1961 NBA Draft Recap
The 1961 NBA Draft took place in New York on March 27, 1961
First Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walt Bellamy | CHI | C | 6-11 | 225 | 21 | 14 | Indiana | Sr | United States | |
| 2 | Tom Stith | NYK | F | 6-5 | 210 | 22 | 1 | St. Bonaventure | Sr | United States | |
| 3 | Larry Siegfried | CIN | G | 6-3 | 190 | 21 | 9 | Ohio State | Sr | United States | |
| 4 | Ray Scott | DET | FC | 6-9 | 215 | 22 | 9 | Allentown (United States) | 1938 DOB | United States | |
| 5 | Wayne Yates | LAL | C | 6-8 | 235 | 23 | 1 | Memphis | Sr | United States | |
| 6 | Ben Warley | SYR | F | 6-5 | 200 | 24 | 5 | Tennessee State | Jr | United States | |
| 7 | Tom Meschery | PHI | F | 6-6 | 215 | 22 | 10 | Saint Mary's | Sr | China | |
| 8 | Cleo Hill | STH | G | 6-1 | 185 | 22 | 1 | Winston-Salem State | Sr | United States | |
| 9 | Gary Phillips | BOS | G | 6-3 | 189 | 21 | 5 | Houston | Sr | United States |
Second Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Whitey Martin | NYK | G | 6-2 | 185 | 21 | 1 | St. Bonaventure | Sr | United States | |
| 11 | Bob Wiesenhahn | CIN | F | 6-4 | 215 | 22 | 1 | Cincinnati | Sr | United States | |
| 12 | Johnny Egan | DET | PG | 5-11 | 180 | 22 | 11 | Providence | Sr | United States | |
| 13 | Fred Sawyer | LAL | C | 6-11 | 210 | N/A | 0 | Louisville | Sr | United States | |
| 14 | Chris Smith | SYR | F | 6-6 | 225 | N/A | 0 | Virginia Tech | Sr | United States | |
| 15 | Ted Luckenbill | PHI | F | 6-6 | 205 | 21 | 2 | Houston | Sr | United States | |
| 16 | Ron Horn | STH | F | 6-7 | 220 | 22 | 2 | Indiana | Sr | United States | |
| 17 | Al Butler | BOS | G | 6-2 | 175 | 22 | 4 | Niagara | Sr | United States | |
| 18 | Jack Turner | CHI | F | 6-5 | 220 | 21 | 1 | Louisville | Sr | United States | |
| 19 | Jerry Graves | CHI | F | 6-6 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Mississippi State | Sr | United States | |
| 20 | York Larese | CHI | G | 6-4 | 190 | 22 | 1 | North Carolina | Jr | United States | |
| 21 | Don Kojis | CHI | SF | 6-3 | 202 | 22 | 12 | Marquette | Sr | United States | |
| 22 | Doug Moe | CHI | F | 6-6 | 219 | 22 | 0 | North Carolina | Jr | United States | |
| 23 | Jeff Cohen | CHI | F | 6-7 | 225 | 21 | 0 | William & Mary | Sr | United States |
Third Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Tony Jackson | NYK | G | 6-4 | 190 | 18 | 0 | St. John's | Sr | United States | |
| 25 | Bevo Nordmann | CIN | C | 6-10 | 230 | 21 | 4 | Saint Louis | Sr | United States | |
| 26 | Doug Kistler | DET | F | 6-9 | 205 | 23 | 1 | Duke | Sr | United States | |
| 27 | Frank Burgess | LAL | G | 6-1 | 188 | 26 | 0 | Gonzaga | Sr | United States | |
| 28 | Chuck Osborne | SYR | F | 6-6 | 210 | 22 | 1 | Western Kentucky | Sr | United States | |
| 29 | Jack Egan | PHI | F | 6-5 | 220 | N/A | 0 | Saint Joseph's | Sr | United States | |
| 30 | Tom Chilton | STH | G | 6-4 | 180 | N/A | 0 | East Tennessee State | Sr | United States | |
| 31 | Bill Depp | BOS | F | 6-7 | 200 | 21 | 0 | Vanderbilt | Sr | United States | |
| 32 | Bill Bridges | CHI | CHI to STH | FC | 6-6 | 228 | 21 | 13 | Kansas | Sr | United States |
Fourth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | George Blaney | NYK | G | 6-1 | 175 | 21 | 1 | Holy Cross | Sr | United States | |
| 34 | Lowery Kirk | CIN | F | 6-6 | - | N/A | 0 | Memphis | Sr | United States | |
| 35 | George Finley | DET | C | 7-0 | 220 | N/A | 0 | Tennessee State | Sr | United States | |
| 36 | Charles Henke | LAL | F | 6-7 | 205 | N/A | 0 | Missouri | Sr | United States | |
| 37 | Hank Whitney | SYR | F | 6-7 | 230 | 21 | 0 | Iowa State | Sr | United States | |
| 38 | John Tidwell | PHI | G | 6-3 | 180 | N/A | 0 | Michigan | Sr | United States | |
| 39 | Gus Guydon | STH | F | 6-7 | 185 | 22 | 0 | Drake | Sr | United States | |
| 40 | Carl Cole | BOS | G | 6-3 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Eastern Kentucky | Jr | United States | |
