2001 NBA draft

2001 NBA draft

The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001, in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizards, over players that have gone on to have more successful NBA careers, has been a source of great criticism by numerous media outlets. Several international players from this draft, Pau Gasol (Spain), Tony Parker (France) and Mehmet Okur (Turkey), became NBA All-Stars.

The Minnesota Timberwolves forfeited their first-round pick due to salary cap violations. It would be the first of two first rounders that would have to forfeit their picks during the early 2000s.

Eight of the players selected in this draft would never play in an NBA game in their professional basketball careers. Both of the players drafted by the New York Knicks (Michael Wright and Eric Chenowith) were among this group.

The final remaining active player from this draft was Joe Johnson, who retired from the NBA following the 2022 season. Thus, no active players remain from this class.

Draft selections

2001 NBA draft

^	Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
	Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-NBA Team
+	Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
#	Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular-season or playoff game
~	Denotes player who has been selected as Rookie of the Year

<table><thead><tr><th>Round</th><th>Pick</th><th>Player</th><th>Position</th><th>Nationality</th><th>Team</th><th>School/club team</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>Kwame Brown</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Washington Wizards</td><td>Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Georgia)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>Tyson Chandler</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Los Angeles Clippers (traded to Chicago)</td><td>Dominguez HS (Compton, California)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>Pau Gasol^~</td><td>PF/C</td><td> Spain</td><td>Atlanta Hawks (traded to Vancouver)</td><td>FC Barcelona (Spain)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>Eddy Curry</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Chicago Bulls</td><td>Thornwood HS (South Holland, Illinois)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>Jason Richardson</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Golden State Warriors</td><td>Michigan State (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>6</td><td>Shane Battier</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Vancouver Grizzlies</td><td>Duke (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>7</td><td>Eddie Griffin</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>New Jersey Nets (traded to Houston)</td><td>Seton Hall (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>8</td><td>DeSagana Diop</td><td>C</td><td> Senegal</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td><td>Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) HS</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>9</td><td>Rodney White</td><td>SF/PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td>Charlotte (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>10</td><td>Joe Johnson</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Boston Celtics</td><td>Arkansas (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>11</td><td>Kedrick Brown</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Boston Celtics (from Denver)</td><td>Okaloosa-Walton CC (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>12</td><td>Vladimir Radmanović</td><td>PF</td><td> Yugoslavia</td><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td><td>FMP (Yugoslavia)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>13</td><td>Richard Jefferson</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Houston Rockets (traded to New Jersey)</td><td>Arizona (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>14</td><td>Troy Murphy</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Golden State Warriors (from Indiana)</td><td>Notre Dame (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>15</td><td>Steven Hunter</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic</td><td>DePaul (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>16</td><td>Kirk Haston</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Charlotte Hornets</td><td>Indiana (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>17</td><td>Michael Bradley</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Toronto Raptors</td><td>Villanova (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>18</td><td>Jason Collins</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Houston Rockets (from New York via Phoenix and Orlando, traded to New Jersey)</td><td>Stanford (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>19</td><td>Zach Randolph</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Portland Trail Blazers</td><td>Michigan State (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>20</td><td>Brendan Haywood</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers (from Miami, traded to Orlando)</td><td>North Carolina (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>21</td><td>Joseph Forte</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Boston Celtics (from Phoenix via Denver and Utah)</td><td>North Carolina (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>22</td><td>Jeryl Sasser</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic (from Milwaukee via Houston)</td><td>SMU (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>23</td><td>Brandon Armstrong</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Houston Rockets (from Dallas via Orlando, traded to New Jersey)</td><td>Pepperdine (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>24</td><td>Raül López</td><td>PG</td><td> Spain</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td>Real Madrid (Spain)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>25</td><td>Gerald Wallace+</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Sacramento Kings</td><td>Alabama (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>26</td><td>Samuel Dalembert</td><td>C</td><td> Canada</td><td>Philadelphia 76ers</td><td>Seton Hall (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>27</td><td>Jamaal Tinsley</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Vancouver Grizzlies (from L.A. Lakers via New York, traded to Indiana via Atlanta)</td><td>Iowa State (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>28</td><td>Tony Parker^</td><td>PG</td><td> France</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>Paris Basket Racing (France)</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>29</td><td>Forfeited pick</td><td></td><td></td><td>Minnesota Timberwolves (forfeited their first-round pick due to salary cap violations)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>30</td><td>Trenton Hassell</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Chicago Bulls</td><td>Austin Peay (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>31</td><td>Gilbert Arenas</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Golden State Warriors</td><td>Arizona (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>32</td><td>Omar Cook</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic (from Washington, traded to Denver)</td><td>St. John's (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>33</td><td>Will Solomon</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Vancouver Grizzlies</td><td>Clemson (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>34</td><td>Brian Scalabrine</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>New Jersey Nets</td><td>USC (Sr)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>35</td><td>Terence Morris</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Atlanta Hawks</td><td>Maryland (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>36</td><td>Jeff Trepagnier</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td><td>USC (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>37</td><td>Damone Brown</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Philadelphia 76ers (from L.A. Clippers)</td><td>Syracuse (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>38</td><td>Mehmet Okur+</td><td>C</td><td> Turkey</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td>Efes Pilsen (Turkey)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>39</td><td>Michael Wright#</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>New York Knicks (from Boston via Seattle)</td><td>Arizona (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>40</td><td>Earl Watson</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td><td>UCLA (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>41</td><td>Jamison Brewer</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Indiana Pacers</td><td>Auburn (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>42</td><td>Bobby Simmons</td><td>F/G</td><td> United States</td><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td><td>DePaul (Jr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>43</td><td>Eric Chenowith#</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>New York Knicks (from Seattle)</td><td>Kansas (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>44</td><td>Kyle Hill#</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Dallas Mavericks (from Houston)</td><td>Eastern Illinois (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>45</td><td>Sean Lampley</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>Chicago Bulls (from Charlotte)</td><td>California (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>46</td><td>Loren Woods</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Minnesota Timberwolves</td><td>Arizona (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>47</td><td>Ousmane Cisse#</td><td>PF</td><td> Mali</td><td>Denver Nuggets (from Toronto)</td><td>St. Jude HS (Montgomery, Alabama)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>48</td><td>Antonis Fotsis</td><td>SF</td><td> Greece</td><td>Vancouver Grizzlies (from New York)</td><td>Panathinaikos (Greece) 1981</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>49</td><td>Ken Johnson</td><td>C</td><td> United States</td><td>Miami Heat</td><td>Ohio State (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>50</td><td>Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje</td><td>C</td><td> Cameroon</td><td>Portland Trail Blazers</td><td>Georgetown (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>51</td><td>Alton Ford</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Phoenix Suns</td><td>Houston (Fr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>52</td><td>Andre Hutson#</td><td>PF</td><td> United States</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks</td><td>Michigan State (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>53</td><td>Jarron Collins</td><td>F/C</td><td> United States</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td>Stanford (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>54</td><td>Kenny Satterfield</td><td>PG</td><td> United States</td><td>Dallas Mavericks</td><td>Cincinnati (So.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>55</td><td>Maurice Jeffers#</td><td>SG</td><td> United States</td><td>Sacramento Kings</td><td>Saint Louis (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>56</td><td>Robertas Javtokas#</td><td>C</td><td> Lithuania</td><td>San Antonio Spurs (from L.A. Lakers)</td><td>Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>57</td><td>Alvin Jones</td><td>C</td><td> Luxembourg</td><td>Philadelphia 76ers</td><td>Georgia Tech (Sr.)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>58</td><td>Bryan Bracey#</td><td>SF</td><td> United States</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>Oregon (Sr.)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Notable undrafted players

