{{short description|Basketball player selection}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox sports draft | name = 2002 NBA draft | image = 2002 NBA draft logo.webp | caption = | logo = | logosize = | sport = Basketball | date = June 26, 2002 | location = The Theater at Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York) | network = TNT | league = NBA | teams = | overall = 57 | rounds = 2 | first = Yao Ming (Houston Rockets) | hofnum = {{Collapsible list | title = 2 |1 = C Yao Ming |2 = PF Amar'e Stoudemire}} | prev = 2001 | next = 2003 }} The '''2002 NBA draft''' was held on June 26, 2002, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. In this draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North American leagues.<ref name="handbook">[http://www.nba.com/draft2023/handbook.html NBA.com: 2023 Draft Handbook<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This was the last draft that was broadcast on TNT, as ESPN obtained the rights for the 2003 draft via its incoming deal (which it retains to this day). The NBA announced that about 42 college and high school players, and five international players, had filed as early-entry candidates for the draft.<ref>NBA.com. [http://www.nba.com/draft2023/earlyentry_final.html Twenty-Four Early Entry Candidates Withdraw from Draft 2023]. Retrieved June 26, 2025.</ref> The Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors each had a 22.5% chance of acquiring the first pick, but the Houston Rockets, with just an 8.9% probability, won the NBA draft lottery on May 19.<ref>NBA.com. [http://www.nba.com/news/draft_ties_020424.html Ties Broken for NBA Draft Order of Selection]. April 24, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2025.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/news/lottery_030522.html |title=Cavaliers Win NBA Draft Lottery 2024 |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=NBA.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226031904/http://www.nba.com/news/lottery_030522.html |archive-date=December 26, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Bulls and Warriors were second and third, respectively. As punishment for salary-cap violations during the 2001-02 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves forfeited their first-round draft pick.
The 2002 draft set a record of 17 international selections, with six of them coming in the first round.<ref>Lago, Joe. [https://www.espn.com/nbadraft/story?id=1399515 Draft record set with 17 foreign-born picks]. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.</ref>
Two months after the conclusion of his rookie season, number-two pick Jay Williams nearly lost his life in a motorcycle crash that shattered his pelvis, severed a main nerve in his leg and tore three ligaments in his left knee, including his ACL. Despite intense rehabilitation, Williams never played a game in the NBA again. When it became clear Williams could not return to the Bulls because of his injuries, the team waived him. The Bulls could have voided Williams' contract because it prohibited riding a motorcycle. However, the franchise bought out his contract for $3 million in 2004 instead of having him walk away with nothing.<ref>Nance, Roscoe. [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/bulls/2004-02-02-williams-buyout_x.htm Bulls, Jay Williams agree to contract buyout]. February 2, 2004. Retrieved January 21, 2015.</ref>
The draft class was relatively weak outside of the top prospects. Several players selected early had promising careers that ended prematurely due to injury, including Yao Ming, Williams and Dajuan Wagner. Nevertheless, Yao was named a Hall of Famer—a selection predicated as much on his role in popularizing basketball in China as it was for his on-court play. Three players selected in this draft - including Yao, second-round pick Carlos Boozer and Rookie of the Year Amar'e Stoudemire - would be named to the All-NBA Team during their careers. Caron Butler was the only other player to become an All-Star. First-round pick Tayshaun Prince was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team four times.
As of the end of the 2022–23 NBA season, Udonis Haslem was the last remaining active draft-eligible player from the 2002 class, though he went undrafted (he made his NBA debut the following season). He stopped playing after the 2022–23 season.
Nine of the players selected in this draft never played in an NBA game throughout their professional basketball careers. Three of those players were the sole selection of the draft from their respective teams: Peter Fehse (Seattle's only pick), Marcus Taylor (Minnesota's only pick) and Mladen Šekularac (Dallas' only pick).
