2006 NBA draft

• 1. The Garden Under Storm

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  On the 28th of June 2006, the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City hosted a basketball draft unlike any other. The air inside the venue carried the weight of a city still reeling from Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans Hornets were forced to play under the temporary name of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets because their home city remained devastated and unprepared for normal operations. This unique circumstance marked the only time the franchise would ever use that dual designation during an official selection event. Teams gathered to choose amateur college players and international prospects while the league navigated a new era of eligibility rules. The date itself became a marker for change, as the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association took effect immediately. High school players could no longer enter the draft directly after graduation, ending a practice that had existed since 1995. The room held 37 college players and 10 international players who had filed as early-entry candidates by mid-June. Forty-seven others withdrew before the final list was set. The atmosphere combined tension with uncertainty about how these new restrictions would reshape the future of professional basketball.

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• 2. Bargnani And Roy's Legacy

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  Andrea Bargnani stepped forward on the 28th of June 2006, becoming the first European player selected first overall in NBA history. He had spent three years playing for Italian club Benetton Treviso before arriving at Madison Square Garden. His selection by the Toronto Raptors broke ground for international talent entering the league without U.S. competitive experience. Only one other player had been drafted first overall without such background prior to this moment. Meanwhile, Brandon Roy from the University of Washington waited in the wings as the sixth pick went to Minnesota. That same day, Portland Trail Blazers acquired his rights through a trade involving seventh pick Randy Foye. Roy would go on to win Rookie of the Year honors during the 2006, 07 season despite never being originally chosen by Portland. LaMarcus Aldridge, taken second overall by Chicago Bulls, also changed hands before the night ended. Portland received Aldridge’s draft rights plus a 2007 second-round pick in exchange for Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa. These moves demonstrated how quickly fortunes could shift once names were called aloud in front of thousands of spectators.

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• 3. Connecticut's Five-Player Surge

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  The University of Connecticut made history when five of its players were selected across both rounds of the 2006 draft. Rudy Gay, Hilton Armstrong, Marcus Williams, and Josh Boone all appeared in the first round, tying records previously held by Duke University in 1999 and North Carolina in 2005. Denham Brown joined them later in the second round, making UConn the first school ever to have five selections within a single two-round event. This achievement placed Connecticut among eight other schools that had reached similar milestones, though only UNLV surpassed them with six picks back in 1977. Kyle Lowry remains the sole active player from this class as of 2025, highlighting how few careers endured beyond initial excitement. The depth of talent emerging from one program underscored the growing importance of college systems in feeding professional rosters. Coaches and scouts watched closely as each name announced signaled another piece of potential greatness entering the league.

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• 4. Eligibility Rules Reshape Access

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  A new collective bargaining agreement changed who could enter the NBA draft starting in 2006. High school graduates now had to wait at least one year after finishing high school before becoming eligible for selection. They also needed to be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft, meaning anyone born on or before the 31st of December 1987 qualified automatically under certain conditions. International players followed different standards if they permanently resided outside the United States for three years prior to the draft. Those individuals became automatically eligible once their 22nd birthday fell within or before the draft year. Players not meeting automatic criteria had to declare eligibility by notifying NBA offices no later than 60 days before the 28th of June 2006. Withdrawals were allowed up until 10 days before the event itself. By mid-June, 47 early entrants had pulled out, leaving just 46 official candidates from colleges and overseas programs ready to compete for spots. These changes aimed to mature prospects further before exposing them to professional pressures.

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• 5. Lottery Luck And Long Odds

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  The Toronto Raptors secured the top pick despite holding only an 8.8% chance of winning the lottery held on the 23rd of May 2006. Their record stood at 27 wins and 55 losses, placing them fifth worst overall heading into the draw. The Chicago Bulls landed second after acquiring New York Knicks’ first-round pick through earlier transactions. Portland Trail Blazers, who entered with the best odds of claiming number one, settled for fourth place, the lowest possible outcome via lottery mechanics. Teams like Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics finished near the bottom of probability charts yet still received picks based on win-loss standings. The process determined which three teams would receive the initial selections while others followed reverse order of prior season performance. Tie-breakers applied later when records matched exactly, such as those decided on the 20th of April 2007. Each organization understood that luck played a larger role than pure merit in determining draft position outcomes.

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• 6. Trades That Redefined Picks

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  Dozens of trades unfolded both before and during draft day itself, reshaping how players ended up assigned to franchises. On the 28th of June 2006, Portland acquired Brandon Roy from Minnesota while sending Randy Foye elsewhere. Memphis obtained Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift from Houston in exchange for Shane Battier, finalizing the deal by July 12. Boston secured Rajon Rondo, the 21st pick originally owned by Phoenix, along with Brian Grant and cash considerations. Sergio Rodríguez went to Portland from Phoenix for cash alone. Alexander Johnson moved from Portland to Memphis alongside future second-round assets. Pre-draft deals had already set many of these movements into motion months earlier. Chicago traded Tim Thomas and Michael Sweetney to New York for a first-round pick used on LaMarcus Aldridge. Phoenix acquired Boris Diaw and picks from Atlanta to land Rajon Rondo. These transactions revealed how teams manipulated available slots to maximize long-term value rather than simply selecting whoever was called next. Every name announced triggered immediate negotiations behind closed doors.

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