1956 NBA draft

In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players.

Tom Heinsohn from the College of the Holy Cross was selected before the draft as Boston Celtics' territorial pick.

[1] Bill Russell from the University of San Francisco was selected second overall by the St. Louis Hawks and immediately traded to the Boston Celtics for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan.

[2] Three players from this draft, Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell, and K. C. Jones, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame after championship careers with the Boston Celtics.

[3] Elgin Baylor and Sam Jones, who were selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the later rounds, have also been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, although they did not enter the league immediately after the draft.