| 41 | Roger Kaiser | CHI | G | 6-1 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Georgia Tech | Sr | United States |
Fifth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | Bill Smith | NYK | GF | 6-5 | 190 | 21 | 1 | Saint Peter's | Sr | United States | |
| 43 | Rossie Johnson | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Tennessee State | Sr | United States | ||
| 44 | Danny Doyle | DET | PF | 6-8 | 200 | 21 | 1 | Belmont Abbey | Sr | United States | |
| 45 | Bill Lickert | LAL | GF | 6-3 | 185 | N/A | 0 | Kentucky | Sr | United States | |
| 46 | Don Jacobson | SYR | G | 6-2 | - | N/A | 0 | South Dakota | Sr | United States | |
| 47 | Bruce Spraggins | PHI | SF | 6-5 | 188 | N/A | 0 | Virginia Union | Sr | United States | |
| 48 | John Berberich | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | UCLA | Sr | United States | ||
| 49 | Bob DiStefano | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | North Carolina Central | Sr | United States | ||
| 50 | Howie Carl | CHI | PG | 5-9 | 160 | 22 | 1 | DePaul | Sr | United States |
Sixth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Cleveland Buckner | NYK | FC | 6-9 | 210 | 22 | 2 | Jackson State | Sr | United States | |
| 52 | Bob Slobodnik | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Duquesne | Sr | United States | ||
| 53 | Lee Patrone | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | West Virginia | Sr | United States | ||
| 54 | Bill McClintock | LAL | F | 6-4 | 215 | N/A | 0 | California | Sr | United States | |
| 55 | Billy Joe Price | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | New Mexico State | Sr | United States | ||
| 56 | Dick Goldberg | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Southern Mississippi | Sr | United States | ||
| 57 | Bob McDonald | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Maryland | Sr | United States | ||
| 58 | Ned Twyman | BOS | - | - | N/A | 0 | Duquesne | Sr | United States | ||
| 59 | Dave Voss | CHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Tulsa | Sr | United States |
Seventh Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Donnie Butcher | NYK | G | 6-2 | 200 | 25 | 5 | Pikeville | Sr | United States | |
| 61 | Dave Zeller | CIN | PG | 6-1 | 175 | 21 | 1 | Miami (OH) | Sr | United States | |
| 62 | Burt Price | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Wittenberg | Sr | United States | ||
| 63 | Albert Alamanza | LAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Texas | Sr | United States | ||
| 64 | Roger Newman | SYR | GF | 6-4 | 190 | 22 | 0 | Kentucky | Jr | United States | |
| 65 | Charles McNeil | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Maryland | Jr | United States | ||
| 66 | Charles Riley | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Winston-Salem State | Sr | United States | ||
| 67 | Mel Klein | BOS | GF | 6-5 | 190 | N/A | 0 | Northern State | Sr | United States | |
| 68 | Ron Heller | CHI | F | 6-7 | - | N/A | 0 | Wichita State | Sr | Uruguay |
Eighth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | Cedrick Price | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Kansas State | Sr | United States | ||
| 70 | Jerry Thelen | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Thomas More | Sr | United States | ||
| 71 | Walter Ward | DET | - | - | 22 | 0 | Hampton | Sr | United States | ||
| 72 | Bill Ellis | LAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | UCLA | Sr | United States | ||
| 73 | Dave Mills | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Seattle | Sr | United States | ||
| 74 | Larry Swift | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Truman State | Sr | United States | ||
| 75 | Gene Velloff | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Doane College | Sr | United States | ||
| 76 | John Wessels | CHI | C | 6-7 | 210 | N/A | 0 | Illinois | Sr | United States |