==Draft selections== {{stack| [[File:YaoMingonoffense2 crop.jpg|thumb|upright|Yao Ming was selected 1st overall by the Houston Rockets.]] [[File:Nene Hilario Nuggets (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Nenê was selected 7th overall by the New York Knicks (traded to the Denver Nuggets.)]] [[File:Amar'e Stoudemire 00054226.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Amar'e Stoudemire was selected 9th overall by the Phoenix Suns.]] [[File:Caron Butler.JPG|right|thumb|upright|Caron Butler was selected 10th overall by the Miami Heat.]] [[File:Tayshaun Prince.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Tayshaun Prince was selected 23rd overall by the Detroit Pistons.]] [[File:Carlos Boozer.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Carlos Boozer was selected 35th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.]] [[File:Luis Scola 2010.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Luis Scola was selected 56th overall by the San Antonio Spurs (traded to the Houston Rockets.)]] }} {|class=wikitable | PG || Point guard | SG || Shooting guard | SF || Small forward | PF || Power forward | C || Center |} {{NBA Draft legend|1=y|2=y|3=y|4=|5=y|6=y}} {| class="wikitable sortable sortable" ! width="1%"| Round ! width="1%"| Pick ! width="19%"| Player ! width="1%"| Position ! width="16%"| Nationality{{refn|group=n|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.}} ! width="35%"| Team ! width="20%"| School or club team |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 1 | bgcolor="#FFFF99"| {{sortname|Yao|Ming}}<sup>^*</sup> | C | {{flagu|China}} | Houston Rockets | Shanghai Sharks <small>(China)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 2 | {{sortname|Jay|Williams|Jay Williams (basketball)}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Chicago Bulls | Duke (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 3 | {{sortname|Mike|Dunleavy Jr.}} | SF/SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Golden State Warriors | Duke (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 4 | {{sortname|Drew|Gooden|dab=basketball}} | PF/C | {{flagu|United States}} | Memphis Grizzlies | Kansas (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 5 | {{sortname|Nikoloz|Tskitishvili}} | PF/C | {{flagu|Georgia (country)|name=Georgia|1990}} | Denver Nuggets | Benetton Treviso <small>(Italy)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 6 | {{sortname|Dajuan|Wagner}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Cleveland Cavaliers | Memphis (Fr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 7 | {{sortname|Nenê|Hilario|Nenê}} | C/PF | {{flagu|Brazil}} | New York Knicks <small>(traded to Denver)</small><ref name="Kniggets">The Knicks traded #7 pick along with Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson to the Nuggets for Antonio McDyess, #25 pick and a 2003 second-round pick.</ref> | Vasco da Gama <small>(Brazil)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 8 | {{sortname|Chris|Wilcox}} | PF/C | {{flagu|United States}} | Los Angeles Clippers <small>(from Atlanta)</small> | Maryland (So.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 9 | bgcolor="#FFFF99"| {{sortname|Amar'e|Stoudemire}}<sup>^~</sup> | PF/C | {{flagu|United States}} | Phoenix Suns | Cypress Creek HS <small>(Orlando, Florida)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 10 | bgcolor="#FFCC00"| {{sortname|Caron|Butler}}<sup>+</sup> | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Miami Heat | Connecticut (So.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 11 | {{sortname|Jared|Jeffries}} | PF/C | {{flagu|United States}} | Washington Wizards | Indiana (So.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 12 | {{sortname|Melvin|Ely}} | C/PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Los Angeles Clippers | Fresno State (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 13 | {{sortname|Marcus|Haislip}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Milwaukee Bucks | Tennessee (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 14 | {{sortname|Fred|Jones|Fred Jones (basketball)}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Indiana Pacers | Oregon (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 15 | {{sortname|Boštjan|Nachbar}} | SF/PF | {{SVN}} | Houston Rockets <small>(from Toronto)</small> | Benetton Treviso <small>(Italy)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 16 | {{sortname|Jiří|Welsch}} | SG/SF | {{CZE}} | Philadelphia 76ers <small>(traded to Golden State)</small> | Union Olimpija <small>(Slovenia and Adriatic League)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 17 | {{sortname|Juan|Dixon}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Washington Wizards <small>(from New Orleans)</small> | Maryland (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 