The 1981 draft, redrafted
Hoops Redraft rates 44 players from the 1981 draft. Seven of them reached 70 or better in at least one season. By the game's numbers the best career in the class belongs to Isiah Thomas, taken 2nd by Detroit. The latest pick in the redraft's top five is Eddie Johnson, who went 29th.
The board below is the real order: where each man was taken and by whom, his rating in 1981-82, 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. Four of them have no 1981-82 rating, shown as a dash.
Play from 1981-82 Take over any club in 1981-82. The 1981 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.
- Isiah Thomas, guard, taken 2nd by Detroit. Peak 74 in 1984-85, 13 rated seasons.
- Larry Nance, forward/centre, taken 20th by Phoenix. Peak 73 in 1986-87, 13 rated seasons.
- Tom Chambers, forward/centre, taken 8th by . Peak 73 in 1989-90, 16 rated seasons.
- Mark Aguirre, guard/forward, taken 1st by Dallas. Peak 75 in 1983-84, 13 rated seasons.
- Eddie Johnson, guard/forward, taken 29th by Kansas City. Peak 71 in 1988-89, 17 rated seasons.
- Buck Williams, forward/centre, taken 3rd by New Jersey. Peak 66 in 1986-87, 17 rated seasons.
- Rolando Blackman, guard, taken 9th by Dallas. Peak 66 in 1986-87, 13 rated seasons.
- Orlando Woolridge, forward, taken 6th by Chicago. Peak 70 in 1990-91, 13 rated seasons.
- Kelly Tripucka, guard/forward, taken 12th by Detroit. Peak 70 in 1982-83, 10 rated seasons.
- Danny Ainge, guard/forward, taken 31st by Boston. Peak 64 in 1988-89, 14 rated seasons.
Steals and misses
Taken well after his career said he should have gone:
- Eddie Johnson: 29th in the real draft, 5th in the redraft. Peak 71.
- Danny Ainge: 31st in the real draft, 10th in the redraft. Peak 64.
- Larry Nance: 20th in the real draft, 2nd in the redraft. Peak 73.
Top-ten picks the redraft moves furthest down:
- Danny Vranes: 5th in the real draft, 28th in the redraft. Peak 49.
- Al Wood: 4th in the real draft, 20th in the redraft. Peak 58.
- Albert King: 10th in the real draft, 17th in the redraft. Peak 65.
The real board
| Pick | Player | Pos | Club | Rookie | Peak | Seasons | Redraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark AguirreDePaul | G/F | Dallas | 62 | 75 1983 | 13 | 4 |
| 2 | Isiah ThomasIndiana | G | Detroit | 64 | 74 1984 | 13 | 1 |
| 3 | Buck WilliamsMaryland | F/C | New Jersey | 63 | 66 1986 | 17 | 6 |
| 4 | Al WoodNorth Carolina | G/F | Atlanta | 31 | 58 1983 | 6 | 20 |
| 5 | Danny VranesUtah | F | Seattle | 45 | 49 1982 | 7 | 28 |
| 6 | Orlando WoolridgeNotre Dame | F | Chicago | 50 | 70 1990 | 13 | 8 |
| 7 | Steve JohnsonOregon State | F/C | Kansas City | 67 | 67 1981 | 10 | 12 |
| 8 | Tom ChambersUtah | F/C | 59 | 73 1989 | 16 | 3 | |
| 9 | Rolando BlackmanKansas State | G | Dallas | 61 | 66 1986 | 13 | 7 |
| 10 | Albert KingMaryland | G/F | New Jersey | 62 | 65 1982 | 9 | 17 |
| 11 | Frank JohnsonWake Forest | G | Washington | 55 | 56 1982 | 10 | 22 |
| 12 | Kelly TripuckaNotre Dame | G/F | Detroit | 63 | 70 1982 | 10 | 9 |
| 13 | Danny SchayesSyracuse | F/C | Utah | 57 | 69 1987 | 18 | 14 |
| 14 | Herb WilliamsOhio State | F/C | Indiana | 62 | 67 1985 | 18 | 11 |
| 15 | Jeff Lamp | G/F | Portland | 39 | 52 1985 | 6 | 26 |
| 16 | Darnell ValentineKansas | G | Portland | 50 | 61 1986 | 9 | 18 |
| 17 | Kevin LoderAlabama State | G/F | Kansas City | 48 | 48 1981 | 3 | 29 |
| 18 | Ray TolbertIndiana | F | New Jersey | 31 | 41 1982 | 5 | 34 |
| 19 | Mike McGeeMichigan | G/F | Los Angeles | 38 | 56 1984 | 9 | 21 |
| 20 | Larry NanceClemson | F/C | Phoenix | 53 | 73 1986 | 13 | 2 |
| 21 | Alton ListerArizona State | F/C | Milwaukee | 52 | 64 1985 | 16 | 15 |
| 22 | Franklin EdwardsCleveland State | G | Philadelphia | 38 | 55 1985 | 7 | 24 |
| 23 | Charles BradleyWyoming | G | Boston | 36 | 38 1982 | 3 | 38 |
| 24 | Jay VincentMichigan State | F | Dallas | 68 | 68 1981 | 9 | 16 |
| 25 | Tracy JacksonNotre Dame | G/F | Boston | 28 | 48 1982 | 3 | 30 |
| 27 | Howard WoodTennessee | F | Utah | 35 | 35 1981 | 1 | 39 |
| 28 | Gene BanksDuke | G/F | San Antonio | 55 | 60 1982 | 6 | 19 |
| 29 | Eddie JohnsonIllinois | G/F | Kansas City | 52 | 71 1988 | 17 | 5 |
| 30 | Ed RainsSouth Alabama | F | San Antonio | 35 | 35 1981 | 2 | 40 |
| 31 | Danny AingeBrigham Young | G/F | Boston | 42 | 64 1988 | 14 | 10 |
| 33 | Sam WilliamsArizona State | F | Golden State | 50 | 57 1982 | 4 | 23 |
| 34 | Ken GreenPan American | F | Denver | – | 31 1985 | 1 | 41 |
| 35 | Charles DavisVanderbilt | F | Washington | 40 | 50 1982 | 8 | 27 |
| 36 | Ray BlumeOregon State | G | Indiana | 39 | 39 1981 | 1 | 36 |
| 41 | Claude GregoryWisconsin | F | Washington | – | 39 1987 | 2 | 37 |
| 43 | Elston TurnerMississippi | G/F | Dallas | 48 | 48 1981 | 8 | 31 |
| 44 | Steve LingenfelterSouth Dakota State | F | Washington | – | 28 1982 | 2 | 44 |
| 52 | Rudy MacklinLSU | G/F | Atlanta | 46 | 46 1981 | 3 | 32 |
| 53 | Mark RadfordOregon State | G | Seattle | 38 | 43 1982 | 2 | 33 |
| 54 | Jim SmithOhio State | F | 41 | 41 1981 | 2 | 35 | |
| 55 | Mickey DillardFlorida State | G | Cleveland | 31 | 31 1981 | 1 | 42 |
| 57 | Frank BrickowskiPenn State | F/C | New York | – | 67 1992 | 12 | 13 |
| 61 | Pétur GuðmundssonValur | C | Portland | 42 | 54 1987 | 4 | 25 |
| 66 | Craig DykemaLong Beach State | F | Phoenix | 30 | 30 1981 | 1 | 43 |
More drafts
The 1980 draft · The 1982 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.