NBA Draft

Yesterday, the Portland Trailblazers had the 1st pick in the NBA Draft. They had a choice between Kevin Durant and Greg Oden.

As the time for the number 1 pick arrived, there were lots of question marks about who was going to be picked. But the Trailblazers eventually went for the big man from Ohio State, Greg Oden. "I was on the phone with the radio station back in Portland," Oden said. "They said they stomped the floor like they won the NBA championship once they called my name."

They did that with good reason to, as Oden will be one of the better big men in the league for years to come. He hopes to make Portland a winning team. "They did have a bad (reputation), but I think Brandon and LaMarcus kind of turned that around," Oden said. "I hope that I can come and just push that along some more."

With the 2nd pick, it came as no surprise to everyone in the building that the Seattle Supersonics picked Kevin Durant number 2. But moments after Durant was picked saw Ray Allen being traded away to Boston. Durant was not so sure that he could single-handedly make the Sonics win with Allen gone. He says he is not a savior. "Not at all, not at all," Durant said. "When you play since you were 8 or 9 years old, you know the game is not a one-man sport. I'm far from being a saviour."

Some trades on draft day included the one with Ray Allen, Portland trading Zach Randolf and others to New York for Steve Francis and Channing Frye, and the only other trade involving an NBA player came when Golden State sent Jason Richardson and the rights to Jermareo Davidson, the No. 36 pick, to Charlotte for Brandan Wright, taken at No. 8 by the Bobcats.

Other picks were:

Number 3: Al Hortford
Number 4: Mike Conley Jr.
Number 5: Jeff Green
Number 6: Yi Jianlian
Number 7: Corey Brewer
Number 8: Brandon Wright
Number 9: Joakim Noah
Number 10: Spencer Hawes
Number 11: Acie Law IV
Number 12: Thaddeus Young
Number 13: Julian Wright
Number 14: Al Thorton
Number 15: Rodney Stuckey
Number 16: Nuck Young
Number 17: Sean Williams
Number 18: Marco Belinelli
Number 19: Javaris Crittenton
Number 20: Jason Smith
Number 21: Daequan Cook
Number 22: Jared Dudley
Number 23: Wilson Chandler
Number 24: Rudy Fernandez
Number 25: Morris Almond
Number 26: Aaron Brooks
Number 27: Arron Afflalo
Number 28: Tiago Splitter
Number 29: Alando Tucker
Number 30: Petteri Koponen