18 | {{sortname|Curtis|Borchardt}} | C | {{flagu|United States}} | Orlando Magic <small>(traded to Utah)</small> | Stanford (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 19 | {{sortname|Ryan|Humphrey}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Utah Jazz <small>(traded to Orlando)</small> | Notre Dame (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 20 | {{sortname|Kareem|Rush}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Toronto Raptors <small>(from Seattle via New York, traded to Los Angeles Lakers)</small> | Missouri (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 21 | {{sortname|Qyntel|Woods}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Portland Trail Blazers | Northeast Mississippi CC (So.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 22 | {{sortname|Casey|Jacobsen}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Phoenix Suns <small>(from Boston)</small> | Stanford (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 23 | {{sortname|Tayshaun|Prince}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Detroit Pistons | Kentucky (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 24 | {{sortname|Nenad|Krstić}} | C/PF | {{FR-YUG}} | New Jersey Nets | Partizan Belgrade <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small> |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 25 | {{sortname|Frank|Williams|Frank Williams (basketball)}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Denver Nuggets <small>(from Dallas, traded to New York)</small><ref name="Kniggets"/> | Illinois (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 26 | {{sortname|John|Salmons}} | SF/SG | {{flagu|United States}} | San Antonio Spurs <small>(traded to Philadelphia)</small> | Miami (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 27 | {{sortname|Chris|Jefferies}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Los Angeles Lakers <small>(traded to Toronto)</small> | Fresno State (Jr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 28 | {{sortname|Dan|Dickau}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Sacramento Kings <small>(traded to Atlanta)</small> | Gonzaga (Sr.) |- |align=center| 1 |align=center| 29 |bgcolor="lightgray"| Forfeited pick | | | Minnesota Timberwolves <small>(forfeited their first-round pick due to salary cap violations)</small><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Restores Timberwolves' 2005 Draft Pick|url=http://www.nba.com/news/twolves_draft_pick_011228.html|work=NBA.com|access-date=January 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901224939/http://www.nba.com/news/twolves_draft_pick_011228.html|archive-date=September 1, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 30 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"|{{sortname|Steve|Logan|dab=basketball}}<sup>#</sup> | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Golden State Warriors | Cincinnati (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 31 | {{sortname|Roger|Mason Jr.}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Chicago Bulls | Virginia (Jr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 32 | {{sortname|Robert|Archibald}} | PF | {{GBR}} | Memphis Grizzlies | Illinois (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 33 | {{sortname|Vincent|Yarbrough}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Denver Nuggets | Tennessee (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 34 | {{sortname|Dan|Gadzuric}} | C |{{flagu|Netherlands}} | Milwaukee Bucks <small>(from Houston)</small> | UCLA (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 35 | bgcolor="#FBCEB1"| {{sortname|Carlos|Boozer}}<sup>*</sup> | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Cleveland Cavaliers | Duke (Jr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 36 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"| {{sortname|Miloš|Vujanić}}<sup>#</sup> | PG | {{FR-YUG}} | New York Knicks | Partizan Belgrade <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 37 | {{sortname|David|Andersen}} | C | {{flagu|Australia}} | Atlanta Hawks | Virtus Bologna <small>(Italy)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 38 | {{sortname|Tito|Maddox}} | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Houston Rockets <small>(from Miami)</small> | Fresno State (So.