The 2004 NBA draft was held on June 24, 2004, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00pm (EDT). In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players. The NBA announced that 56 college and high school players and 38 international players had filed as early-entry candidates for the 2004 draft. On May 26, the NBA draft lottery was conducted for the teams that did not make the NBA playoffs in the 2003–04 NBA season. The Orlando Magic, who had a 25 percent chance of obtaining the first selection, won the lottery, while the Los Angeles Clippers and the Chicago Bulls were second and third respectively. As an expansion team, the Charlotte Bobcats had been assigned the fourth selection in the draft and did not participate in the lottery. The Minnesota Timberwolves forfeited their first-round pick due to salary cap violations.
By the end of the draft, around 40% of the players selected in it were born from countries outside the United States. It would remain the highest influx of international players selected in the modern NBA draft era until the 2016 NBA draft, where almost half of the selected players were born in countries outside the US. In addition, four of the players selected in the draft were Russians, which not only marked the highest number of Russian-born players to be taken in one draft, but also was the highest representation of a country other than the US in one draft until 2016 when five Frenchmen would be taken in the draft.
The second-overall pick, Emeka Okafor out of Connecticut, the Bobcats' historical first rookie draft pick back when they were considered an expansion franchise, was named Rookie of the Year. Third-overall pick Ben Gordon, also out of Connecticut, earned the Sixth Man of the Year Award, becoming the first rookie in NBA history to do so.
Dwight Howard has become an NBA Champion, eight-time All-Star, has received eight All-NBA selections, and a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year awardee. He also had the distinction as the only NBA player straight out of high school to start all 82 games as a rookie. There are also four other players that would be named All-Stars at some point in their careers, and Al Jefferson would be named to an All-NBA team. Andre Iguodala would win four championships with the Golden State Warriors and was named Finals MVP in 2015. The draft is also notable for multiple players coming straight from high school being drafted within a few picks from each other. As of the end of the 2022–23 NBA season, Andre Iguodala was the last remaining active player from the 2004 class. Iguodala announced his retirement in 2023.
Dwight Howard, the 1st pick of the Orlando MagicEmeka Okafor, the 2nd pick of the Charlotte BobcatsDevin Harris, the 5th pick of the Washington Wizards (traded to Dallas)Luol Deng, the 7th pick of the Phoenix Suns (traded to Chicago)Andre Iguodala, the 9th pick of the Philadelphia 76ersAl Jefferson, the 15th pick of the Boston CelticsJ. R. Smith, the 18th pick of the New Orleans HornetsJameer Nelson, the 20th pick of the Denver Nuggets (traded to Orlando)Tony Allen, the 25th pick of the Boston Celtics
↑Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
After seeing a couple of years where they missed the previous year of 75 underclassmen testing their early entry in 2001, this year saw an at the time record-high 92 players declare their initial entry into this year's draft. However, this year also saw an at the time record high 52 underclassmen from college, overseas, or high school withdraw their names from the draft, thus leaving only 40 total underclassmen officially declaring their entry into the NBA draft. The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.
This would be the tenth straight year in a row where at least one high school player would declare their entry into the NBA draft directly out of high school after previously only allowing it one time back in 1975. It would also be famous for marking the third (and currently final) time that a #1 pick was selected directly out of high school. This year also saw players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Jermaine Bell, Ivan Chiriaev, and Maurice Shaw all initially declare entry for this year's draft, but ultimately withdraw from it and decide to enter college instead. The following high school players successfully applied for early draft entrance.
Players who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:
They have no remaining college eligibility.
If they graduated from high school in the U.S., but did not enroll in a U.S. college or university, four years have passed since their high school class graduated.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team not in the NBA, anywhere in the world, and have played under the contract.
Players who meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:
They are at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the draft. In term of dates players born on or before December 31, 1982, were automatically eligible for the 2004 draft.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team not in the NBA within the United States, and have played under that contract.
