The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team, representing the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has had 113 players drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the league began holding the yearly event in 1947. Each NBA franchise seeks to add new players through an annual draft. The NBA uses a draft lottery to determine the first three picks of the NBA draft; the 14 teams that did not make the playoffs the previous year are eligible to participate. After the first three picks are decided, the rest of the teams pick in reverse order of their win–loss record. To be eligible for the NBA draft, a player in the United States must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft and must be at least one year removed from the graduation of his high school class.
The drafts held between 1947 and 1949 were held by the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The BAA became the National Basketball Association after absorbing teams from the National Basketball League in the fall of 1949. Official NBA publications include the BAA Drafts as part of the NBA's draft history. From 1967 until the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, the American Basketball Association (ABA) held its own draft.
Through the 2019 NBA draft, a Tar Heel has been chosen first overall two times in the history of the event, James Worthy in 1982 and Brad Daugherty in 1986. Out of the thirty teams that currently make up the NBA, seven have not picked a player from North Carolina. The New York Knicks have selected nine former Tar Heels, which is the most of any current NBA franchise. Fifty-two Tar Heels have been drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft, with Coby White, Cameron Johnson, and Nassir Little being the latest. The most Tar Heels selected in the first round of a single NBA Draft is four, which happened twice, in 2005 and 2012. Sixteen players have been selected to either an ABA or NBA All-Star Game, sixteen have been a member of an NBA or ABA championship winning team, and nine have achieved both. The most Tar Heels selected in a single NBA Draft is five, in 1980. Of all the Tar Heels that have been drafted, five have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
| G | Guard | F | Forward | C | Center |
| Selected to an NBA/ABA All-Star Game | ||||||
| † | Won an NBA/ABA championship | |||||
| ‡ | Selected to an All-Star Game and won an NBA/ABA championship | |||||
| Year | Round | Pick | Overall | Name | Position | Team[1] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 1 | 6 | 6 | F | Philadelphia Warriors | — | ||
| 1958 | 1 | 4 | 4 | F | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 2 | 4 | 12 | F, C | New York Knicks | — | |||
| 4 | 6 | 29 | G | Syracuse Nationals | — | |||
| 1960 | 1 | 5 | 5 | F | Syracuse Nationals | NBA All-Star (1963) | ||
| 6 | 6 | 46 | [2] | G | St. Louis Hawks | — | ||
| 7 | 4 | 52 | ‡[3] | G, F | Detroit Pistons | ABA All-Star (1968, 1969, 1970) ABA Champion (1969) | ||
| 1961 | 2 | 11 | 20 | G | Chicago Packers | — | ||
| 2 | 13 | 22 | ‡ | G, F | Chicago Packers | ABA All-Star (1968, 1969, 1970) ABA Champion (1969) | ||
| 11 | 7 | 97 | F | St. Louis Hawks | — | |||
| 1962 | 6 | 7 | 50 | F | Philadelphia Warriors | — | ||
| 10 | 6 | 84 | C | Philadelphia Warriors | — | |||
| 11 | 5 | 89 | G | Philadelphia Warriors | — | |||
| 1963 | 7 | 2 | 55 | ‡ | G | Baltimore Bullets | ABA All-Star (1968, 1969, 1970) ABA Champion (1969) ABA All-Star Game MVP (1968) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2002) | |
| 1965 | 1 | 4 | 4 | ‡ | F, C | Philadelphia 76ers | NBA All-Star (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972) ABA All-Star (1973) NBA Champion (1967) ABA MVP (1973) All-NBA First Team (1969, 1970, 1971) All-NBA Second Team (1972) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (1986) | |
| 1966 | 13 | 1 | 101 | C | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 1967 | 4 | 8 | 39 | G | San Francisco Warriors | — | ||
| 11 | 4 | 117 | F | New York Knicks | — | |||
| 5 | 12 | 62 | G, F | Philadelphia 76ers | — | |||
| 1969 | 2 | 11 | 26 | F, C | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 6 | 12 | 83 | † | G | Los Angeles Lakers | ABA Champion (1970) | ||
| 11 | 4 | 145 | C | Detroit Pistons | — | |||
| 1970 | 7 | 4 | 106 | ‡ | G | Boston Celtics | NBA All-Star (1973, 1974, 1975) ABA All-Star (1971, 1972) NBA Champion (1976) ABA Rookie of the Year (1971) | |
| 1971 | 5 | 13 | 81 | C | Los Angeles Lakers | — | ||
