The 1978 draft, redrafted
Hoops Redraft rates 47 players from the 1978 draft. Four of them reached 70 or better in at least one season. By the game's numbers the best career in the class belongs to Larry Bird, taken 6th by Boston. The latest pick in the redraft's top five is Maurice Cheeks, who went 36th.
The board below is the real order: where each man was taken and by whom, his rating in 1978-79, his best season and the number of seasons he is rated. Ratings are scaled inside each season, so 50 is that year's average player and 70 is a star. Twelve of them have no 1978-79 rating, shown as a dash.
Play from 1978-79 Take over any club in 1978-79. The 1978 class is the first draft of your run.
The redraft
The class again, in the order the game's numbers would take it: by career value, which adds up how far each of his seasons sits above an average player. A long good career beats one great season.
- Larry Bird, forward, taken 6th by Boston. Peak 85 in 1987-88, 13 rated seasons.
- Reggie Theus, guard, taken 9th by Chicago. Peak 71 in 1982-83, 13 rated seasons.
- Purvis Short, guard/forward, taken 5th by Golden State. Peak 69 in 1985-86, 12 rated seasons.
- Maurice Cheeks, guard, taken 36th by Philadelphia. Peak 64 in 1981-82, 15 rated seasons.
- Mychal Thompson, forward/centre, taken 1st by Portland. Peak 66 in 1981-82, 12 rated seasons.
- Mike Mitchell, forward, taken 15th by Cleveland. Peak 67 in 1983-84, 10 rated seasons.
- John Long, guard/forward, taken 29th by Detroit. Peak 67 in 1981-82, 14 rated seasons.
- Micheal Ray Richardson, guard/forward, taken 4th by New York. Peak 68 in 1984-85, 8 rated seasons.
- Wayne Cooper, forward/centre, taken 40th by Golden State. Peak 69 in 1985-86, 14 rated seasons.
- Michael Cooper, guard/forward, taken 60th by Los Angeles. Peak 59 in 1981-82, 12 rated seasons.
Steals and misses
Taken well after his career said he should have gone:
- Michael Cooper: 60th in the real draft, 10th in the redraft. Peak 59.
- Maurice Cheeks: 36th in the real draft, 4th in the redraft. Peak 64.
- Wayne Cooper: 40th in the real draft, 9th in the redraft. Peak 69.
Top-ten picks the redraft moves furthest down:
- Butch Lee: 10th in the real draft, 47th in the redraft. Peak 27.
- Rick Robey: 3rd in the real draft, 22nd in the redraft. Peak 59.
- Ron Brewer: 7th in the real draft, 23rd in the redraft. Peak 56.
The real board
| Pick | Player | Pos | Club | Rookie | Peak | Seasons | Redraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mychal ThompsonMinnesota | F/C | Portland | 64 | 66 1981 | 12 | 5 |
| 2 | Phil FordNorth Carolina | G | Kansas City | 62 | 65 1980 | 7 | 13 |
| 3 | Rick RobeyKentucky | F/C | Indiana | 46 | 59 1979 | 8 | 22 |
| 4 | Micheal Ray Richardson | G/F | New York | 51 | 68 1984 | 8 | 8 |
| 5 | Purvis ShortJackson State | G/F | Golden State | 53 | 69 1985 | 12 | 3 |
| 6 | Larry BirdIndiana State | F | Boston | – | 85 1987 | 13 | 1 |
| 7 | Ron BrewerArkansas | G | Portland | 56 | 56 1978 | 8 | 23 |
