The 1979 draft, redrafted
Hoops Redraft rates 42 players from the 1979 draft. Three of them reached 70 or better in at least one season. By the game's numbers the best career in the class belongs to Magic Johnson, the first pick. The latest pick in the redraft's top five is Bill Laimbeer, who went 65th.
The board below is the real order: where each man was taken and by whom, his rating in 1979-80, 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. Eleven of them have no 1979-80 rating, shown as a dash.
Play from 1979-80 Take over any club in 1979-80. The 1979 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.
- Magic Johnson, guard/forward, same spot as the real draft. Peak 82 in 1986-87, 13 rated seasons.
- Bill Laimbeer, centre, taken 65th by Cleveland. Peak 65 in 1983-84, 14 rated seasons.
- Cliff Robinson, forward, taken 11th by New Jersey. Peak 71 in 1980-81, 11 rated seasons.
- Sidney Moncrief, guard, taken 5th by Milwaukee. Peak 69 in 1982-83, 11 rated seasons.
- Vinnie Johnson, guard, taken 7th by Seattle. Peak 65 in 1986-87, 13 rated seasons.
- Bill Cartwright, centre, taken 3rd by New York. Peak 65 in 1982-83, 15 rated seasons.
- Calvin Natt, forward, taken 8th by New Jersey. Peak 71 in 1984-85, 11 rated seasons.
- Jim Paxson, guard/forward, taken 12th by Portland. Peak 65 in 1982-83, 11 rated seasons.
- Johnny Moore, guard, taken 43rd by Seattle. Peak 66 in 1984-85, 9 rated seasons.
- David Greenwood, forward/centre, taken 2nd by Chicago. Peak 62 in 1979-80, 12 rated seasons.
Steals and misses
Taken well after his career said he should have gone:
- Bill Laimbeer: 65th in the real draft, 2nd in the redraft. Peak 65.
- Johnny Moore: 43rd in the real draft, 9th in the redraft. Peak 66.
- Cliff Robinson: 11th in the real draft, 3rd in the redraft. Peak 71.
Top-ten picks the redraft moves furthest down:
- Roy Hamilton: 10th in the real draft, 31st in the redraft. Peak 42.
- Larry Demic: 9th in the real draft, 27th in the redraft. Peak 48.
- Greg Kelser: 4th in the real draft, 15th in the redraft. Peak 60.
The real board
| Pick | Player | Pos | Club | Rookie | Peak | Seasons | Redraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic JohnsonMichigan State | G/F | Los Angeles | 70 | 82 1986 | 13 | 1 |
| 2 | David GreenwoodUCLA | F/C | Chicago | 62 | 62 1979 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | Bill CartwrightSan Francisco | C | New York | 64 | 65 1982 | 15 | 6 |
| 4 | Greg KelserMichigan State | F | Detroit | 58 | 60 1983 | 6 | 15 |
| 5 | Sidney MoncriefArkansas | G | Milwaukee | 53 | 69 1982 | 11 | 4 |
| 6 | James BaileyRutgers | F/C | Seattle | 45 | 62 1980 | 9 | 17 |
| 7 | Vinnie JohnsonBaylor | G | Seattle | 36 | 65 1986 | 13 | 5 |
| 8 | Calvin NattNortheast Louisiana | F | New Jersey | 62 | 71 1984 | 11 | 7 |
| 9 | Larry DemicArizona | F/C | New York | 48 | 48 1979 | 3 | 27 |
| 10 | Roy HamiltonUCLA | G | Detroit | 42 | 42 1979 | 2 | 31 |
| 11 | Cliff RobinsonUSC | F | New Jersey | 63 | 71 1980 | 11 | 3 |
| 12 | Jim PaxsonDayton | G/F | Portland | 43 | 65 1982 | 11 | 8 |
| 13 | Dudley BradleyNorth Carolina | G/F | Indiana | 59 | 59 1979 | 9 | 18 |
| 14 | Brad HollandUCLA | G | Los Angeles | 35 | 36 1980 | 3 | 34 |
| 15 | Phil HubbardMichigan | F/C | Detroit | 52 | 62 1980 | 10 | 11 |
| 16 | Jim SpanarkelDuke | G/F | Philadelphia | 39 | 60 1980 | 5 | 16 |
| 18 | Reggie KingAlabama | F | Kansas City | 53 | 59 1980 | 6 | 20 |
| 19 | Wiley PeckMississippi State | G | San Antonio | 39 | 39 1979 | 1 | 33 |
| 21 | Sly WilliamsRhode Island | G/F | New York | 38 | 61 1981 | 7 | 13 |
| 22 | Kyle MacyKentucky | G | Phoenix | – | 59 1981 | 7 | 12 |
| 24 | Johnny HighNevada | G | Phoenix | 47 | 53 1980 | 4 | 22 |
| 25 | Oliver MackEast Carolina | G | Los Angeles | 30 | 30 1979 | 3 | 37 |
| 26 | Bruce FlowersNotre Dame | F | Cleveland | – | 44 1982 | 1 | 30 |
| 27 | Reggie CarterSt. John's | G | New York | – | 42 1981 | 2 | 32 |
| 29 | Tony PricePennsylvania | G | Detroit | – | 25 1980 | 1 | 42 |
| 30 | Gary GarlandDePaul | G | Denver | 45 | 45 1979 | 1 | 28 |
| 31 | Edgar JonesNevada | F/C | Milwaukee | – | 62 1983 | 6 | 14 |
| 32 | Tony ZenoArizona State | F | Indiana | 28 | 28 1979 | 1 | 38 |
| 36 | Clint RichardsonSeattle | G | Philadelphia | 43 | 53 1985 | 8 | 21 |
| 37 | Bernard TooneMarquette | F | Philadelphia | 32 | 32 1979 | 1 | 35 |
| 42 | Paul MokeskiKansas | F/C | Houston | 29 | 51 1980 | 12 | 24 |
| 43 | Johnny MooreTexas | G | Seattle | – | 66 1984 | 9 | 9 |
| 47 | Calvin GarrettOral Roberts | F | Chicago | – | 45 1980 | 4 | 29 |
| 48 | Terry DuerodDetroit | G | Detroit | 49 | 49 1979 | 4 | 26 |
| 49 | Cedrick HordgesSouth Carolina | F/C | Chicago | – | 50 1980 | 2 | 25 |
| 50 | Geoff HustonTexas Tech | G | New York | 39 | 55 1980 | 8 | 19 |
| 53 | Wayne KreklowDrake | G | Boston | – | 26 1980 | 1 | 41 |
| 54 | Lynbert JohnsonWichita State | G/F | Golden State | 28 | 28 1979 | 1 | 39 |
| 58 | Earl CuretonDetroit | F/C | Philadelphia | – | 53 1985 | 12 | 23 |
| 62 | Terry CrosbyTennessee | G | Kansas City | 27 | 27 1979 | 1 | 40 |
| 63 | Sylvester NorrisJackson State | C | San Antonio | 31 | 31 1979 | 1 | 36 |
| 65 | Bill LaimbeerNotre Dame | C | Cleveland | – | 65 1983 | 14 | 2 |
More drafts
The 1978 draft · The 1980 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.