The 1985 draft, redrafted
Hoops Redraft rates 48 players from the 1985 draft. Six of them reached 70 or better in at least one season. By the game's numbers the best career in the class belongs to Karl Malone, taken 13th by Utah. The latest pick in the redraft's top five is Terry Porter, who went 24th.
The board below is the real order: where each man was taken and by whom, his rating in 1985-86, 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. Eight of them have no 1985-86 rating, shown as a dash.
Play from 1985-86 Take over any club in 1985-86. The 1985 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.
- Karl Malone, forward, taken 13th by Utah. Peak 85 in 1996-97, 19 rated seasons.
- Patrick Ewing, centre, taken 1st by New York. Peak 83 in 1989-90, 17 rated seasons.
- Chris Mullin, forward, taken 7th by Golden State. Peak 81 in 1988-89, 16 rated seasons.
- Terry Porter, guard, taken 24th by Portland. Peak 71 in 1990-91, 17 rated seasons.
- Detlef Schrempf, forward, taken 8th by Dallas. Peak 70 in 1991-92, 16 rated seasons.
- Benoit Benjamin, centre, taken 3rd by LAC. Peak 67 in 1988-89, 15 rated seasons.
- Xavier McDaniel, forward, taken 4th by Seattle. Peak 68 in 1986-87, 12 rated seasons.
- Joe Dumars, guard, taken 18th by Detroit. Peak 63 in 1990-91, 14 rated seasons.
- Charles Oakley, forward, same spot as the real draft. Peak 62 in 1986-87, 19 rated seasons.
- Wayman Tisdale, forward, taken 2nd by Indiana. Peak 64 in 1989-90, 12 rated seasons.
Steals and misses
Taken well after his career said he should have gone:
- Terry Porter: 24th in the real draft, 4th in the redraft. Peak 71.
- Karl Malone: 13th in the real draft, 1st in the redraft. Peak 85.
- Joe Dumars: 18th in the real draft, 8th in the redraft. Peak 63.
Top-ten picks the redraft moves furthest down:
- Jon Koncak: 5th in the real draft, 24th in the redraft. Peak 55.
- Joe Kleine: 6th in the real draft, 22nd in the redraft. Peak 58.
- Wayman Tisdale: 2nd in the real draft, 10th in the redraft. Peak 64.
The real board
| Pick | Player | Pos | Club | Rookie | Peak | Seasons | Redraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick EwingGeorgetown | C | New York | 64 | 83 1989 | 17 | 2 |
| 2 | Wayman TisdaleOklahoma | F | Indiana | 59 | 64 1989 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | Benoit BenjaminCreighton | C | LAC | 66 | 67 1988 | 15 | 6 |
| 4 | Xavier McDanielWichita State | F | Seattle | 62 | 68 1986 | 12 | 7 |
| 5 | Jon KoncakSMU | C | Atlanta | 55 | 55 1985 | 11 | 24 |
| 6 | Joe KleineArkansas | C | Sacramento | 48 | 58 1987 | 15 | 22 |
| 7 | Chris MullinSt. John's | F | Golden State | 56 | 81 1988 | 16 | 3 |
| 8 | Detlef SchrempfWashington | F | Dallas | 48 | 70 1991 | 16 | 5 |
| 9 | Charles OakleyVirginia Union | F | Cleveland | 61 | 62 1986 | 19 | 9 |
