Reporter claims Paul Silas let him make Clippers' draft pick in early 80s

The folks over at Deadspin have published a fascinating oral history of Donald Sterling's 33-year reign as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, and it's as terrifying and spectacular as you would suspect.

Alongside disturbing stories such as former player Bo Kimble considering suicide are the ridiculous and the outrageous, including one tale about former coach Paul Silas, relayed by Nick Canepa, a Clippers beat writer for the San Diego Evening Tribune prior to the franchise's move to Los Angeles in 1984.

There were a lot of rounds in the draft then, not two like there are now. I think they were up to like, the seventh round. And I'm sitting in Silas's office, and you know, he's looking at these sheets, and he goes, "I don't know Nick, you pick somebody."

I'm saying, "Is Eddie Hughes gone yet?" Eddie Hughes was a little guard who was just a rocket at Colorado State. I'd been covering San Diego State basketball before that ... one of the fastest players I've ever seen. (I said) "Is Eddie Hughes from Colorado State gone yet?" And he says, "No." So they drafted him. I drafted a guy.

Canepa is correct - up until 1984, the NBA Draft had an absurd 10 rounds, something that was ultimately reduced to the current two in 1989. And Hughes was the Clippers' seventh round selection in 1982, according to NBADraft.net.

It's actually not that shocking a story when you think about it - virtually none of the players drafted in those now-defunct late rounds ever sniffed a minute of NBA action, so why not pass the drafting duty on to a sports writer who had probably done more scouting that the actual team?

Man, how times have changed.

Silas last coached in the NBA three years ago with Charlotte.