| 1972 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ‡ | F, C | Buffalo Braves | NBA All-Star (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978) NBA Champion (1982, 1985) NBA MVP (1975) NBA Rookie of the Year (1973) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1973) All-NBA First Team (1974) All-NBA Second Team (1975) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2000) | |
| 2 | 14 | 27 | F | Boston Celtics | — | |||
| 3 | 13 | 43 | F | Golden State Warriors | — | |||
| 7 | 14 | 111 | G | Boston Celtics | — | |||
| 1973 | 4 | 14 | 66 | G | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 18 | 1 | 207 | F | Buffalo Braves | — | |||
| 1974 | 1 | 5 | 5 | ‡ | F | Houston Rockets | ABA All-Star (1976) NBA All-Star (1977, 1978, 1981, 1982) NBA Champion (1983) NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1983) | |
| 3 | 7 | 43 | G | Atlanta Hawks | — | |||
| 10 | 14 | 174 | F | New York Knicks | — | |||
| 1975 | 5 | 8 | 80 | F | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 5 | 13 | 85 | F, C | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | — | |||
| 1976 | 1 | 13 | 13 | † | F, C | Washington Bullets | NBA Champion (1978, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1977) | |
| 1977 | 1 | 5 | 5 | G, F | Phoenix Suns | NBA All-Star (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1987) NBA Rookie of the Year (1978) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1978) All-NBA Second Team (1978, 1979) | ||
| 1 | 9 | 9 | † | F, C | Denver Nuggets | NBA Champion (1979) | ||
| 3 | 9 | 53 | G | Kansas City Kings | — | |||
| 6 | 15 | 125 | F | San Antonio Spurs | — | |||
| 1978 | 1 | 2 | 2 | G | Kansas City Kings | NBA Rookie of the Year (1979) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1979) All-NBA Second Team (1979) | ||
| 4 | 4 | 70 | C | Kansas City Kings | — | |||
| 8 | 12 | 164 | G, F | Milwaukee Bucks | — | |||
| 1979 | 1 | 13 | 13 | G, F | Indiana Pacers | — | ||
| 1980 | 1 | 6 | 6 | F | New Jersey Nets | — | ||
| 3 | 3 | 49 | G | Golden State Warriors | — | |||
| 3 | 15 | 61 | F | San Antonio Spurs | — | |||
| 4 | 17 | 86 | F | Milwaukee Bucks | — | |||
| 7 | 2 | 140 | G | Utah Jazz | — | |||
| 1981 | 1 | 4 | 4 | G, F | Atlanta Hawks | — | ||
| 5 | 1 | 93 | F | Dallas Mavericks | — | |||
| 6 | 8 | 123 | G | San Diego Clippers | — | |||
| 1982 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‡ | F | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA All-Star (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992) NBA Champion (1985, 1987, 1988) NBA Finals MVP (1988) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1983) All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1991) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2003) | |
| 3 | 13 | 59 | G | New Jersey Nets | — | |||
| 6 | 16 | 131 | F, C | Denver Nuggets | — | |||
| 7 | 15 | 153 | F | Denver Nuggets | — | |||
| 1983 | 5 | 14 | 107 | G | Denver Nuggets | — | ||
| 1984 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ‡ | G | Chicago Bulls | NBA All-Star (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003) NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1993, 1998) NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) NBA Finals MVP (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) NBA MVP (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988) NBA Rookie of the Year (1985) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985) All-NBA First Team (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) All-NBA Second Team (1985) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2009) | |
| 1 | 4 | 4 | F | Dallas Mavericks | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985) | |||
| 6 | 3 | 118 | F | Cleveland Cavaliers | — | |||
| 9 | 10 | 194 | F | Denver Nuggets | — | |||
| 1985 | 7 | 8 | 147 | G | Cleveland Cavaliers | — | ||
| 1986 | 1 | 1 | 1 | C | Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA All-Star (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1987) All-NBA Third Team (1992) | ||
| 4 | 3 | 73 | C | Cleveland Cavaliers | — | |||
| 4 | 11 | 81 | G | New Jersey Nets | — | |||
| 1987 | 1 | 6 | 6 | † | G | Sacramento Kings | NBA Champion (1994, 1995) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1988) | |
| 1 | 13 | 13 | F, C | Los Angeles Clippers | — | |||
| 4 | 19 | 88 | F, C | Detroit Pistons | — | |||
| 7 | 18 | 156 | F | Denver Nuggets | — | |||
| 1989 | 1 | 5 | 5 | F | Charlotte Hornets | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1990) | ||