| 10 | Ed PinckneyVillanova | F | Phoenix | 56 | 60 1988 | 12 | 17 |
| 11 | Keith LeeMemphis State | C | Chicago | 50 | 50 1985 | 3 | 29 |
| 12 | Kenny GreenWake Forest | F | Washington | 35 | 35 1985 | 2 | 42 |
| 13 | Karl MaloneLouisiana Tech | F | Utah | 61 | 85 1996 | 19 | 1 |
| 14 | Alfredrick HughesLoyola | G | San Antonio | 42 | 42 1985 | 1 | 33 |
| 15 | Blair RasmussenOregon | C | Denver | 38 | 65 1989 | 8 | 15 |
| 16 | Bill WenningtonSt. John's | C | Dallas | 40 | 54 1993 | 13 | 25 |
| 17 | Uwe BlabIndiana | C | Dallas | 36 | 40 1987 | 5 | 37 |
| 18 | Joe DumarsMcNeese State | G | Detroit | 57 | 63 1990 | 14 | 8 |
| 19 | Steve HarrisTulsa | G | Houston | 44 | 51 1986 | 5 | 28 |
| 20 | Sam VincentMichigan State | G | Boston | 40 | 59 1989 | 7 | 21 |
| 21 | Terry CatledgeSouth Alabama | F | Philadelphia | 47 | 61 1989 | 8 | 19 |
| 22 | Jerry ReynoldsLSU | G/F | Milwaukee | 45 | 67 1990 | 8 | 20 |
| 23 | A. C. GreenOregon State | F | LAL | 51 | 61 1988 | 16 | 14 |
| 24 | Terry PorterWisconsin–Stevens Point | G | Portland | 54 | 71 1990 | 17 | 4 |
| 25 | Mike SmrekCanisius | C | Portland | 36 | 41 1988 | 7 | 35 |
| 26 | Bill MartinGeorgetown | F | Indiana | 44 | 44 1985 | 3 | 32 |
| 27 | Dwayne McClainVillanova | G | Indiana | 37 | 37 1985 | 1 | 38 |
| 28 | Ken JohnsonMichigan State | F | Chicago | 42 | 42 1985 | 1 | 34 |
| 29 | Mike BrittainSouth Carolina | C | San Antonio | 33 | 33 1985 | 2 | 44 |
| 31 | Manute BolBridgeport | C | Washington | – | 55 1988 | 9 | 23 |
| 32 | Nick VanosSanta Clara | C | Phoenix | 31 | 41 1986 | 2 | 36 |
| 33 | Greg StokesIowa | F/C | Philadelphia | 37 | 37 1985 | 2 | 39 |
| 35 | Tyrone CorbinDePaul | F | San Antonio | 33 | 62 1990 | 16 | 16 |
| 36 | Yvon JosephGeorgia Tech | C | New Jersey | 26 | 26 1985 | 1 | 47 |
| 37 | Carey ScurryLIU Brooklyn | F | Utah | 50 | 53 1986 | 3 | 27 |
| 38 | Fernando MartínReal Madrid | F | New Jersey | – | 30 1986 | 1 | 46 |
| 40 | Mark AcresOral Roberts | F/C | Dallas | – | 48 1989 | 6 | 31 |
| 41 | Lorenzo CharlesNC State | F | Atlanta | 36 | 36 1985 | 1 | 41 |
| 44 | Voise Winters | G | Philadelphia | 26 | 26 1985 | 1 | 48 |
| 45 | John "Hot Rod" WilliamsTulane | F | Cleveland | – | 64 1989 | 13 | 12 |
| 46 | Adrian BranchMaryland | F | Chicago | – | 50 1988 | 4 | 30 |
| 47 | Gerald WilkinsChattanooga | G | New York | 54 | 63 1986 | 13 | 13 |
| 49 | Brad WrightUCLA | F | Golden State | – | 34 1986 | 2 | 43 |
| 54 | Sam MitchellMercer | F | Houston | – | 62 1997 | 13 | 18 |
| 59 | Sedric ToneyDayton | G | Atlanta | 26 | 37 1989 | 5 | 40 |
| 63 | Harold KeelingSanta Clara | G | Dallas | 31 | 31 1985 | 1 | 45 |
| 66 | Michael AdamsBoston College | G | Sacramento | 31 | 80 1990 | 11 | 11 |
| 69 | Mike BrownGeorge Washington | C | Chicago | – | 53 1989 | 11 | 26 |
More drafts
The 1984 draft · The 1986 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.