The 1983 draft, redrafted
Hoops Redraft rates 47 players from the 1983 draft. Two of them reached 70 or better in at least one season. By the game's numbers the best career in the class belongs to Clyde Drexler, taken 14th by Portland. The latest pick in the redraft's top five is Doc Rivers, who went 31st.
The board below is the real order: where each man was taken and by whom, his rating in 1983-84, 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. Five of them have no 1983-84 rating, shown as a dash.
Play from 1983-84 Take over any club in 1983-84. The 1983 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.
- Clyde Drexler, guard, taken 14th by Portland. Peak 78 in 1987-88, 15 rated seasons.
- Derek Harper, guard, taken 11th by Dallas. Peak 66 in 1986-87, 16 rated seasons.
- Dale Ellis, guard, taken 9th by Dallas. Peak 69 in 1986-87, 17 rated seasons.
- Byron Scott, guard, same spot as the real draft. Peak 68 in 1987-88, 14 rated seasons.
- Doc Rivers, guard, taken 31st by Atlanta. Peak 69 in 1987-88, 13 rated seasons.
- Jeff Malone, guard, taken 10th by Washington. Peak 67 in 1989-90, 13 rated seasons.
- Antoine Carr, forward, taken 8th by Detroit. Peak 68 in 1991-92, 16 rated seasons.
- Thurl Bailey, forward, taken 7th by Utah. Peak 67 in 1987-88, 12 rated seasons.
- Ralph Sampson, centre, taken 1st by Houston. Peak 75 in 1983-84, 9 rated seasons.
- Rodney McCray, forward, taken 3rd by Houston. Peak 61 in 1989-90, 10 rated seasons.
Steals and misses
Taken well after his career said he should have gone:
- Doc Rivers: 31st in the real draft, 5th in the redraft. Peak 69.
- Clyde Drexler: 14th in the real draft, 1st in the redraft. Peak 78.
- Derek Harper: 11th in the real draft, 2nd in the redraft. Peak 66.
Top-ten picks the redraft moves furthest down:
- Russell Cross: 6th in the real draft, 39th in the redraft. Peak 38.
- Sidney Green: 5th in the real draft, 16th in the redraft. Peak 61.
- Steve Stipanovich: 2nd in the real draft, 12th in the redraft. Peak 63.
The real board
| Pick | Player | Pos | Club | Rookie | Peak | Seasons | Redraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Sampson | C | Houston | 75 | 75 1983 | 9 | 9 |
| 2 | Steve StipanovichMissouri | C | Indiana | 57 | 63 1984 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Rodney McCrayLouisville | F | Houston | 58 | 61 1989 | 10 | 10 |
| 4 | Byron ScottArizona State | G | 57 | 68 1987 | 14 | 4 | |
| 5 | Sidney GreenUNLV | F | Chicago | 40 | 61 1989 | 10 | 16 |
| 6 | Russell CrossPurdue | C | Golden State | 38 | 38 1983 | 1 | 39 |
| 7 | Thurl BaileyNC State | F | Utah | 56 | 67 1987 | 12 | 8 |
| 8 | Antoine CarrWichita State | F | Detroit | – | 68 1991 | 16 | 7 |
| 9 | Dale EllisTennessee | G | Dallas | 51 | 69 1986 | 17 | 3 |
| 10 | Jeff MaloneMississippi State | G | Washington | 54 | 67 1989 | 13 | 6 |
| 11 | Derek HarperIllinois | G | Dallas | 48 | 66 1986 | 16 | 2 |
| 12 | Darrell WalkerArkansas | G | New York | 60 | 63 1986 | 10 | 13 |
| 13 | Ennis WhatleyAlabama | G | Kansas City | 58 | 58 1983 | 10 | 20 |
| 14 | Clyde DrexlerHouston | G | Portland | 56 | 78 1987 | 15 | 1 |
| 15 | Howard CarterLSU | G | Denver | 44 | 44 1983 | 2 | 33 |
| 16 | Jon SundvoldMissouri | G | Seattle | 49 | 59 1986 | 9 | 21 |
| 17 | Leo RautinsSyracuse | F | Philadelphia | 31 | 31 1983 | 2 | 43 |
| 18 | Randy BreuerMinnesota | C | Milwaukee | 38 | 59 1987 | 11 | 17 |
| 19 | John PaxsonNotre Dame | G | San Antonio | 39 | 55 1990 | 11 | 19 |
| 20 | Roy HinsonRutgers | C | Cleveland | 51 | 64 1985 | 8 | 15 |
| 21 | Greg KiteBYU | C | Boston | 31 | 46 1990 | 12 | 31 |
| 22 | Randy WittmanIndiana | G | Washington | 39 | 55 1986 | 9 | 24 |
| 23 | Mitchell WigginsFlorida State | G | Indiana | 57 | 60 1989 | 6 | 18 |
| 24 | Stewart GrangerVillanova | G | Cleveland | 41 | 41 1983 | 3 | 35 |
| 26 | Leroy CombsOklahoma State | F | Indiana | 41 | 41 1983 | 1 | 36 |
| 27 | John GarrisBoston College | F | Cleveland | 37 | 37 1983 | 1 | 40 |
| 28 | Rod FosterUCLA | G | Phoenix | 52 | 54 1984 | 3 | 27 |
| 29 | Larry MicheauxHouston | F | Chicago | 39 | 39 1983 | 2 | 38 |
| 30 | Mark WestOld Dominion | C | Dallas | 30 | 61 1989 | 17 | 11 |
| 31 | Doc RiversMarquette | G | Atlanta | 58 | 69 1987 | 13 | 5 |
| 33 | Dirk MinniefieldKentucky | G | Dallas | – | 52 1985 | 3 | 29 |
| 34 | Guy WilliamsWashington State | F | Washington | – | 33 1984 | 2 | 42 |
| 35 | Darrell LockhartAuburn | C | San Antonio | 26 | 26 1983 | 1 | 46 |
| 36 | Scooter McCrayLouisville | F | Seattle | 35 | 35 1983 | 3 | 41 |
| 38 | Chris McNealySan Jose State | F | Kansas City | – | 42 1985 | 3 | 34 |
| 39 | Granville WaitersOhio State | C | Portland | 46 | 46 1983 | 5 | 32 |
| 40 | Jim ThomasIndiana | G | Indiana | 46 | 56 1984 | 4 | 25 |
| 43 | Pace MannionUtah | F | Golden State | 35 | 41 1985 | 6 | 37 |
| 46 | Kevin WilliamsSt. John's | G | San Antonio | 33 | 51 1987 | 5 | 30 |
| 48 | Craig EhloWashington State | G | Houston | 28 | 60 1993 | 14 | 14 |
| 50 | Paul ThompsonTulane | F | Cleveland | 56 | 56 1983 | 3 | 26 |
| 53 | Michael HoltonUCLA | G | Golden State | – | 53 1988 | 6 | 28 |
| 54 | Bob HansenIowa | G | Utah | 35 | 57 1987 | 9 | 22 |
| 57 | Darren DayeUCLA | F | Washington | 47 | 57 1984 | 5 | 23 |
| 58 | John PinoneVillanova | F | Atlanta | 28 | 28 1983 | 1 | 45 |
| 59 | Bruce KuczenskiConnecticut | F | New Jersey | 26 | 26 1983 | 1 | 47 |
| 62 | Tom PiotrowskiLa Salle | C | Portland | 29 | 29 1983 | 1 | 44 |
More drafts
The 1982 draft · The 1984 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.