^Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
Notable undrafted players
Some of these players not selected in this year's draft have played in the NBA.
The new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) took into effect starting in this year's draft. Under the new agreement, high school players were not eligible for selection. The new rules stated that high school players must wait one year after their high school class graduates and must be at least 19 years old to be eligible for the draft.[8][9]
The basic requirements for draft eligibility are:
All drafted players must be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year of the draft (i.e. born on or before December 31, 1987, for the 2006 draft).[9]
Any player who is not an "international player", as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), must be at least one year removed from the graduation of his high school class.[9]
The CBA defines "international players" as players who permanently resided outside the U.S. for three years before the draft, did not complete high school in the U.S., and have never enrolled at a U.S. college or university.[10]
The basic requirement for automatic eligibility for a U.S. player is the completion of his college eligibility.[11] Players who meet the CBA definition of "international players" are automatically eligible if their 22nd birthday falls during or before the calendar year of the draft (i.e., born on or before December 31, 1984, for the 2006 draft).[12]
A player who is not automatically eligible must declare his eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 60 days before the draft.[13][14][15] An early entry candidate is allowed to withdraw his eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 10 days before the draft.[16] On June 19, 2006, NBA announced that 37 college players and 10 international players had filed as early-entry candidates for the 2006 Draft, while 47 players who had previously declared as early entry candidates had withdrawn from the draft.[17]
Early entrants
This year would mark the very first year where the NBA would not allow for high school prospects to enter the NBA draft after previously allowing it since 1995.
College underclassmen
This year would mark a step down from the number of underclassmen expressing their interest in joining the NBA draft. After previously having over 100 players expressing their interest last year, this year only saw 92 total underclassmen from college or overseas play express interest in entering the NBA draft. However 46 of these players would later withdraw their entries into the draft, leaving only 46 total underclassmen from college or overseas areas officially entering the draft this year. The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[18]
Players who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:
They have no remaining college eligibility.
If they graduated from high school in the U.S., but did not enroll in a U.S. college or university, four years have passed since their high school class graduated.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team not in the NBA, anywhere in the world, and have played under the contract.
Players who meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:
They are at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the draft. In term of dates players born on or before December 31, 1984, are automatically eligible for the 2006 draft.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team not in the NBA within the United States, and have played under that contract.
The first 14 picks in the draft belonged to teams that had missed the playoffs; the order was determined through a lottery. The lottery would determine the three teams that would obtain the first three picks on the draft. The remaining first-round picks and the second-round picks were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. On April 20, 2007, the NBA performed a tie-breaker to determine the order of the picks for teams with identical win–loss record.[20]
The 2006 Draft Lottery was held on May 23, 2006, in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Toronto Raptors, who had the fifth-worst record, won the lottery with just 8.8% chance to win. The Chicago Bulls, who acquired the New York Knicks' first-round draft pick from a previous trade, landed the second overall pick. The Portland Trail Blazers who had the best chance to land the top pick fell out of the top three and had to settle with 4th pick. Portland's 4th pick was the lowest possible pick that Portland could obtained through the lottery.[21]
Below were the chances for each team to get specific picks in the 2006 draft lottery, rounded to three decimal places:[22][23]
g 12Memphis acquired the draft rights to 45th pick Alexander Johnson from Portland in exchange for a 2008 second-round draft pick. Previously, Portland acquired the draft rights to 45th pick Alexander Johnson, 2007 and 2008 second-round draft picks from Indiana in exchange for the draft rights to 31st pick James White.[4]
hPhiladelphia acquired the draft rights to 37th pick Bobby Jones from Minnesota in exchange for a 2007 second-round draft pick and cash considerations.[26]
s On July 15, 2005, New Jersey acquired Philadelphia's 2005, Denver's 2006 and L.A. Clippers' 2006 first-round draft picks from Denver in exchange for Kenyon Martin.[37] Previously, Denver acquired L.A. Clippers' 2006 first-round draft pick and Don Reid on August 1, 2002, from Orlando in exchange for a 2004 second-round draft pick.[42] Previously, Orlando acquired a first-round draft pick on June 28, 2006, from the L.A. Clippers in exchange for Corey Maggette, Derek Strong, the draft rights to Keyon Dooling, a 2000 second-round draft pick and cash considerations.[42] New Jersey used the 22nd pick to draft Marcus Williams.
v On June 28, 2005, Portland acquired Detroit's 2006 first-round draft pick, the 6th and 27th pick in 2005 from Utah in exchange for the 3rd pick in 2005.[45] Previously, Utah acquired a 2006 first-round draft pick and Elden Campbell on January 21, 2005, from Detroit in exchange for Carlos Arroyo.[46] Portland used the 30th pick to draft Joel Freeland.
aa On February 23, 2006, Cleveland acquired a 2006 second-round draft pick and Lee Nailon from Philadelphia in exchange for a conditional 2006 second-round draft pick.[51] The conditional 2006 second-round draft pick was not exercised by Philadelphia. Cleveland used the 42nd pick to draft Daniel Gibson.
ac On September 30, 2003, Utah acquired Houston's 2004 first-round draft pick, Chicago's 2005 and 2006 second-round draft picks, Glen Rice and cash considerations from Houston in exchange for John Amaechi and Sacramento's 2004 second-round draft pick.[54] Previously, Houston acquired 2005 and 2006 second-round draft picks on September 28, 2000, from Chicago in exchange for Bryce Drew. Utah used the 46th pick to draft Dee Brown.
af On January 31, 2006, Toronto acquired Miami's 2006 second-round draft pick and New Orleans's 2009 second-round draft pick from New Orleans/Oklahoma City in exchange for Aaron Williams.[57] Previously, New Orleans/Oklahoma City acquired Miami's 2006 second-round draft pick on September 30, 2005, from Boston in exchange for Dan Dickau.[58] Previously, Boston acquired 2006 and 2008 second-round draft picks, Qyntel Woods and the draft rights to Albert Miralles on August 8, 2005, from Miami in a five-team trade with Miami, Memphis, New Orleans/Oklahoma City and Utah.[59] Toronto used the 56th pick to draft Edin Bavčić.
^"Lakers Sign J.R. Pinnock". NBA.com/Lakers. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. September 6, 2006. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
^"Raptors Trade Carter To Nets". NBA.com/Raptors. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. December 17, 2004. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
^"Jazz Acquire 3rd Pick". NBA.com/Jazz. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. June 28, 2005. Archived from the original on March 8, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
^"Arroyo Trade". NBA.com/Jazz. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 21, 2005. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
^"Knicks Acquire Maurice Taylor". NBA.com/Knicks. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 24, 2005. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
^"Jazz trade John Amaechi". NBA.com/Jazz. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. September 30, 2003. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
^"Raptors Trade Aaron Williams". NBA.com/Raptors. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 31, 2006. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2009.