High school big men dominate NBA draft
By Chris Sheridan
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause stole the spotlight from Michael Jordan at the NBA draft last night, dealing his best player — Elton Brand — to the Clippers for unproven 18-year-old center Tyson Chandler.
Associated Press
On a night when high school seniors were chosen first, second, fourth and eighth, the crowd at Madison Square Garden let out an astonished howl when commissioner David Stern announced the Clippers-Bulls trade.
Georgia high school center Kwame Brown, facing camera, hugs an unidentified man following the announcement that the Washington Wizards had made him the No. 1 pick in the draft.
It was the surprise moment of a night that saw Jordan make history by becoming the first NBA executive to select a high school player first overall as the Washington Wizards chose 19-year-old Kwame Brown of Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Ga.
Chandler, a 7-foot-1 center from Dominguez High in Compton, Calif., went second before Pau Gasol, a forward for F.C. Barcelona, went third to Atlanta.
Gasol will eventually end up in Memphis with the Grizzlies as part of a trade that sent Shareef Abdur-Rahim to the Hawks for Lorenzen Wright, Brevin Knight and Gasol. That deal won't be official until July 18.
In another trade, the New Jersey Nets sent the rights to Seton Hall freshman Eddie Griffin, selected seventh overall, to the Houston Rockets for the rights to their three first-round picks: Arizona forward Richard Jefferson (No. 13 overall), Stanford center Jason Collins (No. 18) and Pepperdine guard Brandon Armstrong (No. 23).
Also, Cleveland traded the rights to North Carolina center Brendan Haywood, the 20th overall pick, to Orlando for center Michael Doleac.
The Bulls used the fourth pick on another high school senior, Eddy Curry of Thornwood High. in South Holland, Ill. Curry averaged 22 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots for Thornwood, which went 31-1 last season. The 6-foot-11, 285-pound Curry was the MVP of the McDonald's All-America game.
"We had to give up an outstanding player and a guy I feel deeply about," Krause said of Brand. "We got two young people in the first round we really feel strongly about, two building blocks."
The Bulls, who had the youngest team in NBA history last season and won only 15 games, are now even younger after trading Brand, the co-Rookie of the Year in 1999-00. They also acquired forward Brian Skinner from the Clippers.
"We feel Tyson will be a very good player, but we wanted to get a veteran player, a proven player. Brand has proven himself. We know what we have," Clippers vice president Elgin Baylor said.
Brown, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound center, stood up and hugged his family before walking on stage, smiling broadly, and shaking Stern's hand.
Brown originally planned to attend the University of Florida before changing his mind when he learned he might be chosen among the top five. As a high school senior, he averaged 20.1 points and 13.3 rebounds and was selected player of the year in the state of Georgia.
"I guess I just made history. It's great. I've never been so overwhelmed and nervous in my life," Brown said. "I'm now the representative of all high school seniors, and I have to show it wasn't a mistake."
The Wizards considered trading the pick, but Jordan locked in on a player with enormous potential in a draft considered top heavy with big men.
"We were entertaining possibilities, but nothing could change our minds as to what he could do for the Washington Wizards," Jordan said.
The first player with any college experience to be drafted was Michigan State sophomore Jason Richardson, who went to Golden State with the fifth pick.
College Player of the Year Shane Battier of Duke went sixth overall to the Grizzlies.
Battier averaged 19.9 points for the Blue Devils as they won the national championship last season.
"It may sound archaic, but I really enjoyed my four years," said Battier, the first college graduate selected. "I have no hard feelings (about being chosen sixth), it's the nature of the NBA now. I think the Grizzlies got a hell of a player."
The Grizzlies weren't through. Later in the night, they sent point guard Mike Bibby and Brent Price to Sacramento in exchange for point guard Jason Williams and Nick Anderson.