| 8 | Freeman WilliamsPortland State | G/F | Boston | 52 | 72 1980 | 6 | 14 |
| 9 | Reggie TheusUNLV | G | Chicago | 57 | 71 1982 | 13 | 2 |
| 10 | Butch LeeMarquette | G | Atlanta | – | 27 1979 | 1 | 47 |
| 11 | James HardySan Francisco | F/C | 48 | 52 1979 | 4 | 28 | |
| 12 | George L. JohnsonSt. John's | F/C | Milwaukee | 52 | 63 1983 | 8 | 15 |
| 13 | Winford BoynesSan Francisco | G/F | New Jersey | 48 | 49 1979 | 3 | 30 |
| 14 | Roger Phegley | G/F | Washington | 31 | 59 1980 | 6 | 24 |
| 15 | Mike MitchellAuburn | F | Cleveland | 57 | 67 1983 | 10 | 6 |
| 16 | Jack GivensKentucky | G/F | Atlanta | 47 | 47 1978 | 2 | 33 |
| 18 | Dave CorzineDePaul | C | Washington | 40 | 61 1980 | 13 | 11 |
| 19 | Marty ByrnesSyracuse | F | Phoenix | 40 | 49 1980 | 4 | 31 |
| 20 | Frankie SandersSouthern | G/F | San Antonio | 36 | 36 1978 | 2 | 42 |
| 21 | Mike EvansKansas State | G | Denver | – | 61 1984 | 9 | 17 |
| 22 | Raymond TownsendUCLA | G | Golden State | 40 | 43 1979 | 3 | 36 |
| 23 | Terry TylerDetroit | G/F | Detroit | – | 72 1981 | 1 | 20 |
| 24 | Keith HerronVillanova | G/F | Portland | 28 | 55 1980 | 3 | 26 |
| 25 | Rick WilsonLouisville | G | Atlanta | 37 | 37 1978 | 2 | 39 |
| 26 | Ron CarterVMI | G | Los Angeles | 36 | 36 1978 | 2 | 43 |
| 27 | Wayne RadfordIndiana | G | Indiana | 38 | 38 1978 | 1 | 38 |
| 29 | John LongDetroit | G/F | Detroit | 56 | 67 1981 | 14 | 7 |
| 30 | Jeff JudkinsUtah | G/F | Boston | 54 | 54 1978 | 5 | 27 |
| 32 | John RuddMcNeese State | F | New York | 37 | 37 1978 | 1 | 40 |
| 33 | Harry DavisFlorida State | F | Cleveland | 35 | 35 1978 | 2 | 44 |
| 34 | Greg BunchCal State Fullerton | F | New York | 28 | 28 1978 | 1 | 46 |
| 35 | Tommie GreenSouthern | G | 40 | 40 1978 | 1 | 37 | |
| 36 | Maurice CheeksWest Texas State | G | Philadelphia | 53 | 64 1981 | 15 | 4 |
| 40 | Wayne CooperNew Orleans | F/C | Golden State | 44 | 69 1985 | 14 | 9 |
| 41 | Jerome WhiteheadMarquette | F/C | San Diego | 29 | 61 1981 | 11 | 21 |
| 43 | Glenn HaganSt. Bonaventure | G | Philadelphia | – | 29 1981 | 1 | 45 |
| 44 | Clemon JohnsonFlorida A&M | F/C | Portland | 43 | 59 1981 | 10 | 16 |
| 46 | Hollis CopelandRutgers | F | Denver | – | 46 1979 | 2 | 34 |
| 47 | Billy Ray BatesKentucky State | G | Houston | – | 66 1980 | 4 | 19 |
| 49 | Jeff CookIdaho State | F/C | Kansas City | – | 51 1980 | 8 | 29 |
| 55 | Marc Iavaroni | F | New York | – | 46 1983 | 7 | 35 |
| 57 | Kenny HiggsLSU | G | Cleveland | 45 | 54 1980 | 3 | 25 |
| 59 | Pat CummingsCincinnati | F/C | Milwaukee | – | 59 1984 | 12 | 18 |
| 60 | Michael CooperNew Mexico | G/F | Los Angeles | 25 | 59 1981 | 12 | 10 |
| 62 | Dave BattonNotre Dame | C | New Jersey | – | 37 1982 | 2 | 41 |
| 63 | Joel KramerSan Diego State | F/C | Phoenix | 48 | 48 1978 | 5 | 32 |
| 64 | Gerald HendersonVCU | G | San Antonio | – | 60 1985 | 13 | 12 |
More drafts
The 1977 draft · The 1979 draft · Every draft, 1976 to 2025
How the numbers are made is on the ratings page. How a run plays is in How to play.