Deacons in the NBA Draft through the Years

With the NBA Draft taking place tonight, and Wake Forest’s Jaylen Hoard among those hoping to hear their name called, I decided to take a look at Wake Forest basketball players in the NBA Draft through the years.

Note: The draft switched to its current two round format in 1989. Until 1974 teams continued to select players until available prospects ran out. From 1974 to 1985 there were ten rounds, and from 1985 to 1989 there were seven rounds.

Dickie Hemric

Year: 1955

Pick: 4

Team: Boston Celtics

Hemric had a two year NBA career and won a championship with the 1957 Celtics.

Dave Budd

Year: 1960

Pick: 10

Team: New York Knicks

Budd had a five year NBA career, playing all five seasons for the Knicks.

Len Chappell

Year: 1962

Pick: 4

Team: Syracuse Nationals

Chappell had a ten year NBA career, and bounced around the league between several different teams. He was named an NBA All Star in 1964.

Bob Woollard

Year: 1963

Pick: 54

Team: New York Knicks

Woollard never played a game in the NBA.

Ron Watts

Year: 1965

Pick: 17

Team: Boston Celtics

Watts played two years in the NBA, and won a championship with the Celtics in 1966.

Paul Long

Year: 1967

Pick: 45

Team: Detroit Pistons

Long had a four year career in the NBA, playing for the Pistons (twice), Kentucky Colonels, and Buffalo Braves.

Dickie Walker

Year: 1970

Pick: 177

Team: Buffalo Braves

Walker never played in the NBA.

Gil McGregor

Year: 1971

Pick: 89

Team: Cincinnati Royals

McGregor played one year with the Royals.

Charlie Davis

Year: 1971

Pick: 120

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Davis played in the NBA for two years, spending a year with the Cavs and a year with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Rich Habbeger

Year: 1972

Pick: 188

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Habbeger never played in the NBA.

Eddie Payne

Year: 1973

Pick: 167

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Payne never played in the NBA, electing instead to pursue a coaching career.

Tony Byers

Year: 1974

Pick: 81

Team: Buffalo Braves

Byers never played in the NBA.

Daryl Peterson

Year: 1976

Pick: 98

Team: Seattle Supersonics

Peterson never played in the NBA.

Skip Brown

Year: 1977

Pick: 56

Team: Boston Celtics

Brown never played in the NBA, and instead focused on a career in banking.

Jerry Schellenberg

Year: 1977

Pick: 61

Team: Washington Bullets

Schellenberg never played in the NBA.

Rod Griffin

Year: 1978

Pick: 17

Team: Denver Nuggets

Griffin never played in the NBA, instead having a long career overseas.

Leroy McDonald

Year: 1978

Pick: 76

Team: San Diego Clippers

McDonald never played in the NBA.

Frank Johnson

Year: 1981

Pick: 11

Team: Washington Bullets

Johnson played in the NBA from 1981 to 1989 and also from 1992 to 1994 after a couple of years overseas. He played for the Bullets, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns.

Guy Morgan

Year: 1982

Pick: 40

Team: Indiana Pacers

Morgan appeared in 8 games for the Pacers in the 1982-83 season.

Jim Johnstone

Year: 1982

Pick: 51

Team: Kansas City Kings

Johnstone played in a total of 23 games in the 1982-83 for the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons.

Mike Helms

Year: 1982

Pick: 152

Team: Houston Rockets

Helms never appeared in an NBA game.

Alvis Rogers

Year: 1983

Pick: 130

Team: Kansas City Kings

Rogers never appeared in an NBA game.

Danny Young

Year: 1984

Pick: 39

Team: Seattle Supersonics

Young had a ten year career in the NBA, playing for multiple teams.

Anthony Teachey

Year: 1984

Pick: 40

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Teachey never appeared in an NBA game.

Kenny Green

Year: 1985

Pick: 12

Team: Washington Bullets

Green spent three years in the NBA, playing for the Washington Bullets and Philadelphia 76ers.

Delaney Rudd

Year: 1985

Pick: 83

Team: Utah Jazz

Rudd spent parts of four seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers before playing overseas.

Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues

Year: 1987

Pick: 12

Team: Washington Bullets

Bogues had a very successful 14 year career playing for the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors.

Chris King

Year: 1992

Pick: 45

Team: Seattle SuperSonics

King played parts of three seasons in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Vancouver Grizzlies, and Utah Jazz. Most of his career was spent in Europe.

Rodney Rogers

Year: 1993

Pick: 9

Team: Denver Nuggets

Rogers had a productive twelve year career in the NBA playing for several teams, and won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2000.

Randolph Childress

Year: 1995

Pick: 19

Team: Detroit Pistons

Childress played two seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers and Detroit Pistons before going overseas for a long and successful career.

Tim Duncan

Year: 1997

Pick: 1

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Duncan spent his entire career with the Spurs, won five NBA Championships, three Finals MVPs, two league MVPs, and many other awards too numerous to name. He is widely considered the Greatest Power Forward of All Time, and is unarguably the greatest NBA player ever from Wake Forest.

Darius Songaila

Year: 2002

Pick: 49

Team: Boston Celtics

Songaila spent eight seasons in the NBA with several teams, and also played overseas for several years.

Josh Howard

Year: 2003

Pick: 29

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Howard spent eleven years in the NBA, and while his career was later plagued by knee injuries, he was an NBA All Star in 2007 and made the All Rookie Second Team in 2004.

Chris Paul

Year: 2005

Pick: 4

Team: New Orleans Hornets

Paul could wind up being the second greatest Wake Forest NBA player of all time. He currently plays for the Houston Rockets, and was the 2006 Rookie of the Year, is a 9 time NBA All Star, won the All Star Game MVP in 2013, and has made multiple All NBA Teams.

James Johnson

Year: 2009

Pick: 16

Team: Chicago Bulls

Johnson currently plays for the Miami Heat, and has spent time with the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Heat.

Jeff Teague

Year: 2009

Pick: 19

Team: Atlanta Hawks

Teague currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and has spent time with the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and the Timberwolves. He was an NBA All Star in 2015.

Al-Farouq Aminu

Year: 2010

Pick: 8

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Aminu currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, and has spent time with the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, and Trail Blazers.

John Collins

Year: 2017

Pick: 19

Team: Atlanta Hawks

The latest Deacon drafted, Collins was named to the NBA All Rookie Second Team in 2018, and participated in the 2019 NBA Dunk Contest.

Jaylen Hoard looks to add his name to this list of Deacons taken in the NBA Draft tonight. We wish him all the best.