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 39 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"|{{sortname|Rod|Grizzard}}<sup>#</sup> | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Washington Wizards <small>(from Phoenix via Denver)</small> | Alabama (Jr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 40 | {{sortname|Juan Carlos|Navarro|Juan Carlos Navarro (basketball)}} | PG | {{flagu|Spain}} | Washington Wizards | FC Barcelona <small>(Spain)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 41 | {{sortname|Mario|Kasun}} | C | {{CRO}} | Los Angeles Clippers | Opel Skyliners <small>(Germany)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 42 | {{sortname|Ronald|Murray}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | Milwaukee Bucks | Shaw (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 43 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"| {{sortname|Jason|Jennings|Jason Jennings (basketball player)}}<sup>#</sup> | C | {{flagu|United States}} | Portland Trail Blazers <small>(from Toronto via Chicago)</small> | Arkansas State (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 44 | {{sortname|Lonny|Baxter}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Chicago Bulls <small>(from Indiana)</small> | Maryland (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 45 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"|{{sortname|Sam|Clancy|Sam Clancy Jr.}}<sup>#</sup> | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Philadelphia 76ers | USC (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 46 | {{sortname|Matt|Barnes}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Memphis Grizzlies <small>(from Orlando)</small> | UCLA (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 47 | {{sortname|Jamal|Sampson}} | C | {{flagu|United States}} | Utah Jazz <small>(traded to Orlando)</small> | California (Fr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 48 | {{sortname|Chris|Owens|Chris Owens (basketball player)}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Milwaukee Bucks <small>(from New Orleans, traded to Memphis)</small> | Texas (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 49 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"|{{sortname|Peter|Fehse}}<sup>#</sup> | PF | {{flagu|Germany}} | Seattle SuperSonics | Halle <small>(Germany)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 50 | {{sortname|Darius|Songaila}} | PF | {{flagcountry|LTU|1988}} | Boston Celtics | Wake Forest (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 51 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"| {{sortname|Federico|Kammerichs}}<sup>#</sup> | SF | {{ARG}} | Portland Trail Blazers | Ourense <small>(Spain)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 52 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"| {{sortname|Marcus|Taylor}}<sup>#</sup> | PG | {{flagu|United States}} | Minnesota Timberwolves | Michigan State (So.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 53 | {{sortname|Rasual|Butler}} | SF | {{flagu|United States}} | Miami Heat <small>(from Detroit via Toronto and Houston)</small> | La Salle (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 54 | {{sortname|Tamar|Slay}} | SG | {{flagu|United States}} | New Jersey Nets | Marshall (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 55 |bgcolor="C0C0C0"| {{sortname|Mladen|Šekularac}}<sup>#</sup> | SG | {{FR-YUG}} | Dallas Mavericks | FMP Železnik <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 56 | {{sortname|Luis|Scola}} | PF | {{ARG}} | San Antonio Spurs <small>(from L.A. Lakers)</small> | TAU Cerámica <small>(Spain)</small> |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 57 | {{sortname|Randy|Holcomb}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}}<br/>{{flag|Libya|1977}} | San Antonio Spurs <small>(traded to Philadelphia)</small> | San Diego State (Sr.) |- |align=center| 2 |align=center| 58 | {{sortname|Corsley|Edwards}} | PF | {{flagu|United States}} | Sacramento Kings | Central Connecticut (Sr.) |} {{reflist|group=n}}
==Notable undrafted players== {{further|List of undrafted NBA players}} These eligible players were not selected in this draft but played at least one game in the NBA. {| class="wikitable sortable" ! width="19%"| Player ! width="1%"| Position ! width="16%"| Nationality ! width="20%"| School or club team |- |{{sortname|Maurice|Baker}} |PG |{{flagu|United States}} |Oklahoma State (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|J. R.|Bremer}} |PG |{{flagu|United States}} |St. Bonaventure (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Devin|Brown}} |SG |{{flagu|United States}} |UTSA (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Josh|Davis|Josh Davis (basketball, born 1980)}} |PF/SF |{{flagu|United States}} |Wyoming (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Reggie|Evans}} |PF |{{flagu|United States}} |Iowa (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Alex|Garcia|dab=basketball}} |SG/SF |{{BRA}} |COC Ribeirão Preto <small>(Brazil)</small><!--The Brazilian basketball league that operated at the time is considered completely different from the one that operates now.