<P> In the early years of the NBA draft , a player had to finish his four - year college eligibility to be eligible for selection . Reggie Harding , who had graduated from high school but did not enroll in a college , became the first player drafted out of high school when the Detroit Pistons selected him in the fourth round of the 1962 draft . However , the NBA rules at that time prohibited a high school player to play in the league until one year after his high school class graduated . Thus , he spent a year playing in a minor basketball league before he was drafted again in the 1963 draft by the Pistons . He finally entered the league in the 1963 -- 64 season and played four seasons in the NBA and American Basketball Association ( ABA ) . </P>
<P> In the early years of the NBA draft , a player had to finish his four - year college eligibility to be eligible for selection . Reggie Harding , who had graduated from high school but did not enroll in a college , became the first player drafted out of high school when the Detroit Pistons selected him in the fourth round of the 1962 draft . However , the NBA rules at that time prohibited a high school player to play in the league until one year after his high school class graduated . Thus , he spent a year playing in a minor basketball league before he was drafted again in the 1963 draft by the Pistons . He finally entered the league in the 1963 -- 64 season and played four seasons in the NBA and American Basketball Association ( ABA ) . </P>
who was the first nba player straight out of high school
who was the first nba player straight out of high school
Reggie Harding
Reggie Harding