NBA Draft 2019: A complete history of Australians in the NBA Draft

The influx of Australian prospects making a splash in the NBA has climbed in recent years with 19 players being selected through the NBA draft over the past 49 years.

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Australia's impact on the NBA in recent years has become evident with at least one Aussie playing in five of the past seven NBA Finals. Today, three Aussies will be hoping to have their names called with William McDowell-White, Matur Maker and Harry Froling in the mix

As the 2019 draft approaches, take a look back through the history of the Aussies in the NBA Draft. 

First-round selections

Of the 18 Australian players selected in the NBA Draft since 1969, 7 selections were made in the first round.

Luc Longley became the first Australian selected in the first round in 1991 when the imposing big man was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh pick. Chris Anstey lead a group of four Aussies taken in the 1997 NBA Draft when he was picked up at number 18 by the Portland Trail Blazers.

It was then Andrew Bogut who made history by becoming the first ever Australian to be selected with the coveted first overall pick in the NBA Draft when he was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005.

Dante Exum was an enigma as he entered the 2014 NBA Draft, but that didn't stop the Utah Jazz using the fifth overall pick on the lightning-quick guard.

In 2016 Bogut's feat was emulated when the Philadelphia 76ers used the first pick to take Ben Simmons who despite sitting out his first season, has had a major impact on the game in his first official season in the game.

Thon Maker was a shock lottery selection in the same draft when the Bucks used the 10th overall pick on the frontcourt prospect. 

MORE: William McDowell-White's globetrotting basketball journey has him primed to take the next step

Best rookie seasons

Andrew Bogut was the first Aussie to earn NBA All-Rookie honours following his first season in Milwaukee where he started 77 of 82 games.

Bogut's rookie campaign saw him end with season averages of  9.4 points and 7 rebounds per game, which earned him a third place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Chris Paul and Charlie Villanueva. 

Of course Simmons has made a monumental impact on the league in his first season as he compiled averages of 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. He broke Magic Johnson's triple-double record by ending the regular season with 12, going on to claim the Rookie of the Year award.

The other Aussie

Despite playing for Team USA, Kyrie Irving was born in Melbourne and so he qualifies for this list. Irving was taken with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 Draft after an injury-plagued season in college.

Irving won Rookie of the Year honours as well as being named to the All-Rookie first team. To add to his hardware he was also named the MVP during the Rising Stars challenge. 

Australians selected in the NBA Draft since 1969

2019 NBA Draft