View source for 1967 NBA expansion draft

{{Short description|Player selection draft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox sports draft
| name        = 1967 NBA expansion draft
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| logo        = 
| logosize    = 
| sport       = Basketball
| date        = May 1, 1967
| location    = 
| network     = 
| league      = NBA
| teams       = 
| first       = 
| territorial = 
| prev        = [[1966 NBA expansion draft|1966]]
| next        = [[1968 NBA expansion draft|1968]]
| expansion_teams = [[San Diego Rockets]]<br/>[[Seattle SuperSonics]]
}}

The '''1967 NBA expansion draft''' was the third [[expansion draft]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). The draft was held on May 1, 1967, so that the newly founded [[San Diego Rockets]] and [[Seattle SuperSonics]] could acquire players for the upcoming [[1967–68 NBA season|1967–68 season]]. [[Seattle]] and [[San Diego]] had been awarded the [[expansion team]]s on December 20, 1966, and January 11, 1967, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/thunder/history/sonics_history.html|title=Seattle SuperSonics History|work=NBA.com/Thunder|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|access-date=March 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223071110/http://www.nba.com/thunder/history/sonics_history.html|archive-date=2010-02-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/this_date_january.html|title=This Date in History–January|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|access-date=March 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100321143925/http://www.nba.com/history/this_date_january.html|archive-date=21 March 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Rockets moved to [[Houston]], [[Texas]], in {{nbay|1971|start}} and are currently known as the [[Houston Rockets]].<ref name="Houston">{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/first100/1050922.html|title=Owners, fans waited years before Rockets took off|date=September 20, 2001|work=The Houston Chronicle|access-date=March 11, 2010}}</ref> The SuperSonics moved to [[Oklahoma City]], in [[2008–09 NBA season|2008]] and are currently known as the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3471503|title=SuperSonics, Seattle reach last-minute settlement|date=July 3, 2008|access-date=March 14, 2010|work=ESPN.com}}</ref> In an NBA expansion draft, new NBA teams are allowed to acquire players from the previously established teams in the league. Not all players on a given team are available during an expansion draft, since each team can protect a certain number of players from being selected. The Rockets and the Sonics selected fifteen unprotected players each, while the ten other NBA teams lost three players each.

The Rockets, the 12th franchise in the NBA, were founded by [[Robert Breitbard]]. The Rockets name was chosen because it reflects the growth of the space-age industries in the city as well as the city's theme of "a city in motion".<ref name="Houston"/> Former [[Cincinnati Royals]] and [[Chicago Zephyrs]] head coach [[Jack McMahon]] was named as [[List of Houston Rockets head coaches|the franchise's first head coach]] and [[General manager#Sport teams|general manager]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/media/rockets/2009-10MediaGuide_page129.170.pdf|title=2009-10 Houston Rockets Media Guide|access-date=March 11, 2010|work=NBA.com/Rockets|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100310134834/http://www.nba.com/media/rockets/2009-10MediaGuide_page129.170.pdf| archive-date= 10 March 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> The Rockets' selections included three-time [[List of NBA All-Stars|All-Star]] [[Johnny Green (basketball)|Johnny Green]]. Ten players from the expansion draft joined the Rockets for their inaugural season, but only five played more than one season for the team. [[Don Kojis]], who played three seasons with the Rockets, was named to the [[1968 NBA All-Star Game|1968 All-Star Game]], becoming the franchise's first All-Star.<ref name="AllStar">{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1968.html|title=1968 NBA All-Star Game|work=basketball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=March 14, 2010}}</ref>