Left Saint Mary's in 2003; playing professionally since the 2003–04 season
Invited attendees
The 2004 NBA draft is considered to be the 26th NBA draft to have utilized what is properly considered the "green room" experience for NBA prospects. The NBA's green room is a staging area where anticipated draftees often sit with their families and representatives, waiting for their names to be called on draft night. Often being positioned either in front of or to the side of the podium (in this case, being positioned somewhere within The Theater at Madison Square Garden), once a player heard his name, he would walk to the podium to shake hands and take promotional photos with the NBA commissioner. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. However, once the NBA draft started to air nationally on TV starting with the 1980 NBA draft, the green room evolved from players waiting to hear their name called and then shaking hands with these select players who were often called to the hotel to take promotional pictures with the NBA commissioner a day or two after the draft concluded to having players in real-time waiting to hear their names called up and then shaking hands with David Stern, the NBA's commissioner at the time.
The NBA compiled its list of green room invites through collective voting by the NBA's team presidents and general managers alike, which in this year's case belonged to only what they believed were the top 15 prospects at the time. Despite the higher amount of invites for this year's draft when compared to the previous year's draft, there would still be a couple of discrepancies involved with the invitations at hand with the missing invitation for #10 pick Luke Jackson and the missing invite for future All-NBA Team member Al Jefferson. With that in mind, the following players were invited to attend this year's draft festivities live and in person.
123The Clippers traded No. 2 pick to the Bobcats for No. 4 and No. 33 picks on June 21, 2004. The Bobcats agreed to select Predrag Drobnjak from the Clippers in the Expansion Selection. "Bobcats deal with Clippers, move up to No. 2". USA Today. June 22, 2004. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2007.
↑Born in what is now South Sudan, Luol Deng became a naturalized British citizen in 2006 and played for Great Britain in international competitions.
12The Suns traded the No. 7 pick to the Bulls for a second-round pick (No. 31) and $3million in cash on the draft day. "Suns trade draft pick". Associated Press. June 24, 2004.
↑The Knicks traded this pick along with Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Miloš Vujanić and a future first-round pick (protected through 2010) to the Suns for Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski on January 5, 2004. Sheridan, Chris (January 5, 2004). "Marbury traded to Knicks". Associated Press. The Suns traded this pick along with Tom Gugliotta, a future first-round pick (acquired from New York and is protected through 2010) and cash considerations to the Jazz for Keon Clark and Ben Handlogten on February 19, 2004. "Jazz send Clark, Handlogten to Suns for Gugliotta". Associated Press. February 19, 2004.
12The Pistons traded the No. 25 pick along with Chucky Atkins and Lindsey Hunter to the Celtics; and Bobby Sura and Željko Rebrača and the No. 17 pick (received from the Bucks) to the Hawks. In return, the Pistons received Mike James from the Celtics and Rasheed Wallace from the Hawks. The Celtics also traded Chris Mills to the Hawks. The trade was announced on February 19, 2004. Golen, Jimmy (February 19, 2004). "Celtics get Atkins, Hunter draft pick for James". Associated Press.
12The Rockets traded the No. 21 pick along with Glen Rice and two future second-round draft picks (from Chicago; No. 51 in the 2005 NBA draft and No. 46 in the 2006 NBA draft) to the Jazz for John Amaechi and the No. 55 pick (received from Sacramento in the Keon Clark trade) on September 30, 2003. "Jazz trade John Amaechi". Utah Jazz. NBA. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
↑The Jazz traded the rights to Pavel Podkolzine to the Mavericks for a future first-round pick (#27 in the 2005 NBA draft) on the draft day. "Jazz Draft Three; Trade One". NBA. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
↑The Nets traded the draft rights to Viktor Khryapa to the Trail Blazers for Eddie Gill and cash considerations on the draft day. "Nets trade 22nd pick overall to Portland". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
↑The SuperSonics traded this pick to the Grizzlies for a 2005 second-round draft pick (No. 48) and cash considerations on draft day. "Grizzlies sign Emmett, Burks to two-year deals". Associated Press. July 7, 2004.
