Territorial Picks Were Eliminated in 1966

Published on September 21st, 2024 10:45 am EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


The NBA (previously known as the BAA) used to allow teams to make "territorial picks".

The theory behind territorial picks was simple - the NBA wanted to have "homegrown" talent playing on teams that were located close to where the talent lived. These players would often have large followings from their days playing in college, and the NBA figured that these people would be likely to come to the player's NBA games.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the NBA struggled with getting fans into seats, and territorial picks were seen as a way to get more people in the door.

Teams were allowed to select any player that lived with 50 miles of the team's home arena. The cost? The team would have to give up their first-round pick in the draft.

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The first territorial picks were made in 1949, and the last territorial pick was made in 1965.

In total, 23 territorial picks were made between 1949 and 1965, and the results were tremendous.

12 of the 23 territorial picks ended up in the Hall of Fame.

4 of the 23 territorial picks won Rookie of the Year.

2 of the 23 territorial picks would win the Most Valuable Player Award at least once in their careers.

Some of the best players in the history of the game were territorial picks, including:

Wilt Chamberlain
Oscar Robertson
Bill Bradley

Oscar Robertson, for instance, attended the University of Cincinnati, and was ultimately selected by the Cincinnati Royals at the 1960 NBA Draft.

Bill Bradley attended Princeton University in New Jersey and was selected by the New York Knicks.

Wilt Chamberlain attended the University of Kansas but was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors as a territorial pick. The Warriors argued that since Chamberlain had grown up in Philadelphia and attended a Philadelphia high school, he should be eligible for selection as a territorial pick. The NBA ultimately agreed.

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Territorial picks were abolished in time for the 1966 NBA Draft.