1998 NBA draft
1998 NBA draft | |||||
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General information | |||||
Date(s) | June 24, 1998 | ||||
Time | 7:30 pm (EDT) | ||||
Location | General Motors Place, Vancouver, British Columbia | ||||
First selection | Michael Olowokandi, Los Angeles Clippers | ||||
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The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors.
The Mavericks, despite having a talented nucleus of Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn and Jimmy Jackson in the mid-1990s, had not had a winning season since 1989–1990. By the end of the 1997 season, all three players were traded and it was time to rebuild. With the sixth selection in 1998, they drafted Robert Traylor and quickly traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Dirk Nowitzki and Pat Garrity. They then traded Garrity in a package to the Phoenix Suns for Steve Nash. With Nash and Nowitzki, the Mavericks quickly went from a lottery team in the late 1990s to a perennial playoff contender throughout the 2000s. Nowitzki went on to win the 2011 NBA Finals with Dallas without Nash, but with Kidd.
Meanwhile, the Raptors were a recent expansion team that had failed to win more than 30 games in its first three seasons. With the fourth pick they selected Antawn Jamison, whom they quickly dealt to the Golden State Warriors for Vince Carter.
The Kings, having been a perennial lottery bound franchise, skyrocketed in popularity with the addition of Chris Webber and 7th pick Jason Williams. The Kings went to the playoffs that year and took the defending Western Conference Champions to the final game of their 1st round Playoff series.
First overall pick Michael Olowokandi is regarded by Sports Illustrated as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history.[1]
Five players from the 1998 draft class have played in the NBA All-Star Game at least once in their careers: Nowitzki, Carter, Jamison, Paul Pierce and Rashard Lewis. All of them have reached the 20,000 points plateau during their careers except for Lewis.
Only Nowitzki currently plays for his original team.
* | Denotes player who has been selected for (an) All-Star Game(s) and (an) All-NBA Team(s) |
+ | Denotes player who has been selected for (an) All-Star Game(s) |
x | Denotes player who has been selected for (an) All-NBA Team(s) |
− | Denotes player who never played in the NBA |
Draft
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality[n 1] | NBA team | School/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Olowokandi, MichaelMichael Olowokandi | C | ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers | Pacific (Sr.) |
1 | 2 | Bibby, MikeMike Bibby | PG | ![]() |
Vancouver Grizzlies | Arizona (So.) |
1 | 3 | LaFrentz, RaefRaef LaFrentz | C/F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets | Kansas (Sr.) |
1 | 4 | Jamison, AntawnAntawn Jamison+ | F | ![]() |
Toronto Raptors (traded to Golden State) | North Carolina (Jr.) |
1 | 5 | Carter, VinceVince Carter* | G/F | ![]() |
Golden State Warriors (traded to Toronto) | North Carolina (Jr.) |
1 | 6 | Traylor, RobertRobert Traylor | F/C | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks (traded to Milwaukee) | Michigan (Jr.) |
1 | 7 | Williams, JasonJason Williams | PG | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Florida (Jr.) |
1 | 8 | Hughes, LarryLarry Hughes | SG | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Saint Louis (Fr.) |
1 | 9 | Nowitzki, DirkDirk Nowitzki* | PF | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks (traded to Dallas) | DJK Würzburg (Germany, 2nd division) |
1 | 10 | Pierce, PaulPaul Pierce* | G/F | ![]() |
Boston Celtics | Kansas (Jr.) |
1 | 11 | Wells, BonziBonzi Wells | G/F | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Ball State (Sr.) |
1 | 12 | Doleac, MichaelMichael Doleac | C | ![]() |
Orlando Magic | Utah (Sr.) |
1 | 13 | Clark, KeonKeon Clark | F/C | ![]() |
Orlando Magic (from Golden State via Washington) | UNLV (Sr.) |
1 | 14 | Dickerson, MichaelMichael Dickerson | SG | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Arizona (Sr.) |
1 | 15 | Harpring, MattMatt Harpring | F/G | ![]() |
Orlando Magic (from New Jersey) | Georgia Tech (Sr.) |
1 | 16 | Drew, BryceBryce Drew | PG | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Valparaíso (Sr.) |
1 | 17 | Nesterovič, RadoslavRadoslav Nesterovič | C | ![]() |
Minnesota Timberwolves | Kinder Bologna (Italy) |
1 | 18 | Türkcan, MirsadMirsad Türkcan | PF | ![]() |
Houston Rockets (from Toronto via Portland) | Efes Pilsen (Turkey) |
1 | 19 | Garrity, PatPat Garrity | PF | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks (from Cleveland, traded to Phoenix) | Notre Dame (Sr.) |
1 | 20 | McLeod, RoshownRoshown McLeod | SF | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Duke (Sr.) |
1 | 21 | Davis, RickyRicky Davis | G/F | ![]() |
Charlotte Hornets | Iowa (Fr.) |
1 | 22 | Skinner, BrianBrian Skinner | F/C | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers (from Miami) | Baylor (Sr.) |
1 | 23 | Lue, TyronnTyronn Lue | PG | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets (from Phoenix traded to L.A. Lakers) | Nebraska (Jr.) |
1 | 24 | López, FelipeFelipe López | SG | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs (traded to Vancouver) | St. John's (Sr.) |