Ninth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Charles Bowman | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Wabash College | Sr | United States | ||
| 78 | Larry Krueger | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Ohio | Sr | United States | ||
| 79 | Peter Baltic | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Penn State | Sr | United States | ||
| 80 | Carl Anderson | LAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Oregon State | Sr | United States | ||
| 81 | Rex Tippitt | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Grambling State | Sr | United States | ||
| 82 | Herbert Gray | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | North Carolina A&T | Sr | United States | ||
| 83 | Steve Strange | CHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Southern Methodist | Sr | United States |
Tenth Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | Ron Debillous | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Milwaukee | Sr | United States | ||
| 85 | Jack Waters | CIN | GF | - | - | N/A | 0 | Ole Miss | Sr | United States | |
| 86 | Wayne Monson | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | Northern Michigan | Sr | United States | ||
| 87 | Robert Williams | LAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Allan Hancock | Sr | United States | ||
| 88 | Pete Chudy | SYR | F | 6-4 | - | N/A | 0 | Syracuse | Sr | United States | |
| 89 | Leo Hill | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Cal State Los Angeles | Sr | United States | ||
| 90 | Tom Faszholz | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Concordia Theological Seminary (IN) | Sr | United States | ||
| 91 | Larry Comley | CHI | F | 6-5 | 210 | 21 | 0 | Kansas State | Sr | United States |
11th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | Kevin Loughery | NYK | SG | 6-3 | 190 | 20 | 11 | St. John's | Jr | United States | |
| 93 | Carl Short | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Newberry | Sr | United States | ||
| 94 | Richard Kraft | DET | - | - | N/A | 0 | SUNY Brockport | Sr | United States | ||
| 95 | Howard Hunt | LAL | - | - | N/A | 0 | Duke | Sr | United States | ||
| 96 | Dick Sammons | SYR | - | - | N/A | 0 | Le Moyne | Sr | United States | ||
| 97 | Corky Whitrow | PHI | - | - | N/A | 0 | Georgetown College (Kentucky) | Sr | United States | ||
| 98 | Dick Kepley | STH | C | 6-9 | 220 | N/A | 0 | North Carolina | Sr | United States |
12th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | Earl Shultz | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | California | Sr | United States | ||
| 100 | George Patterson | CIN | C | 6-8 | 230 | 21 | 1 | Toledo | Sr | United States | |
| 101 | Jackie Crawford | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Centenary | Sr | United States |
13th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 102 | Ned Jennings | NYK | C | 6-9 | 220 | 22 | 0 | Kentucky | Sr | United States | |
| 103 | Clair McRoberts | CIN | - | - | N/A | 0 | Monmouth | Sr | United States | ||
| 104 | Howard Stacy | STH | - | - | N/A | 0 | Louisville | Sr | United States |
14th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | Bill Engressor | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | LSU | Sr | United States | ||
| 106 | Carl Bouldin | CIN | G | 6-2 | 180 | 21 | 0 | Cincinnati | Sr | United States |
15th Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Team | Draft Trades | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | Vince Kempton | NYK | - | - | N/A | 0 | Saint Joseph's | Sr | United States |
Undrafted Players
| Player | Pos | HT | WT | Age | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Class | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Burton | F | 6-6 | 225 | 21 | 2 | Michigan State | Sr | United States |
| Stacey Arceneaux | GF | 6-4 | 210 | 25 | 1 | Iowa State | Sr | United States |
| Dick Eichhorst | G | 6-3 | 200 | 27 | 1 | Southeast Missouri State | Sr | United States |
* Team owns the player's draft rights