The 2012 NBA draft was held on June 28, 2012, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (2300 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The New Orleans Hornets, who had a 13.70 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the NBA draft lottery on May 30. The Charlotte Bobcats and the Washington Wizards were second and third, respectively. This draft marked the first time that the first two players selected were from the same school (Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist were teammates at Kentucky).[1] It also set a record of having six players from one school (Kentucky) being selected in the two rounds of the draft and was the first draft to have the first three selections be college freshmen all from the same conference (Southeastern Conference). Bernard James was the oldest player drafted in an NBA draft, being 27 years old at the time of the draft.[2]
Of the players drafted, 30 were forwards, 21 were guards, and 9 were centers. The 2012 NBA draft marked the first appearance of the Brooklyn Nets. This draft also marks the last draft appearance for the New Orleans Hornets. After the 2012–13 season, the franchise was renamed as the New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans made their first draft appearance as the Pelicans in 2013. Four of the players selected in this draft never played in an NBA game throughout their professional basketball careers. Two of those players were the sole selection of the draft by their respective teams: İlkan Karaman (Brooklyn's only pick) and Marcus Denmon (San Antonio's only pick).
^Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
^While Maurice Harkless was born and raised in the mainland United States, his maternal grandfather is Puerto Rican. He has committed to represent Puerto Rico internationally since 2014.[18]
The first 14 picks in the draft belong to teams that missed the playoffs; the order was determined through a lottery. The lottery was only used to determin the teams that obtained the first three picks in the draft. The remaining first-round picks and the second-round picks were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season.[76] To determine the top three picks, fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1–14 were placed into a lottery machine. Four random balls were selected for each of the three picks and there were a total of 1,001 combinations. The lottery was weighted so that the teams with the worst records had better chances at the first pick. For example, the Charlotte Bobcats had the worst record from the previous season, so they were assigned 250 of the 1,001 combinations, which meant they had a 25% chance of getting the first pick.[77]
The draft was conducted under the eligibility rules established in the league's now-expired 2005 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its players union. The CBA that ended the 2011 lockout instituted no immediate changes to the draft, but called for a committee of owners and players to discuss future changes.[85] The basic eligibility rules for the draft are listed below:[86]
All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft. In terms of dates, players eligible for the 2012 draft must be born on or before December 31, 1993.
Any player who is not an "international player", as defined in the CBA, must be at least one year removed from the graduation of his high school class. The CBA defines "international players" as players who permanently resided outside the U.S. for three years prior to the draft, did not complete high school in the U.S., and have never enrolled at a U.S. college or university.
The basic requirement for automatic eligibility for a U.S. player is the completion of his college eligibility. Players who meet the CBA definition of "international players" are automatically eligible if their 22nd birthday falls during or before the calendar year of the draft (i.e., born on or before December 31, 1990). U.S. players who were at least one year removed from their high school graduation and have played minor-league basketball with a team outside the NBA are also automatically eligible.
A player who is not automatically eligible must declare his eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 60 days before the draft. For the 2012 draft, this date fell on April 29. Under NCAA rules, players will only have until April 10 to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility.[86][87]
A player who has hired an agent will forfeit his remaining college eligibility, regardless of whether he is drafted. Also, while the CBA allows a player to withdraw from the draft twice, the NCAA mandates that a player who has declared twice loses his college eligibility.[87]
Entrantsedit
Early entrantsedit
On May 3, 2012, the league announced a list of 67 early entry candidates which consisted of 50 collegiate players and 17 international players.[88] At the withdrawal deadline, 11 early entry candidates withdrew from the draft, leaving 49 collegiate players and 7 international players as the early entry candidates for the draft.[89]
Players who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:[86]
They have completed 4 years of their college eligibility.
If they graduated from high school in the U.S., but did not enroll in a U.S. college or university, four years have passed since their high school class graduated.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA, anywhere in the world, and have played under that contract.
Players who meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:[86]
They are least 22 years old during the calendar year of the draft. In terms of dates, players born on or before December 31, 1990, are automatically eligible for the 2012 draft.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA within the United States, and have played under that contract.
Invited attendeesedit
The NBA annually invites 10 to 15 players to sit in the so-called "green room", a special room set aside at the draft site for the invited players plus their families and agents. This season, the following 14 players were invited (listed alphabetically).[91] All players represented the United States of America.
^On July 9, 2010, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired two future conditional first-round draft picks, Oklahoma City Thunder's future conditional second-round draft pick, New Orleans Hornets' 2012 second-round draft pick (the 34th pick) and the option to swap 2012 first-round draft picks from the Miami Heat in exchange for LeBron James.[28] Previously, on June 25, 2009, the Heat acquired 2010 and 2012 second-round draft picks from the Hornets in exchange for the draft rights to Marcus Thornton.[29]
^On June 25, 2009, the Detroit Pistons acquired a future conditional second-round draft pick (the 44th pick) and cash considerations from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the draft rights to Chase Budinger.[39]
^On March 15, 2012, the Golden State Warriors acquired a 2012 second-round draft pick (the 52nd pick) from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for cash considerations.[43]
^On January 5, 2009, the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) acquired Chris Quinn and a 2012 second-round draft pick (the 57th pick) from the Miami Heat in exchange for a future conditional second-round draft pick.[48]
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