24 June 2023
LAWRENCE (KSNT) – For more than 125 seasons, Kansas Jayhawk men’s basketball has been to four NCAA national championships, 16 Final Four appearances and 19 Big 12 championships.
The titles are part of the many things Jayhawk basketball has added to its history in Lawrence since the late 19th century.
But for as many teams that have played on the court in Allen Fieldhouse, translating to the courts on the next level in the National Basketball Association are another matter.
Since the Charlotte Bobcats, now Charlotte Hornets, expanded the NBA to today’s 30 teams in 2004, only a few franchises have never submitted a pick to select one of the 91 players from Kansas.
With Kansas guard Gradey Dick being selected 13th overall in Thursday’s draft by the Toronto Raptors, this now makes four current teams to not have drafted a Jayhawk to their squad.
These teams include:
Orlando Magic
*Oklahoma City Thunder
*Washington Wizards
*New Orleans Pelicans
The Thunder, Wizards, and Pelicans have drafted players when they were formally known as a different name.
Those players include:
Bill Bridges: Chicago Packers – 1961
Nolen Ellison: Baltimore Bullets – 1963
Al Lopes: Baltimore Bullets – 1966
Bud Stallworth: Seattle SuperSonics – 1972
Aubrey Nash: Baltimore Bullets – 1972
Adonis Jordan: Seattle SuperSonics – 1993
Nick Collison: Seattle SuperSonics – 2003
Julian Wright: New Orleans Hornets – 2007
Darrell Arthur: New Orleans Hornets – 2008
Sasha Kaun: Seattle SuperSonics – 2008
Cole Aldrich: New Orleans Hornets – 2010