Suns Draft Memory Lane: 1985 – Pinckney’s the Pick

"OAKLAND,

 

They say you can’t know the future if you don’t know the past.  Or something.  And who exactly “they” are I can’t tell you.  But I needed an intro to this feature, and that’s the best I’m going to do.

With the 2015 edition of the NBA Draft fast approaching, let’s take a look back at the Phoenix Suns draft history (lottery era only).  Maybe it’ll give us some insight into what they might do in this year’s draft.  But probably not.  Whatever.

 

Phoenix Suns 1985 NBA Draft Haul

First Round:

Ed Pinckney (Pick #10)

 

Could have had: Karl Malone, Terry Porter, A.C. Green, Joe Dumars, Michael Adams

Phoenix passed over two future Hall-of-Famers in The Mailman and Dumars, and three other All-Stars in Terry Porter, Michael Adams, and A.C. Green for Villanova star Ed Pinckney.  Oof.  E-Z Ed had two solid, yet unspectacular, seasons in Phoenix before being shipped out for Eddie Johnson.  Now that makes this draft pick more palatable, as E.J. had a good run with the Suns and is still contributing to Suns fans enjoyment of the team as a TV color commentator.

 

Rest of Draft:

Nick Vanos (Round 2, Pick #32)

Jerry Everett (3, 56)

Granger Hall (4, 78)

Shawn Campbell (5, 102)

Charles Rayne (6, 124)

Georgi Glouchkov (7, 148)

 

Could have had: Tyrone Corbin (35), Hot Rod Williams (45), Gerald Wilkins (47), Sam Mitchell (54), Michael Adams (66), Mike Brown (69), John Battle (84), Spud Webb (87), Mario Elie (160)

That’s quite a list of players the Suns whiffed on in the later rounds of the draft.  Of the six players they selected after the first round, only Vanos and Glouchkov saw an NBA court, and that was only for 117 games combined.

 

Overall Suns Draft Grade: D-

(only the future flipping of Pinckney for E.J. saves this from a failing grade)

 

 

About Jeff Fox

Jeff Fox is Mr. Manifesto - the Supreme Leader and evil mind behind The Hoops Manifesto, The MMA Manifesto, & A Dry Heat.

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