D’Angelo Russell hopes to become the sixth Ohio State player drafted in the top three overall and carry the torch for the next generation of Buckeyes in the NBA. As the NBA Draft rapidly approaches, BTPowerhouse continues to look at the draft histories of Big Ten programs. The Ohio State Buckeyes have been prominent players in the NBA Draft since its inception. There have been 48 Buckeyes drafted, dating all the way back to Jack Underman and Paul Huston’s selections as the 7th and 8th overall picks in the inaugural BAA (Basketball Association of America) draft of 1947, which later became the NBA. Buckeyes Currently in the NBA There are four former Ohio State players in the NBA right now, led by Mike Conley. Conley is a proven starting point guard and has been a borderline all-star type of player for a number of years, including some playoff success in the NBA’s tough western conference. He was part of the heralded 2007 draft class that finished as runner-up in the NCAA tournament, along with Daequan Cook and Ohio State’s only number one overall selection, Greg Oden. All of the current players are contributors to their teams and are finding ways to make their mark in Ohio Sate and NBA history. This year, freshman D’Angelo Russell is the top guard on everyone’s board and aims to become the sixth Buckeye taken in the top three overall. Let’s start from the beginning and take a quick look back at the draft history of one of the Big Ten’s most successful programs. 1950s Following the 1947 picks, the next Buckeyes to be taken were in 1950, highlighted by Dick Schnittker’s 5th overall selection by the Washington Capitols. A total of six players from Ohio State were drafted in the decade. 1960s Nine Buckeyes were drafted in the ’60s, including hall-of-famers Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek…
Continue Reading: The Ohio State Buckeyes in NBA Draft History
