Knicks to Choose Bradley in Territorial Draft

May 4, 1965 - The NBA will hold its annual draft session Thursday, and the territorial choice of the forlorn New York Knicks undoubtedly will be Bill Bradley. But there’s no good news in sight for the Knicks and their fans today. Bradley won’t play with the pros.

“I am leaving for England on Oct. 1,” said Bradley, Princeton’s two-time All-America who enters Oxford University for a two-year stay as a Rhodes Scholar.

Asked about rumors circulating that he had been offered $100,000 by the Knicks, the outstanding college player of the 1964-65 season said, “That’s not so. I haven’t received such an offer, but it wouldn’t make any difference.”

Was there a chance he might play pro ball after he was through with Oxford?

“I can’t say,” he replied. “Right now, I expect to go into law.”

The remote possibility that Bradley could change his mind in a couple of years is the reason the Knicks will use up their territorial choice Thursday.

“Bradley would be a star in the NBA right now,” commented coach Red Auerbach of the champion Celtics as he watched Bradley receive an award as the outstanding college basketball player of 1964 Monday night.

The 6-5 Bradley was one of the 34 award winners at the second annual dinner of the National Academy of Sports. Auerbach accepted one for the Celtics, and Bill Russell got another as the outstanding NBA player of the 1964-65 season.

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