Former Indiana star A.J. Guyton listens to Bob Knight during a game.
A.J. Guyton (2000): 2nd Round, No. 42 overall - Chicago Bulls
The last remnants of the Bob Knight era saw former star guard A.J. Guyton enter the NBA as the No. 42 overall pick in the 2000 draft. Guyton was coming off a historic four-year career at IU, including first-team All-American and Big Ten Co-MVP honors as a senior, and would be the final NBA Draft pick under Knight's guidance in Bloomington.
Guyton's NBA career was short-lived as he played three seasons from 2000-02 and appeared in 80 total games with 14 starts. He spent the first two seasons with the Bulls, averaging 5.7 points, 1.9 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game, before finishing his career with a brief two-game stint with the Golden State Warriors.
Kirk Haston (2001): 1st Round, No. 16 overall - Charlotte Hornets
The first Indiana draft pick in the post-Knight era, Kirk Haston played two seasons in the NBA before exiting professional basketball altogether. Though the 6-foot-9 forward and former All-American was a highly-regarded NBA prospect, Haston struggled to gain traction with the Hornets and was released at the end of the 2002-03 season. Haston attempted to revive his career in the NBA D-League, but a season-ending knee injury derailed his career for good.
Jared Jeffries (2002): 1st Round, No. 11 overall - Washington Wizards
The most successful Indiana draft pick of the early 2000s, Jared Jeffries went from blue-chip recruit to Big Ten Player of the Year to the No. 11 overall pick in the 2002 draft in just two years. The 6-foot-11 forward was part of the "new age" of big men who could stretch the floor and shoot as the NBA evolved to more perimeter-centric offense, and Jeffries benefitted with a long, 11-year career which spanned four different NBA franchises, over 600 career games played, 335 career starts, and over 3,000 points scored. Jeffries spent six seasons with the New York Knicks, four seasons with the Washington Wizards, two seasons with the Houston Rockets, and his final season with the Portland Trailblazers.
Bracey Wright (2005): 2nd Round, No. 47 overall - Minnesota Timberwolves
A former McDonald's All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection, Bracey Wright had big dreams of making and staying in the NBA after becoming the No. 47 overall pick in the 2005 draft. However, Wright struggled to carve out a role in Minnesota, rotating between the NBA and G-League affiliate, and within two seasons he went overseas to continue his playing career. Wright enjoyed a fruitful international career as he spent nearly 12 years overseas playing for various teams. After retiring in 2019, Wright served as an assistant coach for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League.