| 1989 NBA draft | |
| Sport: | Basketball |
| Date: | June 27, 1989 |
| Location: | Felt Forum (New York City) |
| Network: | TBS |
| League: | NBA |
| Overall: | 54 |
| Rounds: | 2 |
| First: | Pervis Ellison (Sacramento Kings) |
| Prev: | 1988 |
| Next: | 1990 |
The 1989 NBA draft took place on June 27, 1989, in New York City. Despite eight of the top ten picks being considered busts, including the first two picks Pervis Ellison and Danny Ferry, the draft produced many talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick Anderson, Dana Barros, Tim Hardaway, Vlade Divac, Clifford Robinson, B. J. Armstrong and Mookie Blaylock.[1] [2]
The draft was reduced from three rounds in the previous year to the two-round format that is still in use to the present day.[3] [2] As a result, NBA drafts from this season until 1995 produced the lowest number of total draft picks selected at 54 overall selections.
This was the first draft for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic, prior to their inaugural season. This was also the first draft televised prime time on U.S. national television.[4]
| PG | Point guard | SG | Shooting guard | SF | Small forward | PF | Power forward | C | Center |
These players were not selected in the 1989 draft but played at least one game in the NBA.
| Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club team |
|---|---|---|---|
| PF | Idaho (Sr.) | ||
| PF/C | Texas State (Sr.) | ||
| SG/SF | North Carolina (Sr.) | ||
| PF | Lamar (Sr.) | ||
| SG | Boise State (Sr.) | ||
| SG | | Georgia State (Sr.) | |
| PF/C | Virginia Union (Sr.) | ||
| SF | Florida State (Sr.) | ||
| PG | Charlotte (Sr.) | ||
| SG | Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia) | ||
| SF | South Carolina (Sr.) | ||
| SG/SF | Ohio (Sr.) | ||
| SF | Texas (Sr.) | ||
| PF | | Northern Colorado (Sr.) | |
| SF | Penn State (Sr.) | ||
| SG | Georgetown (Sr.) | ||
| PG | | Nebraska (Sr.) | |
| PF | Oklahoma State (So.) | ||
| PG | Xavier (Sr.) | ||
| SG | North Carolina (Sr.) | ||
| PG | Florida (Sr.) | ||
| SF/PF | Purdue (Sr.) | ||
| PG/SG | Georgetown (Sr.) | ||
| SG/SF | Eastern Illinois (Sr.) | ||
| PF | California (Sr.) | ||
| SG/SF | VEF Rīga (Soviet Union) | ||
| SF/SG | Averett (Sr.) | ||
| SF/PF | Stanford (Sr.) | ||
The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[6]
Nick Anderson – G, Illinois (junior)
Martin Den Hengst – C, Sheridan (freshman) Jay Edwards – G, Indiana (sophomore) Benny Green – G, Tennessee–Chattanooga (junior) Shawn Kemp – F, Trinity Valley CC (freshman) Toney Mack – G, Georgia (junior) J. R. Reid – F, North Carolina (junior) Maurice Selvin – G, Puget Sound (sophomore) Johnny Steptoe – F, Southern (sophomore) Richard Whitmore – G, Brown (junior)The following international players successfully applied for early draft entrance.
| Player | class=unsortable | Note ! | class=unsortable | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rudy Bourgarel | Boulogne-Levallois (France) | Left Marist in 1988; playing professionally since the 1988–89 season | [7] |