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. 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. 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. 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.
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.
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
{|class=wikitable
| PG || Point guard
| SG || Shooting guard
| SF || Small forward
| PF || Power forward
| C || Center
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
! width="1%"| Round
! width="1%"| Pick
! width="19%"| Player
! width="1%"| Position
! width="16%"| Nationality
! width="35%"| Team
! width="20%"| School or club team
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1
| bgcolor="#FFFF99"| <sup>^*</sup>
| C
|
| Houston Rockets
| Shanghai Sharks <small>(China)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2
|
| PG
|
| Chicago Bulls
| Duke (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3
|
| SF/SG
|
| Golden State Warriors
| Duke (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4
|
| PF/C
|
| Memphis Grizzlies
| Kansas (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5
|
| PF/C
|
| Denver Nuggets
| Benetton Treviso <small>(Italy)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6
|
| PG
|
| Cleveland Cavaliers
| Memphis (Fr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 7
|
| C/PF
|
| New York Knicks <small>(traded to Denver)</small>
| Vasco da Gama <small>(Brazil)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 8
|
| PF/C
|
| Los Angeles Clippers <small>(from Atlanta)</small>
| Maryland (So.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 9
| bgcolor="#FFFF99"| <sup>^~</sup>
| PF/C
|
| Phoenix Suns
| Cypress Creek HS <small>(Orlando, Florida)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 10
| bgcolor="#FFCC00"| <sup>+</sup>
| SF
|
| Miami Heat
| Connecticut (So.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 11
|
| PF/C
|
| Washington Wizards
| Indiana (So.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 12
|
| C/PF
|
| Los Angeles Clippers
| Fresno State (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 13
|
| PF
|
| Milwaukee Bucks
| Tennessee (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 14
|
| SG
|
| Indiana Pacers
| Oregon (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 15
|
| SF/PF
|
| Houston Rockets <small>(from Toronto)</small>
| Benetton Treviso <small>(Italy)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 16
|
| SG/SF
|
| Philadelphia 76ers <small>(traded to Golden State)</small>
| Union Olimpija <small>(Slovenia and Adriatic League)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 17
|
| PG
|
| Washington Wizards <small>(from New Orleans)</small>
| Maryland (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 18
|
| C
|
| Orlando Magic <small>(traded to Utah)</small>
| Stanford (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 19
|
| PF
|
| Utah Jazz <small>(traded to Orlando)</small>
| Notre Dame (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 20
|
| SG
|
| Toronto Raptors <small>(from Seattle via New York, traded to Los Angeles Lakers)</small>
| Missouri (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 21
|
| SF
|
| Portland Trail Blazers
| Northeast Mississippi CC (So.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 22
|
| SG
|
| Phoenix Suns <small>(from Boston)</small>
| Stanford (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 23
|
| SF
|
| Detroit Pistons
| Kentucky (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 24
|
| C/PF
|
| New Jersey Nets
| Partizan Belgrade <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small>
|-
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 25
|
| PG
|
| Denver Nuggets <small>(from Dallas, traded to New York)</small>
|
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 30
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"|<sup>#</sup>
| PG
|
| Golden State Warriors
| Cincinnati (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 31
|
| SG
|
| Chicago Bulls
| Virginia (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 32
|
| PF
|
| Memphis Grizzlies
| Illinois (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 33
|
| SF
|
| Denver Nuggets
| Tennessee (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 34
|
| C
|
| Milwaukee Bucks <small>(from Houston)</small>
| UCLA (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 35
| bgcolor="#FBCEB1"| <sup>*</sup>
| PF
|
| Cleveland Cavaliers
| Duke (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 36
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"| <sup>#</sup>
| PG
|
| New York Knicks
| Partizan Belgrade <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 37
|
| C
|
| Atlanta Hawks
| Virtus Bologna <small>(Italy)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 38
|
| PG
|
| Houston Rockets <small>(from Miami)</small>
| Fresno State (So.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 39
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"|<sup>#</sup>
| SG
|
| Washington Wizards <small>(from Phoenix via Denver)</small>
| Alabama (Jr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 40
|
| PG
|
| Washington Wizards
| FC Barcelona <small>(Spain)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 41
|
| C
|
| Los Angeles Clippers
| Opel Skyliners <small>(Germany)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 42
|
| SG
|
| Milwaukee Bucks
| Shaw (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 43
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"| <sup>#</sup>
| C
|
| Portland Trail Blazers <small>(from Toronto via Chicago)</small>
| Arkansas State (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 44
|
| PF
|
| Chicago Bulls <small>(from Indiana)</small>
| Maryland (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 45
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"|<sup>#</sup>
| PF
|
| Philadelphia 76ers
| USC (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 46
|
| SF
|
| Memphis Grizzlies <small>(from Orlando)</small>
| UCLA (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 47
|
| C
|
| Utah Jazz <small>(traded to Orlando)</small>
| California (Fr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 48
|
| PF
|
| Milwaukee Bucks <small>(from New Orleans, traded to Memphis)</small>
| Texas (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 49
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"|<sup>#</sup>
| PF
|
| Seattle SuperSonics
| Halle <small>(Germany)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 50
|
| PF
|
| Boston Celtics
| Wake Forest (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 51
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"| <sup>#</sup>
| SF
|
| Portland Trail Blazers
| Ourense <small>(Spain)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 52
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"| <sup>#</sup>
| PG
|
| Minnesota Timberwolves
| Michigan State (So.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 53
|
| SF
|
| Miami Heat <small>(from Detroit via Toronto and Houston)</small>
| La Salle (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 54
|
| SG
|
| New Jersey Nets
| Marshall (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 55
|bgcolor="C0C0C0"| <sup>#</sup>
| SG
|
| Dallas Mavericks
| FMP Železnik <small>(Sinalco Superleague and Adriatic League)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 56
|
| PF
|
| San Antonio Spurs <small>(from L.A. Lakers)</small>
| TAU Cerámica <small>(Spain)</small>
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 57
|
| PF
| <br/>
| San Antonio Spurs <small>(traded to Philadelphia)</small>
| San Diego State (Sr.)