↑The Suns traded this pick to the Magic for Donnell Harvey on December 23, 2003. "Suns get Harvey in trade with Magic". Associated Press. December 23, 2003.
↑The Magic traded this pick to the Grizzlies for cash considerations on the draft day. "Grizzlies sign Emmett, Burks to two-year deals". Associated Press. July 7, 2004.
↑The Raptors traded this pick to the Bulls for a 2003 second-round pick (#45 pick) on June 26, 2003. Gray, Kevin (June 27, 2003). "Toronto trades for Bonner". The Union Leader.
↑The Cavaliers traded this pick along with Lamond Murray to the Raptors for Michael Stewart and a future first-round pick (#22 in the 2007 NBA draft) on September 26, 2002. "Cavaliers Trade Murray to Raptors". The Washington Post. September 26, 2002.
↑The Warriors traded this pick to the 76ers for Jiří Welsch on June 26, 2002. The 76ers traded this pick along with Monty Williams and cash considerations to the Magic for a conditional second-round pick on December 23, 2003. "Sixers trade Monty Williams to Magic for draft pick". Associated Press. December 23, 2003. The Magic traded this pick to the Hawks for Anthony Johnson on February 24, 2000. Sheridan, Chris (February 24, 2000). "Only one minor deal as trading deadline passes". Associated Press.
↑The Hawks traded the draft rights to Viktor Sanikidze to the Spurs for a future second round draft pick (#59 in the 2005 NBA draft) and cash considerations on the draft day. "Spurs Acquire Sanikidze from Atlanta". San Antonio Spurs. NBA. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
12The Kings traded No. 55 along with Keon Clark and a 2007 second-round pick to the Jazz for the No. 48 pick on August 5, 2003. "Kings Trade Keon Clark". Sacramento Kings. NBA. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
↑The Nuggets traded this pick to the Magic for Don Reid and a future first-round pick (#22 in the 2006 NBA draft) on August 1, 2002. "Nuggets acquire F Don Reid". Associated Press. August 1, 2002. The Magic traded this pick along with Mike Miller, Ryan Humphrey, and a first-round pick (#27 in the 2003 NBA draft) to the Grizzlies for Drew Gooden, Gordan Giricek and cash considerations on February 19, 2003. "Magic ship Miller to Grizzlies". Canada: CBC. February 21, 2003. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
↑The Rockets traded this pick to the Nuggets and Kenny Thomas to the 76ers; the Nuggets traded James Posey to the Rockets; the 76ers traded a first-round pick (#16 in the 2005 NBA draft) along with Art Long and Mark Bryant to the Nuggets in a three-team deal on December 18, 2002. "76ers get Thomas, Posey to Rockets in three-team deal". Agence France-Presse. December 19, 2002. The Nuggets traded this pick to the Mavericks for a second-round pick (#57 pick in 2003 NBA draft) on June 26, 2003. "Xue Yuyang Joins Denver After Dallas Draft". China Internet Information Center. June 28, 2003. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
12The Rockets traded the draft rights to Luis Flores and cash considerations to the Mavericks for the draft rights to Vasileios Spanoulis on the draft day. "Rockets Trade for Spanoulis in 2004 NBA Draft". Houston Rockets. NBA. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
↑The Grizzlies traded this pick to the Spurs for the rights to Gordan Giricek on June 28, 2002. "Grizzlies sign Croatian guard". Associated Press. July 17, 2002.
↑Marcus Douthit represented Venezuela in international competitions later in his career starting in 2011, but was a US citizen at the time of the draft.
123"2004 Underclassmen". The Draft Review. August 4, 2007. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
↑"Adam Caporn Bio". Saint Mary's College of California. May 27, 2011. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
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