--> |- |{{sortname|Lynn|Greer}} |PG/SG |{{flagu|United States}} |Temple (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Anthony|Grundy}} |PG/SG |{{flagu|United States}} |NC State (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Adam|Harrington|Adam Harrington (basketball)}} |PG/SG |{{flagu|United States}} |Auburn (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Lorinza|Harrington}} |PG/SG |{{flagu|United States}} |Wingate (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Udonis|Haslem}} |PF |{{flagu|United States}} |Florida (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Linton|Johnson}} |SF |{{flagu|United States}} |Tulane (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Arvydas|Macijauskas}} |SG |{{flagcountry|LTU|1988}} |Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania) |- |{{sortname|D.J.|Mbenga}} |C |{{flag|COD|name=DR Congo|1997}}<br/>{{BEL}} |Leuven Bears (Belgium) |- |{{sortname|Keith|McLeod}} |PG |{{flagu|United States}} |Bowling Green (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Jannero|Pargo}} |PG |{{flagu|United States}} |Arkansas (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Smush|Parker}} |PG/SG |{{flagu|United States}} |Fordham (So.) |- |{{sortname|Predrag|Savović}} |SG |{{FR-YUG}} |Hawaii (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Awvee|Storey}} |PF/SF |{{flagu|United States}} |Arizona State (Sr.) |- |{{sortname|Yuta|Tabuse}} |PG |{{JAP}} |BYU–Hawaii (Fr.) |}
==Early entrants== ===College underclassmen=== This year would mark a bit of a step down in terms of the number of underclassmen entering the NBA draft when compared to last year. While it would be the second time the number of underclassmen would exceed the number of draft picks available in the NBA, this year only saw a total of 72 underclassmen from college and overseas declare their initial entry into the NBA draft. However, it would exceed the amount of withdrawn players with 24 players doing exactly that, leaving a total of 48 eligible underclassmen available for the draft this year. The following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.<ref name=tdr>{{cite web |title=2002 Underclassmen |url=https://www.thedraftreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3049:2002-underclassmen&catid=136&Itemid=384 |website=The Draft Review | date=August 4, 2007 |access-date=December 23, 2022}}</ref>
{{div col}} * {{flagicon|USA}} Lee Benson – F, Brown Mackie (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Rodney Bias – F, Alabama (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Cordell Billups – G, Pierce (Washington) (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Carlos Boozer – F, Duke (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Curtis Borchardt – C, Stanford (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Caron Butler – F, Connecticut (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Mike Dunleavy Jr. – F, Duke (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Drew Gooden – F, Kansas (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Rod Grizzard – G, Alabama (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Marcus Haislip – F, Tennessee (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Rashid Hardwick – C, Eastern Oklahoma State (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Adam Harrington – G, Auburn (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Casey Jacobsen – G, Stanford (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Chris Jefferies – F, Fresno State (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Jared Jeffries – F, Indiana (sophomore) * {{flagicon|NGR}} Muhammed Lasege – C, Louisville (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Tito Maddox – G, Fresno State (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Kei Madison – F, Okaloosa-Walton (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Roger Mason Jr. – G, Virginia (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Smush Parker – G, Fordham (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Travis Robinson – F, Jacksonville (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Kareem Rush – G, Missouri (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Jamal Sampson – F/C, California (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Jerry Sanders – F, Northern Illinois (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Eddie Shelby – G, Dixie State (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Bobby Smith – G, Robert Morris (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Melvin Steward – G, Eastern New Mexico (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Marcus Taylor – G, Michigan State (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Terrell Taylor – G, Creighton (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Dajuan Wagner – G, Memphis (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Adrian Walton – G, Fordham (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Joseph Ward – F, Fort Hays State (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Omar Weaver – F/G, Riverside CC (freshman) * {{flagicon|USA}} Chris Wilcox – F, Maryland (sophomore) * {{flagicon|USA}} Troy Wiley – F, Rhode Island (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Frank Williams – G, Illinois (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} George Williams – F, Houston (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Jay Williams – G, Duke (junior) * {{flagicon|USA}} Qyntel Woods – G/F, Northeast Mississippi CC (sophomore) {{div col end}}
