The end of the NBA’s American empire: how the 1986 draft changed basketball for ever
Summary
In the 1986 NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers picked two European players, Arvydas Sabonis from the Soviet Union and Dražen Petrović from Yugoslavia. This marked a major change in the NBA, which until then rarely considered international players seriously.Key Facts
- The 1986 NBA draft included Arvydas Sabonis and Dražen Petrović, two players from communist countries.
- Before 1986, NBA teams mainly picked US-born players or unknown international players late in the draft.
- NBA teams had little direct scouting in Europe and mostly used secondhand reports or old video tapes.
- Portland's basketball operations were led by Bucky Buckwalter, who was interested in European players and got help from a former college teammate coaching in France.
- Sabonis was a 7-foot-3 player known for his skill and agility, described as one of the best centers if he played in the NBA.
- Petrović was a high-scoring guard, nicknamed "The Mozart of Basketball," famous for his performances in European competitions.
- International rules and politics made it difficult for European players to join the NBA, including restrictions from the International Basketball Federation and communist governments.
- The NBA had doubts about whether European players could meet the competition level in the league.
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