NBA Draft: The Top 8 Hypothetical Territorial Picks of the Past 10 Years

In the 1950s and 1960s, the NBA was not nearly as popular as it is now. In fact, the NBA created a unique draft choice called the territorial pick to spark more public interest. A territorial pick was when a team selected a top player from a nearby college, thereby forfeiting its own first-round pick in the process.

Several Hall of Famers were territorial picks, including Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Bill Bradley and Tom Heinsohn. The college that the player attended had to be within 50 miles of the NBA team's arena.

Here are the top eight territorial picks of the past 10 years that would have changed the course of the NBA if this type of pick still existed.

No. 8: Brook Lopez, C, Golden State Warriors (Stanford, 2008)

Although Andris Biedrins averaged a double-double in the Warriors’ 2007-2008 campaign, Golden State would have jumped on the opportunity to draft a potentially franchise-altering center in Brook Lopez.

No. 7: Kevin Love, PF-C, Los Angeles Clippers (UCLA, 2008)

Considering that the Clippers were going to sign Baron Davis, it would make little sense that they draft Russell Westbrook with their territorial pick. Instead, they would opt for Kevin Love, one of the best big men in the league.

No. 6: Amar’e Stoudemire, PF, Orlando Magic (Cypress Creek High, Orlando; 2002)

Stoudemire is an elite offensive player and perennial All-Star who was in MVP consideration early on this past season. Amar’e would have made the Magic better for the time being—but drafting him could have restricted the Magic from nabbing Dwight Howard three years later.

No. 5 Chris Bosh, PF, Atlanta Hawks (Georgia Tech, 2003)

Bosh is one of the best power forwards in the game and has been consistently one of the best offensive threats. Bosh and Joe Johnson would make one of the top offensive tandems in the league. 

No. 4: Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder (Oklahoma, 2009)

Could you imagine how lethal a Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-Blake Griffin combination would be? With all three still improving, the Thunder would have a solid “Big Three” themselves.

No. 3: Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis Grizzlies (Memphis, 2008)

Getting the reigning MVP would improve Memphis quite a lot. With Zack Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Rose, Memphis would be a perennial top three team in the West.

No. 2: Dwyane Wade, SG, Milwaukee Bucks (Marquette, 2003)

Wade is possibly the best shooting guard in the league, as well as one of the best defenders. Adding Wade to Milwaukee’s core would have definitely improved the Bucks, and might have made them a quality team for the future.

No. 1: Dwight Howard, C, Atlanta Hawks (Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, 2004

Dwight Howard is hands-down the best center in the league. Combining Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh with Howard would make for a fearsome trio—and would likely pique the interest of many free agents.