ||
| 30 | Bob Payne | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Oregon State | Sr | United States |
Fourth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Bill Hagler | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | California | Sr | United States | ||
| 32 | Jim Slaughter | TCB | MIL to BAL | C | 6-11 | 210 | 22 | 1 | South Carolina | Sr | United States |
| 33 | Bill Tosheff | IND | G | 6-1 | 170 | 24 | 3 | Indiana | Sr | United States | |
| 34 | Herb Hargett | FWP | - | - | N/A | 0 | Mississippi State | Sr | United States | ||
| 35 | Paul Horvath | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | NC State | Sr | United States | ||
| 36 | Lloyd Sandstrom | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | St. Thomas-Minnesota | Sr | United States | ||
| 37 | Bob Barnett | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | Evansville | Sr | United States | ||
| 38 | Elmer Behnke | ROR | ROR to MIL | F | 6-7 | 210 | 22 | 1 | Bradley | Sr | United States |
| 39 | Jud Milhon | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Ohio Wesleyan | Sr | United States | ||
| 40 | Gale McArthur | MIN | G | 6-2 | 185 | N/A | 0 | Oklahoma State | Sr | United States |
Fifth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Leroy Ishman | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | American University | Sr | United States | ||
| 42 | Bob Sakel | TCB | - | - | N/A | 0 | Evansville | Sr | United States | ||
| 43 | Bob Pierce | IND | - | - | N/A | 0 | Nebraska | Sr | United States | ||
| 44 | Leo Johnson | FWP | - | - | N/A | 0 | Arizona | Sr | United States | ||
| 45 | Glen Anderson | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Colorado State | Sr | United States | ||
| 46 | Tom Smith | NYK | G | 6-1 | 165 | 22 | 0 | Saint Peter's | Sr | United States | |
| 47 | Rip Gish | BOS | - | - | 21 | 0 | Western Kentucky | Sr | United States | ||
| 48 | Dan Bagley | ROR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Notre Dame | Jr | United States | ||
| 49 | Mike Kearns | PHI | PG | 6-2 | 178 | 21 | 1 | Princeton | Sr | United States | |
| 50 | Leo Vander Kuy | MIN | GF | 6-5 | 180 | 21 | 0 | Michigan | Sr | United States |
Sixth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Glen Duggins | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Utah | Sr | United States | ||
| 52 | John Rennicke | TCB | G | 6-2 | 185 | 21 | 1 | Drake | Sr | United States | |
| 53 | Marv Johnson | IND | - | - | N/A | 0 | Wheaton (IL) | Sr | United States | ||
| 54 | Frank Clasbeek | FWP | - | - | N/A | 0 | Iowa | Sr | United States | ||
| 55 | Bob Wheeler | SYR | F | 6-6 | - | N/A | 0 | Idaho | Sr | United States | |
| 56 | Al McGuire | NYK | PG | 6-2 | 180 | 22 | 4 | St. John's | Sr | United States | |
| 57 | Jim Luisi | BOS | BOS to NYK NYK to BAL |
- | - | 22 | 1 | St. Francis (NY) | Sr | United States | |
| 58 | Jim Ove | ROR | C | 6-5 | - | N/A | 0 | Valparaiso | Sr | United States | |
| 59 | Bob Swails | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Indianapolis | Sr | United States | ||
| 60 | Deward Dopson | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Arkansas Tech | Sr | United States |
Seventh Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Tom Riach | BAL | G | - | - | N/A | 0 | USC | Sr | United States | |
| 62 | Bob Ambler | TCB | - | - | N/A | 0 | Arkansas | Sr | United States | ||
| 63 | Ted Beach | IND | GF | 6-1 | 165 | N/A | 0 | Illinois | Sr | United States | |
| 64 | Jim Ramstead | FWP | - | - | N/A | 0 | Stanford | Jr | United States | ||
| 65 | Roy Reardon | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | St. Francis (NY) | Sr | United States | ||
| 66 | Sid Ryen | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Denver | Sr | United States | ||
| 67 | John Azary | BOS | G | 6-4 | - | 21 | 0 | Columbia | Sr | United States | |
| 68 | John Brown | ROR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Southern Methodist | Sr | United States | ||
| 69 | George Dempsey | PHI | PG | 6-2 | 190 | 21 | 5 | King's College (NY) | Sr | United States | |
| 70 | Ed Head | MIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Kansas State | Sr | United States |
Eighth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Bill Harper | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Oregon State | Sr | United States | ||
| 72 | Aaron Preece | TCB | - | - | N/A | 0 | Bradley | Sr | United States | ||
| 73 | George Kelly | IND | - | - | N/A | 0 | Vanderbilt | Sr | United States | ||
| 74 | John Manning | FWP | - | - | 22 | 0 | Duquesne | Sr | United States | ||
| 75 | Tom Jockle | SYR | GF | 6-4 | 185 | N/A | 0 | Syracuse | Sr | United States | |
| 76 | Hugo Kappler | BOS | F | - | - | N/A | 0 | NC State | Sr | United States | |
| 77 | George Davidson | ROR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Lafayette | Sr | United States | ||
| 78 | James Phelan | PHI | G | 6-1 | 175 | 22 | 1 | La Salle | Sr | United States |
Ninth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | Bob Crowe | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | San Jose State | Sr | United States | ||
| 80 | Wayne Tucker | TCB | - | - | N/A | 0 | Colorado | Sr | United States | ||
| 81 | Ray Kirkwasser | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Ithaca | Sr | United States | ||
| 82 | Hugh Faulkner | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Pepperdine | Sr | United States |
Tenth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | Dan Torrey | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Oregon State | Sr | United States | ||
| 84 | John DeWitt | TCB | - | - | N/A | 0 | Texas A&M | Sr | United States | ||
| 85 | Paul Gerwin | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Cornell | Sr | United States |
11th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Clem Pavilonis | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | DePaul | Sr | United States |
12th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | John Burke | BAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Springfield College (Massachusetts) | Sr | United States |
Undrafted Players
| Player | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Fowler | C | 6-8 | 230 | 23 | 1 | Missouri | Sr | United States |
| John O'Boyle | G | 6-2 | 185 | 23 | 1 | Colorado State | Sr | United States |
* Team owns the player's draft rights