The SuperSonics, the 11th franchise in the NBA, were founded by a group of investors led by [[Sam Schulman]] and [[Eugene V. Klein|Eugene Klein]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/126714_obit14.html|title=Sam Schulman, 1910–2003: He ushered Seattle into big-time sports|first=Danny|last=O'Neil|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=June 14, 2003|access-date=March 11, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Schulman then served as president of the team and head of operations. He hired former [[Chicago Bulls]] assistant coach [[Al Bianchi]] to become [[List of Oklahoma City Thunder head coaches|the franchise's first head coach]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/suns/news/bianchi_020218.html|title=Suns Add Al Bianchi to Coaching Staff|date=February 18, 2002|access-date=March 11, 2010|work=NBA.com/Suns|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc}}</ref> The Sonics' selections included six-time All-Star [[Richie Guerin]] and one-time All-Star [[Tom Meschery]]. Guerin, who was serving as the [[St. Louis Hawks]]' [[List of National Basketball Association player-coaches|player-coach]] when the Sonics selected him, decided to retire from playing and became a full-time head coach for the Hawks. He never played for the Sonics, even though he later came back from retirement to play with the Hawks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nba.com/history/guerin_bio.html|title=Richie Guerin Bio|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|access-date=March 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211163726/http://nba.com/history/guerin_bio.html|archive-date=February 11, 2001}}</ref> Nine players from the expansion draft joined the Sonics for their inaugural season, but only four played more than one season for the team. [[Walt Hazzard]], who only played one season with the Sonics, was named to the 1968 All-Star Game, becoming the franchise's first All-Star.<ref name="AllStar"/>

==Key==
{| class="wikitable"
|width="50"|'''Pos.'''||width="50"|G||width="50"|F||width="50"|C
|-
|[[Basketball position|Position]]||Guard||Forward||Center
|}
{{NBA Draft legend|2=y|3=y}}

==Selections==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! width="19%"| Player
! width="1%"| Pos.
! width="16%"| Nationality
! width="20%"| Team
! width="20%"| Previous team
! width="5%"| Years of NBA experience{{ref label|Note1|a|a}}
! width="12%"| Career with the franchise{{ref label|Note2|b|b}}
! width="1%" class=unsortable| Ref.
|-
| {{sortname|Jim|Barnett|dab=basketball}}
| G/F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Boston Celtics]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1969|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barneji02.html|title=Jim Barnett Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|John|Barnhill|dab=basketball}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]
| 5
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barnhjo01.html|title=John Barnhill Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|John|Block|dab=basketball}}<sup>+</sup>
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1970|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/blockjo01.html|title=John Block Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Hank|Finkel}}
| C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1968|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/finkeha01.html|title=Hank Finkel Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Dave|Gambee}}
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| 9
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gambeda01.html|title=Dave Gambee Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Johnny|Green|dab=basketball}}<sup>+</sup>
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]
| 8
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/greenjo01.html|title=Johnny Green Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Toby|Kimball}}
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Boston Celtics]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1970|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kimbato01.html|title=Toby Kimball Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Don|Kojis}}<sup>+</sup>
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Chicago Bulls]]
| 4
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1969|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kojisdo01.html|title=Don Kojis Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Freddie|Lewis}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Cincinnati Royals]]
| 1
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lewisfr02.html|title=Freddie Lewis Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Jon|McGlocklin}}<sup>+</sup>
| G/F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Cincinnati Royals]]
| 2
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcglojo01.html|title=Jon McGlocklin Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Wayne|Molis}}
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[New York Knicks]]
| 1
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/moliswa01.html|title=Wayne Molis Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Paul|Neumann|dab=basketball}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[San Francisco Warriors]]
| 6
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/neumapa01.html|title=Paul Neumann Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100619085258/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/neumapa01.html| archive-date= 19 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Chico|Vaughn}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Detroit Pistons]]
| 5
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vaughch01.html|title=Chico Vaughn Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100526150005/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vaughch01.html| archive-date= 26 May 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Gerry|Ward|dab=basketball}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Chicago Bulls]]
| 4
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wardge01.html|title=Gerry Ward Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100619071549/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wardge01.html| archive-date= 19 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Jim|Ware|dab=basketball}}
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[San Diego Rockets]]
| [[Cincinnati Royals]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wareji01.html|title=Jim Ware Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Henry|Akin}}
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[New York Knicks]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/akinhe01.html|title=Henry Akin Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Nate|Bowman}}
| C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| 1
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bowmana01.html|title=Nate Bowman Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100601082817/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bowmana01.html| archive-date= 1 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Dave|Deutsch}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[New York Knicks]]
| 1
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/deutsda01.html|title=Dave Deutsch Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FBCEB1"| {{sortname|Richie|Guerin}}*
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[St. Louis Hawks]]
| 11
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gueriri01.html|title=Richie Guerin Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Walt|Hazzard}}<sup>+</sup>
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| 3
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/abdulma01.html|title=Walt Hazzard Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Tommy|Kron}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[St. Louis Hawks]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1968|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kronto01.html|title=Tommy Kron Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100529060902/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kronto01.html| archive-date= 29 May 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Tom|Meschery}}<sup>+</sup>
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}{{ref label|Note5|d|d}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[San Francisco Warriors]]
| 6
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1970|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/meschto01.html|title=Tom Meschery Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Dorie|Murrey}}
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Detroit Pistons]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1969|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/murredo01.html|title=Dorie Murrey Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Bud|Olsen}}
| F/C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[San Francisco Warriors]]
| 1
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/olsenbu01.html|title=Bud Olsen Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100504191105/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/olsenbu01.html| archive-date= 4 May 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Ron|Reed}}
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Detroit Pistons]]
| 2
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/reedro01.html|title=Ron Reed Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Rod|Thorn}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[St. Louis Hawks]]
| 4
| {{nbay|1967|start}}–{{nbay|1970|end}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thornro01.html|title=Rod Thorn Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Ben|Warley}}
| G/F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]
| 5
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/warlebe01.html|title=Ben Warley Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100701035231/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/warlebe01.html| archive-date= 1 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Ron|Watts}}
| F
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Boston Celtics]]
| 2
|align="center"| —{{ref label|Note3|c|c}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wattsro01.html|title=Ron Watts Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|Bob|Weiss}}
| G
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| 2
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/weissbo01.html|title=Bob Weiss Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref>
|-
| {{sortname|George|Wilson|dab=basketball, born 1942}}
| C
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| [[Chicago Bulls]]
| 3
| {{nbay|1967|full=y}}
|align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wilsoge01.html|title=George Wilson Statistics|access-date=June 2, 2010|work=basketball-reference.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100507103456/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wilsoge01.html| archive-date= 7 May 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|}

