Published October 26, 2022
The NBA Time Machine:
1957

Draft Day Deals
Celtics Strike Gold
The 1956 NBA draft was one of the most stacked at the time. There were several promising prospects all around – amongst them were the college phenomenon Si Green, the unorthodox Bill Russell, and the flashy Elgin Baylor.
Baylor had chosen to remain in school instead of joining the NBA immediately, but the Minneapolis Lakers held onto his draft rights. Si Green was chosen with the first pick by the lowly Rochester Royals to play alongside All-Star Maurice Stokes.
The most interesting order of events was the placement of Bill Russell – Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach wanted him because of his defensive prowess, despite that not being considered an important quality at the time. As a result, he traded perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks – who originally drafted Russell – in addition to forward Cliff Hagan, who had not yet played for Boston as he was in the military.
The Celtics’ decision to embrace Russell with open arms was impactful – racism was at its worst in southern cities like St. Louis, and he likely would have never enjoyed a productive career had he stayed there.
Also drafted by Boston was Tom Heinsohn with their territorial pick, forming a fresh frontcourt.
Teams Losing Money
Several teams in the NBA began to comtemplate relocation as their small markets were becoming unsustainable. The Fort Wayne Pistons in particular were considering a move to Detroit – owner Fred Zollner felt that the franchise’s name would fit the new city, with it being the center of the automobile industry.
Regardless, no teams had yet made significant moves – they were able to enjoy a second consecutive year of a league without structural changes.
Standout Players
Around the League
Team Standings
Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.