1981 NBA draft
The 1981 NBA Draft took place on 9 June 1981. It featured NBA teams selecting college and other players in a pre-decided order based on their record in the previous season.
The draft consisted of 10 rounds. Two players drafted in the final round went on to very successful careers in other sports. Tony Gwynn went on to a baseball career that eventually put him in the Hall of Fame, while Kenny Easley had a long and productive NFL career, that included five Pro Bowl selections.
Round one
| = All-Star | |
| = Hall of Fame |
Notable post-first round picks
| Pick | Player | Nationality | NBA Team | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Jay Vincent (SF) |  United States |
Dallas Mavericks | Michigan State |
| 29 | Eddie Johnson (SF) | United States |
Kansas City Kings (from Atlanta via Utah Jazz) | Illinois |
| 31 | Danny Ainge (SG) | United States |
Boston Celtics (from San Diego) | BYU |
| 57 | Frank Brickowski (SF) | United States |
New York Knicks (from Washington) | Penn State |
| 214 | Tony Gwynn (PG) | United States |
San Diego Clippers | San Diego State |
| 221 | Kenny Easley (PG) | United States |
Chicago Bulls | UCLA |