* Despite having only the third worst record the previous year, the Philadelphia Warriors were able to use a territorial pick to draft the most statistically dominant player the league had ever seen. Despite being over 2,800 miles from the Bay Area, the Philadelphia Warriors argued that University of San Francisco center Wilt Chamberlain was a “local” player due to Wilt having attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. Their argument was held up by the league and they selected Wilt ‘The Stilt’ ahead of Cincinnati and Detroit. Ironically, the Philadelphia Warriors would relocate to the Bay Area as the San Francisco Warriors just 3 years later, in 1962.
1st round
Cincinnati Royals – ”Bullet” Bob Boozer – 6’8 F Kansas State
Detroit Pistons – Bailey Howell – 6’8 F Mississippi State
Philadelphia Warriors – Wilt Chamberlain – 7’2 C San Francisco
Minneapolis Lakers – Tom Hawkins – 6’5 F Notre Dame
Syracuse Nationals – Dick Barnett – 6’4 GF Tennessee State
New York Knicks – Johnny Green – 6’5 FC Michigan State
St.Louis Hawks – Bob Ferry – 6’8 FC St.Louis
Boston Celtics – John Richter – 6’9 F NC State2nd round
Cincinnati traded Archie Dees and a 1959 2nd rd pick (07-Tom Robitaille) to Detroit for Phil Jordon.
Detroit Pistons – Tom Robitaille – FC Rice Detroit Pistons – Don Goldstein – F Louisville Philadelphia Warriors – Joe Rucklick – 6’9 FC Northwestern Minneapolis Lakers – Rudy LaRusso – 6’8 FC Dartmouth Syracuse Nationals – Gene “Bumper” Tormohlen – 6’9 FC TennesseeNew York traded a 1959 2nd rd pick (12-Al Seiden) to St.Louis for Frank Selvy.
St.Louis Hawks – Al Seiden – G St.Johns St.Louis Hawks – Cal Ramsey – 6’4 F NYU Boston Celtics – Gene Guarilia – 6’5 F George Washington3rd round
Cincinnati Royals – Mike Mendenhall – Cincinnati
Detroit Pistons – Gary Alcorn 6’9 – C Fresno State
Philadelphia Warriors – Jim Hockaday – Memphis State
Minneapolis Lakers – Bob Smith 6’4 – G West Virginia
Syracuse Nationals – Jon Cincebox – Syracuse
New York Knicks – Bob Anderegg 6’3 – G/F Michigan State
St. Louis Hawks – Hank Stein – Xavier
Boston Celtics – Ralph Croswaite – Western Kentucky
4th round
Cincinnati Royals – Leo Byrd – Marshall
Detroit Pistons – George Lee 6’4 – G/F Michigan
Philadelphia Warriors – Ron Stevenson – TCU
Minneapolis Lakers – Wilson Eisen – Purdue
Syracuse Nationals – Paul Neumann 6’1 – G Stanford
New York Knicks – John Cox 6’4 – G Kentucky
St. Louis Hawks – Lee Harman – OregonState
Boston Celtics – Ed Kazakavich – Stanford
5th round
Cincinnati Royals – Harry Kirchner – TCU
Detroit Pistons – Tony Windis 6’1 – G Wyoming
Philadelphia Warriors – BillTelasky – George Washington
Minneapolis Lakers – Bobby Joe Mason – Bradley
Syracuse Nationals – Roger Taylor – Illinois
New York Knicks – Herb Busch – Virginia
St. Louis Hawks – Nick Mantis 6’3 – G Northwestern
Boston Celtics – Don Lange – William & Mary
6th round
Cincinnati Royals – Don Hennon – Pittsburgh
Detroit Pistons – Lou Jordan – Cornell
Philadelphia Warriors – Joe Spratt – St. Joseph’s
Minneapolis Lakers – Jim Henry – Vanderbilt
Syracuse Nationals – Bob Dalton – California
New York Knicks – Bucky McDonald – George Washington
St. Louis Hawks – Mike Moran – Marquette
Boston Celtics – Bob Cumings – Boston U
7th round
Cincinnati Royals – Dale Moore – Eastern Kentucky
Detroit Pistons – Doug Smart – Washington
Philadelphia Warriors – Joe Ryan – Villanova
Minneapolis Lakers – Charley Grote – Georgetown [KY]
Syracuse Nationals – Darnell Haney – Navy
New York Knicks – Russ Robinson – Southwest Missouri
St. Louis Hawks – Orby Arnold – Memphis State
8th round
Cincinnati Royals – Don Matuszak – Kansas State
Detroit Pistons – Chuck Curtis – Pacific Lutheran
Philadelphia Warriors – Dave Gunther 6’7 – F Iowa
Minneapolis Lakers – Leon Hill – Texas Tech
New York Knicks – Walt Torrence – UCLA
St. Louis Hawks – Willie Merriweather – Purdue
9th round
Cincinnati Royals – Joe Billy McDade – Bradley
Detroit Pistons – Doyle Edmiston – Hardin/Simmons
Philadelphia Warriors – Carl Belz – Princeton
Minneapolis Lakers – Jim Mudd – NorthTexasState
New York Knicks – Jerry Shipp – Southeast Oklahoma
St. Louis Hawks – Lou Pucillo – NorthCarolina
10th round
Cincinnati Royals – Joe Viviano – Xavier
Detroit Pistons – Bruno Boin – Washington
Philadelphia Warriors – Tony Sellari – Lenoir Rhyne
Minneapolis Lakers – Roger Johnson – Minnesota
New York Knicks – Paul Wilcox – Davis & Elkins
St. Louis Hawks – Ron Loneski – Kansas
11th round
Cincinnati Royals – Charley Brown – Seattle
Detroit Pistons – M.C. Burton – Michigan
Philadelphia Warriors – Phil Warren – Northwestern
Minneapolis Lakers – Jack Evans – Superior State
New York Knicks – Paul Benes – Hope
St. Louis Hawks – John “Rabbit” Barnhill 6’1 G – Tennessee State
12th round
Cincinnati Royals – Roger Wendel – Tulsa
Minneapolis Lakers – Vern Baggenstross – St. Cloud State
New York Knicks – Ed Blair – Western Michigan
13th round
Minneapolis Lakers – Dwayne Smith – Gustavus Adolphus
New York Knicks John Nicoll – BYU
14th round
New York Knicks – Jack Israel – SouthwestMissouri