| 1991 | 1 | 24 | 24 | † | F | Boston Celtics | NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1992) | |
| 1 | 27 | 27 | † | F | Sacramento Kings | NBA Champion (1995) | ||
| 1992 | 1 | 20 | 20 | G | New York Knicks | — | ||
| 1993 | 1 | 12 | 12 | F | Los Angeles Lakers | — | ||
| 1994 | 1 | 9 | 9 | C | Boston Celtics | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1995) | ||
| 1995 | 1 | 3 | 3 | G, F | Philadelphia 76ers | NBA All-Star (2000, 2001) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1996) | ||
| 1 | 4 | 4 | ‡ | F, C | Washington Bullets | NBA All-Star (2000, 2001, 2006, 2008) NBA Champion (2004) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996) | ||
| 1996 | 2 | 8 | 37 | G | Denver Nuggets | — | ||
| 1997 | 2 | 1 | 29 | C | Houston Rockets | — | ||
| 1998 | 1 | 4 | 4 | F | Toronto Raptors | NBA All-Star (2005, 2008) NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2004) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1999) | ||
| 1 | 5 | 5 | G, F | Golden State Warriors | NBA All-Star (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) NBA Rookie of the Year (1999) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999) All-NBA Second Team (2000) All-NBA Third Team (2001) | |||
| 2 | 5 | 34 | G | Chicago Bulls | — | |||
| 2001 | 1 | 20 | 20 | † | C | Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA Champion (2011) | |
| 1 | 21 | 21 | G | Boston Celtics | — | |||
| 2005 | 1 | 2 | 2 | F | Atlanta Hawks | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2006) | ||
| 1 | 5 | 5 | G | Charlotte Bobcats | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2006) | |||
| 1 | 13 | 13 | F | Charlotte Bobcats | — | |||
| 1 | 14 | 14 | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | — | |||
| 2006 | 2 | 9 | 39 | F | Milwaukee Bucks | — | ||
| 2007 | 1 | 8 | 8 | F, C | Charlotte Bobcats | — | ||
| 2 | 14 | 44 | F | Orlando Magic | — | |||
| 2009 | 1 | 13 | 13 | F, C | Indiana Pacers | — | ||
| 1 | 18 | 18 | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | — | |||
| 1 | 28 | 28 | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | — | |||
| 2 | 16 | 46 | † | G, F | Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA Champion (2014, 2019 & 2020) | ||
| 2010 | 1 | 13 | 13 | F | Toronto Raptors | — | ||
| 2012 | 1 | 7 | 7 | † | F | Golden State Warriors | NBA Champion (2015) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2013) | |
| 1 | 13 | 13 | G | Phoenix Suns | — | |||
| 1 | 14 | 14 | F | Milwaukee Bucks | — | |||
| 1 | 17 | 17 | F, C | Dallas Mavericks | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2013) | |||
| 2013 | 1 | 25 | 25 | G, F | Los Angeles Clippers | — | ||
| 2014 | 1 | 26 | 26 | G | Miami Heat | — | ||
| 2015 | 2 | 28 | 58 | G | Philadelphia 76ers | — | ||
| 2016 | 1 | 25 | 25 | F | Los Angeles Clippers | — | ||
| 2 | 25 | 55 | G | Brooklyn Nets | — | |||
| 2017 | 1 | 15 | 15 | F | Sacramento Kings | — | ||
| 1 | 28 | 28 | C | Utah Jazz | — | |||
| 2019 | 1 | 7 | 7 | G | Chicago Bulls | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2020) | ||
| 1 | 11 | 11 | F | Minnesota Timberwolves | — | |||
| 1 | 25 | 25 | F | Portland Trail Blazers | — | |||
| 2020 | 1 | 15 | 15 | G | Orlando Magic | — | ||
| 2021 | 1 | 29 | 29 | C | Phoenix Suns | — |
| Year | League | Round | Pick | Overall | Name | Position | Team | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | BAA | — | — | — | G | — | |||
| — | — | — | F, C | Indianapolis Olympians | — | ||||
| — | — | — | F | — | |||||
| 1967 | ABA | — | — | — | G | Anaheim Amigos | — | ||
| 1968 | ABA | — | — | — | G, F | Los Angeles Stars | — | ||
| 1969 | ABA | — | — | — | † | G | Indiana Pacers | ABA Champion (1970) | |
| ABA | — | — | — | F, C | Miami Floridians | — | |||
| — | — | — | C | Los Angeles Stars | — | ||||
| 1970 | ABA | — | — | — | ‡ | G | Virginia Squires | NBA All-Star (1973, 1974, 1975) ABA All-Star (1971, 1972) NBA Champion (1976) ABA Rookie of the Year (1971) | |
| 1971 | ABA | — | — | — | C | Utah Stars | — | ||
| 1972 | ABA | — | — | — | F | Carolina Cougars | — | ||
| — | — | — | F | Carolina Cougars | — | ||||
| — | — | — | G | Carolina Cougars | — | ||||
| 1973 | ABA | — | — | — | ‡ | F | Carolina Cougars | ABA All-Star (1976) NBA All-Star (1977, 1978, 1981, 1982) NBA Champion (1983) NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1983) | |
| ABA | — | — | — | G | Memphis Tams | — | |||
| 1974 | ABA | 4 | 1 | 31 | G | Carolina Cougars | — |