==Notes==
*{{note label|Note1|a|a}} Number of years played in the NBA prior to the draft
*{{note label|Note2|b|b}} Career with the expansion franchise that drafted the player
*{{note label|Note3|c|c}} Never played a game for the franchise
*{{note label|Note5|d|d}} Tom Meschery (formerly Tomislav Mescheryakov) was born in [[Harbin]], [[Manchuria]] (now part of China) to Russian parents. He moved to the United States at the age of 8 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-09-sp-crowe9-story.html|title=Former NBA tough guy Tom Meschery a man of rhyme, reason|first=Jerry|last=Crowe|date=November 9, 2009|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=December 11, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/International_Timeline.html|title=International Timeline|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|access-date=December 11, 2010}}</ref>

==References==
;General
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/expansion_drafts.html|title=NBA Expansion Drafts: Results|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|access-date=March 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329091903/http://www.nba.com/history/expansion_drafts.html|archive-date=29 March 2010|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/bobcats/news/draft_central_expansion_alltime_results.html |title=All-Time NBA Expansion Draft Results |work=NBA.com/Bobcats |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc |access-date=March 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116123003/http://www.nba.com/bobcats/news/draft_central_expansion_alltime_results.html |archive-date=January 16, 2008 }}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967_expansion.html|title=1967 NBA Expansion Draft|work=basketball-reference.com|access-date=March 11, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100327041927/http://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967_expansion.html| archive-date= 27 March 2010 | url-status= live}}
{{refend}}

;Specific
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nba.com/ NBA.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090315112610/http://www.nba.com/history/draft_index.html NBA.com: NBA Draft History]

{{NBA Drafts}}
{{1967–68 NBA season by team}}
{{Houston Rockets}}
{{Seattle SuperSonics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1967 Nba Expansion Draft}}
[[Category:1967–68 NBA season|Expansion]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets lists]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City Thunder lists]]
[[Category:NBA expansion draft]]
[[Category:May 1967 sports events in the United States|NBA expansion draft]]