1991 NBA draft

Draft

Notable undrafted players

These eligible players were not selected in the 1991 NBA draft but have played at least one game in the NBA.

Early entrants

College underclassmen

For the ninth year in a row and the thirteenth time in fourteen years, no college underclassman would withdraw their entry into the NBA draft. Not only that, but this would be the second time in NBA history (and the second time in three years) where an international player would be considered a direct underclassman to participate in an NBA draft, with Žan Tabak of the KK POP 84 of the Eastern Bloc nation known as SFR Yugoslavia (now since separated, with Tabak representing Croatia) being the second ever international underclassman to be taken directly from an overseas team without previously going to an American college or playing for any prior American institution (the first being fellow Yugoslavian Vlade Divac). In addition to that, this was also the sixth straight year where at least one player that previously played basketball collegiately would go play professionally overseas, with Richard Dumas from Oklahoma State University would play for Hapoel Holon B.C. in Israel, the Israeli born Nadav Henefeld from the University of Connecticut would play for the rivaling Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. in his home nation, and Stanley Roberts from Louisiana State University would play for Real Madrid Baloncesto in Spain. Including those four people, the total number of underclassmen would increase from ten to fourteen players. Regardless, the following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.

• USA Kenny Anderson – G, Georgia Tech (sophomore)
• USA Terrell Brandon – G, Oregon (junior)
• USA Tony Farmer – F, Nebraska (junior)
• USA Jerome Harmon – G, Louisville (junior)
• USA Donald Hodge – C, Temple (junior)
• USA Anderson Hunt – G, UNLV (junior)
• USA Raoul Hutchens – G, Whittier (junior)
• USA Ty Moseler – G, Waukesha County Tech (sophomore)
• USA Chancellor Nichols – F, James Madison (junior)
• USA Billy Owens – F, Syracuse (junior)
• USA Brian Williams – F/C, Arizona (junior)

International players

This would be the second time in NBA history where an international born and raised player would be considered an underclassman in an NBA draft, as well as the second time a player from the now-former nation of SFR Yugoslavia would enter the NBA draft as such a player. The following international player successfully applied for early draft entrance.

• SFR Yugoslavia/CRO Žan Tabak – C, Split (Yugoslavia)

Other eligible players

This would be the sixth year in a row with at least one player that previously played in college entering the NBA draft as an underclassman, as well as the first year where multiple underclassmen that went overseas to play professionally would play in the same nation as each other (albeit for different teams).

Invited attendees

The 1991 NBA draft is considered to be the fourteenth NBA draft to have utilized what's properly considered the "green room" experience for NBA prospects. The NBA's green room is a staging area where anticipated draftees often sit with their families and representatives, waiting for their names to be called on draft night. Often being positioned either in front of or to the side of the podium (in this case, being positioned somewhere within the main building of the Madison Square Garden), once a player heard his name, he would walk to the podium to shake hands and take promotional photos with the NBA commissioner. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. However, once the NBA draft started to air nationally on TV starting with the 1980 NBA draft, the green room evolved from players waiting to hear their name called and then shaking hands with these select players who were often called to the hotel to take promotional pictures with the NBA commissioner a day or two after the draft concluded to having players in real-time waiting to hear their names called up and then shaking hands with David Stern, the NBA's newest commissioner at the time. The NBA compiled its list of green room invites through collective voting by the NBA's team presidents and general managers alike, which in this year's case belonged to only what they believed were the top 14 prospects at the time. Despite the large amount of invites and them successfully avoiding any inviting prospects waiting into the second round (to the point where the only error in mind from getting a perfectly ordered invited attendees line-up was leaving out Dale Davis from Clemson University), two notable absences from this group include the aforementioned Dale Davis from Clemson University and Chris Gatling from Old Dominion University, making this the most accurate green room draft invite list for the NBA yet. Even so, the following players were invited to attend this year's draft festivities live and in person.

• USA Kenny Anderson – PG, Georgia Tech
• USA Greg Anthony – PG, UNLV
• USA Stacey Augmon – SG/SF, UNLV
• USA Anthony Avent – PF, Seton Hall
• USA Terrell Brandon – PG, Oregon
• USA Larry Johnson – PF, UNLV
• USA Rich King – C, Nebraska
• AUS Luc Longley – C, New Mexico
• USA Mark Macon – SG, Temple
• Zaire/DR Congo Dikembe Mutombo – C, Georgetown
• USA Billy Owens – SF, Syracuse
• USA Doug Smith – PF, Missouri
• USA Steve Smith – SG, Michigan State
• USA Brian Williams – PF/C, Arizona

Notes

1. Brian Williams changed his name to Bison Dele in 1998.

References

References

1. Bradley, Robert D.. (2013). "The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts". Scarecrow Press.
2. "Dikembe Mutombo Statistics". basketball-reference.com.
3. "Sports Illustrated".
4. (August 4, 2007). "1991 Underclassmen".
5. (December 8, 1991). "Dumas May Get a Chance".
6. (August 11, 1990). "SPORTS PEOPLE: COLLEGE BASKETBALL; UConn's Henefeld Signs With Israeli Pro Team".
7. (May 13, 1991). "Roberts's Return Adds Beef to NBA Lottery". The Washington Post.
8. "1991 Green Room Invites - the Draft Review".
9. Maurer, Matthew. (2024-02-18). "Draft Broadcasts - The Draft Review".
10. "Green Room - The Draft Review".
11. "Bison Dele Bio". NBA.