March 5, 2026, 5:02 p.m. ET
The 1986 NBA draft turns 40 this year. There was so much potential among the players in it but the first round selection process wound up being remembered more for what went wrong than right. That started days after the Boston Celtics selected Len Bias second overall. The Maryland All-American died from a cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose on June 19. A look at the 24 players chosen in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft and how their careers soared or flopped.
The 7-foot-3 Lithuanian center played seven seasons. He averaged 12 points and 7.3 rebounds per game despite suffering from an Achilles injury and problematic knees. His overall career was strong enough that Sabonis was named to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Barlow was traded by the Lakers to the Atlanta Hawks soon after being draft out of Notre Dame. He did not play in the NBA. He did have a long international career.
As tough as they come, one loved having the guard from Michigan State on their team or hated playing against him. He set an NBA record with 30 assists in a game for the Orlando Magic against the Denver Nuggets in 1990. Averaged 11.1 points and 6.5 assists per game.
21. Washington Bullets: Anthony Jones
Played in 164 games over three seasons and avaraged 3.6 points per game. Played with four teams and started a grand total of four games in the NBA.
A small forward out of Alabama played six seasons with the Rockets and started 296 of the 505 games he played in the Association. Johnson averaged 9.1 ppg with a career-high of 14.9 in 1989-90.
19. Atlanta Hawks: Billy Thompson
Heralded as one of the greatest high school player of all time. The Camden High star went to Louisville. He was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent two years there, winning championships as a marginal player. He only played in nine games in his second season. After that it was on to Miami for one season before finishing his NBA career at 28 by play one minute in a game as a Golden State Warrior.
18. Denver Nuggets: Mark Alarie
The small forward out of Duke was a far better college player than NBA one. He spent five years in the Association, one with Denver and four with the Bullets. Alarie averaged 7.5 points per game. He did play in all 82 games in 1989-90, starting 10.
17. Sacramento Kings: Harold Pressley
Another one who was better in college. Pressley came to the Kings from Villanova. He lasted four years with the Kings and wound up averaging nine points per game.
16. Denver Nuggets: Maurice Martin
The Nuggets aren’t going to want to recall this draft. They didn’t get much out of Alarie and got less out of Martin, a product of St. Joe’s. He played two seasons and did not start a game.
Yes, the Virginia Tech guard is the father of Steph Curry. Dell Curry played 16 years in the NBA. In 11 of those seasons, the guard averaged better than 10 points per game. He scored 12,670 points in his NBA run.
14. Portland Trail Blazers: Walter Berry
Berry was an elite college basketball player out of St. John’s. It didn’t transcend to the NBA, where he was out of the league after 1988-89. Berry played with four teams while in the NBA.
13. New Jersey Nets: Dwayne ‘Pearl’ Washington
Pearl Washington was revered in high school, exhibited greatness at Syracuse but only was in the NBA for three seasons. He averaged 8.6 points and 3.8 assists. Sadly, a huge miss for the Nets.
12. Washington Bullets: John WIlliams
“Hot Plate” spent his first five years with the Bullets and averaged 12.4 points per game. After being suspended for a season, he spent two years with the Clippers and one with the Pacers, mostly as a fringe player.
The Georgia Tech star had an 11-year NBA career that he parlayed one into television and entertainment. Salley played for five teams, including six seasons with Detroit.
10. San Antonio Spurs: Johnny Dawkins
The Duke product was a great college player. He lasted nine years in the NBA for three teams but never was the great guard he was in college. Another player in this draft who was better in school than the pros.
9. Chicago Bulls: Brad Sellers
The tall forward out of Ohio State had a mediocre to unimpressive NBA career and was out of the league after 1989-90. He spent a year in another pro league before returning to the NBA for a season with each of the Pistons and Timberwolves. Unremarkable.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ron Harper
The Miami (Ohio) guard had a 15-year NBA career. He scored almost 14,000 points and thrived with the Clippers and Cavaliers.
7. Dallas Mavericks: Roy Tarpley
One of the poster players taken in this draft for how much trouble they could find. After multiple suspensions, Tarpley earned a pearmant ban in December of 1995. He died at the 50 in 2015.
6. Phoenix Suns: William Bedford
Big man out of Memphis found big time trouble due to drug use. He missed the 1988-89 season due to rehab. A total flop.
5. New York Knicks: Kenny Walker
The Knicks drafted the small forward from Kentucky anticipating a player who could sky and thrill fans at MSG. Didn’t pan out as he averaged a career-high 10.4 points as a rookie. Spent five years in New York, two years out of league with another pro team and then finished his career as a reserve with the Bullets.
Great shooter from Alabama, “The Riflelman” had a long and strong NBA career. He was quite druable, playing in no less than 77 games from 1986-87 to 1995-96. Solid player averaged 19 ppg over six seasons with Indiana. Was in league for 13 overall.
3. Golden State Warriors: Chris Washburn
Wunderkind out of NC State couldn’t stay out of trouble and wound up playing 72 NBA games good for 645 minutes and 222 points. A disaster of a pick.
2. Boston Celtics: Len Bias
Simply tragic.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Brad Daugherty
Center from North Carolina was good during his eight-year career. He averaged 19 ppg and 9.5 rebounds for the Cavs before injuries ended his playing days after the 1993-94 season.