The Los Angeles Clippers selected Blake Griffin with the No. 1 pick on Thursday, grabbing the only player considered a sure thing in an NBA draft full of question marks.
Griffin was the consensus US college player of the year after leading the nation with 14.4 rebounds per game while averaging 22.7 points last season for University of Oklahoma. The Clippers said they would take the forward with the pick hours after they won the draft lottery last month.
“The fact is we’re getting an incredible player, incredible person, an impeccable work ethic and a guy that we plan on having in LA for many years to come,” Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said.
“He’s going to be a great, exciting fit for our ballclub,” Dunleavy said.
The draft followed a day of blockbuster trades in the NBA.
Superstars LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal became teammates when the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a blockbuster trade for O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns earlier on Thursday.
James is a reigning MVP who at age 24 needs only a championship to complete his resume. O’Neal, 37, is a larger-than-life personality who may be past the prime of his career but remains an undeniable force and hungers for a fifth NBA title.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns in hopes he can help LeBron James deliver this seemingly sports-cursed city its first major pro championship in 45 years.
O’Neal said he expects “a lot of fun, a lot of just having a good time and a lot of smiling, and a lot of winning.”
Eastern Conference champion Orlando acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey.
More big names could be available this summer as teams are forced to slash payroll. The best way to improve quickly this year was through trades, because the draft was considered weaker than in recent years.
With the No. 2 pick, the Memphis Grizzlies grabbed University of Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet from Tanzania, a dominant rebounder and shot blocker who doesn’t have strong offensive skills.
Results of Thursday’s NBA Draft
1 Los Angeles Clippers/Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
2 Memphis Grizzlies/Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
3 Oklahoma City Thunder/James Harden, Arizona State
4 Sacramento Kings/Tyreke Evans, Memphis
5 Minnesota Timberwolves (from Washington)/ Ricky Rubio, Spain
6 Minnesota Timberwolves/Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
7 Golden State Warriors/Stephen Curry, Davidson
8 New York Knicks/Jordan Hill, Arizona
9 Toronto Raptors/DeMar DeRozan, Southern California
10 Milwaukee Bucks/Brandon Jennings, Italy
11 New Jersey Nets/Terrence Williams, Louisville
12 Charlotte Bobcats/Gerald Henderson, Duke
13 Indiana Pacers/Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
14 Phoenix Suns/Earl Clark, Louisville
15 Detroit Pistons/Austin Daye, Gonzaga
16 Chicago Bulls/James Johnson, Wake Forest
17 Philadelphia 76ers/Jrue Holiday, UCLA
18 Minnesota Timberwolves (from Miami)/Ty Lawson, North Carolina
19 Atlanta Hawks/Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
20 Utah Jazz/Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth
21 New Orleans Hornets/Darren Collison, UCLA
22 Portland Trailblazers (from Dallas)/Victor Claver, Spain
23 Sacramento Kings (from Houston)/Omri Casspi,Israel
24 Dallas Mavericks (from Portland)/B.J. Mullens, Ohio State
25 Oklahoma City Thunder (from San Antonio)/Rodrigue Beaubois, France
26 Chicago Bulls (from Denver via Oklahoma City)/Taj Gibson, South California
27 Memphis Grizzlies (from Orlando)/DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
28 Minnesota Timberwolves (from Boston)/Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
29 Los Angeles Lakers/Toney Douglas, Florida State
30 Cleveland Cavaliers/Christian Eyenga, Congo
SOURCE: REUTERS
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