| 1959 NBA draft | |
| Sport: | Basketball |
| Date: | March 31, 1959 |
| Location: | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| League: | NBA |
| Overall: | 85 |
| Rounds: | 14 |
| First: | Bob Boozer, Cincinnati Royals |
| Territorial: | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors Bob Ferry, St. Louis Hawks |
| Prev: | 1958 |
| Next: | 1960 |
The 1959 NBA draft was the 13th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 31, 1959, before the 1959–60 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. The draft consisted of 14 rounds comprising 85 players selected.[1] [2]
Bob Boozer from Kansas State University was selected first overall by the Cincinnati Royals. Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Ferry were selected before the draft as Philadelphia Warriors' and St. Louis Hawks' territorial picks respectively. Although Chamberlain played at the University of Kansas, outside the territory of any NBA team, he was selected as the Warriors' territorial pick because the Warriors argued that Chamberlain had grown up in Philadelphia and played high school basketball at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. The NBA agreed with the argument, hence making him the first territorial pick based solely on his pre-college roots.[3] Chamberlain went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award in his first season.[4] [5] Two players from this draft, Wilt Chamberlain and Bailey Howell, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.[6]
| Pos. | G | F | C | |
| Position | Guard | Forward | Center |