===High school players=== This would be the eighth 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 mark the first time a player directly out of high school would win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award with Amar'e Stoudemire earning the honor one year before LeBron James would enter the NBA. The following high school players successfully applied for early draft entrance.<ref name=tdr />
{{div col}} * {{flagicon|USA}} DeAngelo Collins – F, Inglewood High School (Inglewood, California) * {{flagicon|USA}} Lenny Cooke – G, Mott Adult High School (Flint, Michigan) * {{flagicon|LIT}} Giedrius Rinkevicius – C, Bridgton Academy (Bridgton, Maine) * {{flagicon|USA}} Amar'e Stoudemire – F, Cypress Creek High School (Orlando, Florida) {{div col end}}
===International players=== The following international players successfully applied for early draft entrance.<ref name=tdr />
{{div col}} * {{flagicon|GER}} Peter Fehse – F, Halle (Germany) * {{flagicon|BRA}} Nenê Hilario – F, Vasco de Gama (Brazil) * {{flagicon|FRY}} Nenad Krstic – Partizan (FR Yugoslavia) * {{flagicon|FRY}} Mladen Šekularac – F, FMP (FR Yugoslavia) * {{flagicon|GEO|1990}} Nikoloz Tskitishvili – F, Benetton Treviso (Italy) {{div col end}}
==Invited attendees== The 2002 NBA draft is considered to be the 24th 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<ref name="2002Invites">{{cite web | title=2002 Green Room Invites - the Draft Review | access-date=May 15, 2026 | url=https://www.thedraftreview.com/historical-draft-events/green-room/2002-green-room-invites }}</ref>), 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maurer |first=Matthew |date=2024-02-18 |title=Draft Broadcasts - The Draft Review |url=https://www.thedraftreview.com/sundry/sundry-articles/draft-broadcasts |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=The Draft Review |language=en-us}}</ref>
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 16 prospects at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Room - The Draft Review |url=https://www.thedraftreview.com/historical-draft-events/green-room |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=The Draft Review |language=en-us}}</ref> Despite the higher amount of invites for this year's draft when compared to the previous two drafts, there would still be a couple of discrepancies involved with the invitations at hand, such as a missing invitation to Chinese Hall of Fame center Yao Ming from the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanghai Sharks (which would make him the first #1 pick to not be invited to the "green room" properly since David Robinson from the U.S. Navy back in 1987) and arguably a missing invitation for future NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, who was taken in the second round of this year's draft. With that in mind, the following players were invited to attend this year's draft festivities live and in person.<ref name="2002Invites" />
{{div col}} *{{flagicon|USA}} Curtis Borchardt – C, Stanford *{{flagicon|USA}} Caron Butler – SF, Connecticut *{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Dunleavy Jr. – SG/SF, Duke *{{flagicon|USA}} Melvin Ely – PF/C, Fresno State *{{flagicon|USA}} Drew Gooden – PF/C, Kansas *{{flagicon|USA}} Marcus Haislip – PF, Tennessee *{{flagicon|BRA}} Maybyner "Nenê" Hilario<!--Would not officially go by Nenê until 2003.--> – PF/C, Vasco de Gama (Brazil) *{{flagicon|USA}} Casey Jacobsen – SG/SF, Stanford *{{flagicon|USA}} Jared Jeffries – PF/C, Indiana *{{flagicon|USA}} Kareem Rush – SG, Missouri *{{flagicon|USA}} Amar'e Stoudemire – PF/C, Cypress Creek High School (Orlando, Florida) *{{flagicon|GEO|1990}} Nikoloz Tskitishvili – PF/C, Benetton Treviso (Italy) *{{flagicon|USA}} Dajuan Wagner – PG/SG, Memphis *{{flagicon|USA}} Chris Wilcox – PF/C, Maryland *{{flagicon|USA}} Jay Williams – PG, Duke *{{flagicon|USA}} Qyntel Woods – SF, Northeast Mississippi Community College {{div col end}}
==See also== * List of first overall NBA draft picks
==References== {{reflist}}
{{NBA Drafts}} {{NBA Draft history by team}} {{2002 NBA draft}} {{2002–03 NBA season by team}} {{NBA on TNT}} {{Portal bar|Sports}}
Draft Category:NBA draft NBA draft NBA draft Category:2000s in Manhattan Category:Basketball in New York City Category:Sporting events in New York City Category:Sports in Manhattan