1 | 25 | Harrington, AlAl Harrington | F | ![]() |
Indiana Pacers | St. Patrick's High School (Elizabeth, New Jersey) |
1 | 26 | Jacobson, SamSam Jacobson | SG | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers | Minnesota (Sr.) |
1 | 27 | Stepania, VladimirVladimir Stepania | C | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics | Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) |
1 | 28 | Benjamin, CoreyCorey Benjamin | SG | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Oregon State (So.) |
1 | 29 | Mohammed, NazrNazr Mohammed | C/F | ![]() |
Utah Jazz (traded to Philadelphia) | Kentucky (Jr.) |
2 | 30 | Sesay, AnsuAnsu Sesay | SF | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks (from Toronto) | Mississippi (Sr.) |
2 | 31 | Patterson, RubenRuben Patterson | SF | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers (from Vancouver) | Cincinnati (Sr.) |
2 | 32 | Lewis, RashardRashard Lewis+ | PF | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics (from Detroit) | Alief Elsik HS (Houston, Texas) |
2 | 33 | McCoy, JelaniJelani McCoy | F/C | ![]() |
Seattle SuperSonics (from L.A. Clippers) | UCLA (Jr.) |
2 | 34 | Williams, ShammondShammond Williams | PG | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls (from Golden State) | North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 35 | Šundov, BrunoBruno Šundov | C | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks | Split (Croatia) |
2 | 36 | James, JeromeJerome James | C | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings | Florida A&M (Jr.) |
2 | 37 | Shaw, CaseyCasey Shaw | C | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers | Toledo (Sr.) |
2 | 38 | Johnson, DeMarcoDeMarco Johnson | PF | ![]() |
New York Knicks (from Boston) | Charlotte (Sr.) |
2 | 39 | Alston, RaferRafer Alston | PG | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks | Fresno State (Sr.) |
2 | 40 | Young, KorleoneKorleone Young | SF | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons | Hargrave Military Academy |
2 | 41 | Mobley, CuttinoCuttino Mobley | SG | ![]() |
Houston Rockets | Rhode Island (Sr.) |
2 | 42 | Simon, MilesMiles Simon | SG | ![]() |
Orlando Magic | Arizona (Sr.) |
2 | 43 | White, JahidiJahidi White | F/C | ![]() |
Washington Wizards | Georgetown (Sr.) |
2 | 44 | Marks, SeanSean Marks | PF | ![]() |
New York Knicks | California (Sr.) |
2 | 45 | Bailey, TobyToby Bailey | SG | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers (from New Jersey) | UCLA (Sr.) |
2 | 46 | Patterson, AndraeAndrae Patterson | SF | ![]() |
Minnesota Timberwolves | Indiana (Sr.) |
2 | 47 | Wheeler, TysonTyson Wheeler | PG | ![]() |
Toronto Raptors | Rhode Island (Sr.) |
2 | 48 | Stack, RyanRyan Stack | C | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers | South Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 49 | Carr, CoryCory Carr | SG | ![]() |
Atlanta Hawks | Texas Tech (Sr.) |
2 | 50 | Betts, AndrewAndrew Betts− | C | ![]() |
Charlotte Hornets | Long Beach State (Sr.) |
2 | 51 | Brewer, CoreyCorey Brewer− | PG | ![]() |
Miami Heat | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
2 | 52 | Dial, DerrickDerrick Dial | SG | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs | Eastern Michigan (Sr.) |
2 | 53 | Buckner, GregGreg Buckner | SG | ![]() |
Dallas Mavericks (from Phoenix) | Clemson (Sr.) |
2 | 54 | Fowlkes, TremaineTremaine Fowlkes | SF | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets (from Indiana) | Fresno State (Sr.) |
2 | 55 | Bowen, RyanRyan Bowen | SF | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets (from Seattle) | Iowa (Sr.) |
2 | 56 | Henderson, J.R.J.R. Henderson | SF | ![]() ![]() |
Vancouver Grizzlies (from L.A. Lakers) | UCLA (Sr.) |
2 | 57 | Braggs, TorrayeTorraye Braggs | PF | ![]() |
Utah Jazz | Xavier (Sr.) |
2 | 58 | Baston, MaceoMaceo Baston | PF | ![]() |
Chicago Bulls | Michigan (Sr.) |
Notable undrafted players

These players were not selected in the 1998 NBA Draft but have played at least one game in the NBA.
Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club team |
---|---|---|---|
Boykins, EarlEarl Boykins | PG | ![]() |
Eastern Michigan (Sr.) |
Brown, GeraldGerald Brown | SG | ![]() |
Pepperdine (Sr.) |
Carter, AnthonyAnthony Carter | PG | ![]() |
Hawaii (Sr.) |
Goodrich, SteveSteve Goodrich | PF/C | ![]() |
Princeton (Sr.) |
James, MikeMike James | PG | ![]() |
Duquesne (Sr.) |
Jasikevičius, ŠarūnasŠarūnas Jasikevičius | PG | ![]() |
Maryland (Sr.) |
Jones, CharlesCharles Jones | SG | ![]() |
LIU Brooklyn (Sr.) |
Jones, MarkMark Jones | SF | ![]() |
UCF (Sr.) |
McCarty, KellyKelly McCarty | SG | ![]() |
Southern Miss (Sr.) |
Medvedenko, SlavaSlava Medvedenko[2] | PF | ![]() |
Budivelnyk Kiev (Ukraine) (born 1979) |
Miller, BradBrad Miller+ | C | ![]() |
Purdue (Sr.) |
Nesby, TyroneTyrone Nesby | SF | ![]() |
UNLV (Sr.) |
Santiago, DanielDaniel Santiago | C | ![]() ![]() |
Saint Vincent (Sr.) |
References
- ↑ Sports Illustrated photo gallery
- ↑ Early entry candidate, per 2013 NBA Draft Media Guide, p. 213.
External links
- "Official website". Archived from the original on 2001-02-14. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- 1998 NBA Draft at Basketball-Reference.com