Lakers draft history: Nine Kentucky players selected since 1956
A review of the Los Angeles Lakers’ draft records reveals a long-standing, albeit selective, relationship with the University of Kentucky basketball program.
The Los Angeles Lakers have selected nine players from the University of Kentucky throughout their franchise history, according to a report by Yahoo Sports. While the Kentucky Wildcats have produced 145 NBA draftees, including prominent figures such as Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, Malik Monk, and Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers’ specific draft record from the program comprises a smaller, distinct cohort.
The earliest selections date back to the 1956 draft, where the Lakers picked Phil Grawemeyer in the 10th round and Jerry Bird in the third round. Grawemeyer, who averaged 8.8 points and 9.9 rebounds during his collegiate career, never played in the NBA. Bird, averaging 12.7 points and 10.5 rebounds at Kentucky, served two years in the military before playing one season for the New York Knicks, where he averaged 2.3 points.
Bill Lickert was selected in the fifth round in 1961 after averaging 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Wildcats, but he did not play in the NBA. Phil Argento, a guard who averaged nine points per game, was taken in the 10th round in 1969 and also did not reach the professional league. Roger Harden, selected in the fifth round in 1986, similarly did not play in the NBA after averaging 3.9 points and 4.1 assists per game at Kentucky.
Cotton Nash stands as the only player from this specific group of nine draftees to appear in an NBA game for the Lakers. Selected in the second round in 1964, Nash averaged 22.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in college. He played 25 games for the Lakers as a rookie, averaging 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds, before finishing his NBA career with the San Francisco Warriors and playing a season in the American Basketball Association with the Kentucky Colonels.
Joe Crawford, a second-round pick in 2008, played two games for the New York Knicks during the 2008-09 campaign after averaging 11.3 points at Kentucky. Julius Randle, selected seventh overall in 2014, was the most recent Kentucky player drafted by the Lakers. Randle joined the rebuilding Lakers after averaging 15 points and 10.4 rebounds in his lone season with the Wildcats.