2001 NBA draft

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

Player	Position	Nationality	School/club team
Carlos Arroyo	PG	Puerto Rico	FIU (Sr.)
Charlie Bell	G	United States	Michigan State (Sr.)
Tierre Brown	G	United States	McNeese State (Sr.)
Joe Crispin	PG	United States	Penn State (Sr.)
Maurice Evans	SG/SF	United States	Texas (Jr.)
Tang Hamilton	SF	United States	Mississippi State (Sr.)
Walter Herrmann	SF	Argentina	Atenas de Córdoba (Argentina)
Horace Jenkins	PG	United States	William Paterson (Sr.)
Jamario Moon	SF	United States	Meridian CC (Fr.)
Andrés Nocioni	PF/SF	Argentina	TAU Cerámica (Spain)
Dean Oliver	PG	United States	Iowa (Sr.)
Norman Richardson	G	United States	Hofstra (Sr.)
Paul Shirley	PF	United States	Iowa State (Sr.)
Cezary Trybański	C	Poland	Znicz Pruszków (Poland)
Ratko Varda	C	Yugoslavia	Partizan (Serbia)
Mike Wilks	PG	United States	Rice (Sr.)

Early entrants

College underclassmen

This year would officially mark the very first year where the number of underclassmen that declared their entry into the NBA draft would exceed the number of selections made with 75 players that fit the underclassmen criteria declaring their initial entry for the NBA draft. However, it would also mark the largest number of dropped players yet with 23 of those players either coming from college or overseas deciding to withdraw from the draft for one reason or another. The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.

High school players

This would be the seventh straight year in a row where at least one high school player would declare their entry into the NBA draft directly out of high school after previously only allowing it one time back in (/wiki/1975NBAdraft). This year would also mark the year with the highest amount of players coming directly out of high school yet with six players deciding to make the jump into an opportunity at the NBA (though only five of them would get it). Not only that, but it marked the first time that a high schooler would be taken as the #1 pick of the NBA draft. The following high school players successfully applied for early draft entrance.

International players

The following international players successfully applied for early draft entrance.

Other eligible players

Player	Team	Note	Ref.
Robertas Javtokas	Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)	Left Arizona in 2000; playing professionally since the 2000–01 season