Babies and Olympic Track & Field Stars: The Strangest Draft Picks in NBA History
Not all basketball prospects take the same path
The 2020 NBA draft is a month away. During the two-round process, teams strive to select players they believe offer the best combination of talent and potential. Given the limited number of selections that can be made, there is pressure riding on each one panning out as much as possible. That wasn’t always the case, as at times, the draft was as long as 21 rounds, which provided the opportunity to take some liberties when debating selections. Here are the strangest picks in NBA draft history, including a newborn baby.
James Williams, Atlanta Hawks, 1974: Pat Williams was one of the most well-known front office men in basketball, spending significant time as the general manager for franchises like the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic. During that time, he made a lot of interesting picks, but it was one selection during his lone season as the Atlanta Hawks GM in 1973–74 that turned out to be the strangest.
During the 10th and final round in 1974, Williams announced that the Hawks chose James Williams. When the Commissioner’s staff inquired where this unknown player was from, the GM responded, “Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta; he’s 19.5 inches tall, 7.5 pounds.” As it…