|-
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 58
|
| PF
|
| Sacramento Kings
| Central Connecticut (Sr.)
|}
Notable undrafted 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
|-
|
|PG
|
|Oklahoma State (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG
|
|St. Bonaventure (Sr.)
|-
|
|SG
|
|UTSA (Sr.)
|-
|
|PF/SF
|
|Wyoming (Sr.)
|-
|
|PF
|
|Iowa (Sr.)
|-
|
|SG/SF
|
|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.-->
|-
|
|PG/SG
|
|Temple (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG/SG
|
|NC State (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG/SG
|
|Auburn (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG/SG
|
|Wingate (Sr.)
|-
|
|PF
|
|Florida (Sr.)
|-
|
|SF
|
|Tulane (Sr.)
|-
|
|SG
|
|Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)
|-
|
|C
|<br/>
|Leuven Bears (Belgium)
|-
|
|PG
|
|Bowling Green (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG
|
|Arkansas (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG/SG
|
|Fordham (So.)
|-
|
|SG
|
|Hawaii (Sr.)
|-
|
|PF/SF
|
|Arizona State (Sr.)
|-
|
|PG
|
|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.
- Lee Benson – F, Brown Mackie (freshman)
- Rodney Bias – F, Alabama (sophomore)
- Cordell Billups – G, Pierce (Washington) (sophomore)
- Carlos Boozer – F, Duke (junior)
- Curtis Borchardt – C, Stanford (junior)
- Caron Butler – F, Connecticut (sophomore)
- Mike Dunleavy Jr. – F, Duke (junior)
- Drew Gooden – F, Kansas (junior)
- Rod Grizzard – G, Alabama (junior)
- Marcus Haislip – F, Tennessee (junior)
- Rashid Hardwick – C, Eastern Oklahoma State (freshman)
- Adam Harrington – G, Auburn (junior)
- Casey Jacobsen – G, Stanford (junior)
- Chris Jefferies – F, Fresno State (junior)
- Jared Jeffries – F, Indiana (sophomore)
- Muhammed Lasege – C, Louisville (sophomore)
- Tito Maddox – G, Fresno State (sophomore)
- Kei Madison – F, Okaloosa-Walton (sophomore)
- Roger Mason Jr. – G, Virginia (junior)
- Smush Parker – G, Fordham (sophomore)
- Travis Robinson – F, Jacksonville (junior)
- Kareem Rush – G, Missouri (junior)
- Jamal Sampson – F/C, California (freshman)
- Jerry Sanders – F, Northern Illinois (sophomore)
- Eddie Shelby – G, Dixie State (sophomore)
- Bobby Smith – G, Robert Morris (junior)
- Melvin Steward – G, Eastern New Mexico (junior)
- Marcus Taylor – G, Michigan State (sophomore)
- Terrell Taylor – G, Creighton (junior)
- Dajuan Wagner – G, Memphis (freshman)
- Adrian Walton – G, Fordham (freshman)
- Joseph Ward – F, Fort Hays State (junior)
- Omar Weaver – F/G, Riverside CC (freshman)
- Chris Wilcox – F, Maryland (sophomore)
- Troy Wiley – F, Rhode Island (junior)
- Frank Williams – G, Illinois (junior)
- George Williams – F, Houston (junior)
- Jay Williams – G, Duke (junior)
- Qyntel Woods – G/F, Northeast Mississippi CC (sophomore)
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.), 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.
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. 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.