The Trail Blazers, who finished 32-50 in 2006-07 and did not qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year, made the No. 1 choice in the draft for the first time since 1978. They selected Minnesota big man Mychal Thompson with the top pick that year.
Oden played just one season for the Buckeyes, who were defeated by the Florida Gators in the championship game of the NCAA Tournament. The seven-foot center averaged 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 32 games.
Durant was the consensus National Player of the Year in 2006-07, the first freshman in NCAA history to claim the award. He led the Big 12 Conference in scoring with 25.8 ppg and in rebounding with 11.1 rpg, while topping the league in blocked shots.
"I know we’re going to be connected for a long time," Oden said of him and Durant. "He’s a really, really good player. I’m a pretty decent player. So I hope things work out. I would love to get way more championships than him."
A short time later, the draft took a big turn with the Celtics and SuperSonics pulling off a major deal, as Boston acquired seven-time All-Star selection Ray Allen to fortify its backcourt. Guard Delonte West, forwards Wally Szczerbiak and Jeff Green, who was chosen as the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday, went to Seattle.
"Ray Allen is a great player, and it would have been fun learning from him, but Delonte West and Szczerbiak are not bad at all, great players and looking forward to playing with them," Durant said. "Jeff is from D.C. so it’s going to be an easy transition knowing those two guys. So I can’t wait."
Five players from this past season’s national championship game were chosen among the top 10.
Atlanta chose forward Al Horford with the third pick. The 6-foot-10 Horford was an important part of Florida’s two-year run as national champions. Memphis took Ohio State guard Mike Conley Jr. with the fourth selection. Georgetown’s Green was taken next by the Celtics, but was told right away that he was headed to Seattle.
A member of the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, Conley was one of only two players on the team to start all 39 games and finished third in scoring with 11.3 ppg. He also was the lone guard chosen among the top 10 players.
"It’s been a whirlwind," Conley said. "I had no idea, or a year ago I would have not thought I’d be in this position at all. I had planned on staying in college as long as I could and trying to get a degree as fast as I could. And the way that last year went and the things that happened, I was just so grateful and blessed to be in this situation."
The 19-year-old Oden is very athletic, plays strong on the defensive end around the basket and runs the floor effectively. He is still developing his low-post game offensively, but with more experience he will polish his moves and could become a dominant force in the paint as a pro.
Fans in Portland are hoping picking Oden won’t be a case of deja vu. In the 1984 draft, the Trail Blazers selected Kentucky center Sam Bowie at No. 2 instead of North Carolina’s Michael Jordan, who was grabbed by Chicago with the next pick. Jordan, who is arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, won six titles and five MVP’s with the Bulls, while Bowie averaged 10.9 points in 511 games during an average 10-year career. The Kentucky product played for Portland, New Jersey and the Lakers, and was hampered with injuries throughout his career,
The arrival of Durant and Green give the Sonics a much-needed boost to their frontcourt, and that could prove dominant if Seattle can keep Rashard Lewis from leaving via free agency. Seattle is coming off a disappointing 31-51 season in which it missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
"Now that Ray is gone, and I think Rashard is a free agent, I’d love to get him back," Durant said. "He’s a great player and one of my idols as well and now he’s my teammate well, I hope he’s my teammate. If he’s there, it’s going to be a plus."
The Hawks, who have missed the playoffs in eight straight years, ranked worst in the league, just behind Portland, in offense last season, averaging less than 94 points a game. Horford, though, could help Atlanta’s cause, as he averaged 13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game.
Chinese forward Yi Jianlian was taken sixth by Milwaukee, while Minnesota, unable to strike a deal for Kevin Garnett by draft night, selected Florida forward Corey Brewer seventh. North Carolina forward Brandan Wright was taken eighth by Charlotte, and Gators forward Joakim Noah was chosen ninth by Chicago.
Wright, though, was traded to the Golden State Warriors with guard Jason Richardson going to the Bobcats. Charlotte also got the rights to Alabama forward Jermareo Davidson, chosen 36th overall in the draft.
Horford, Brewer and Noah made history by becoming the first trio from the same school to be taken in the top 10 of a draft.
The Sacramento Kings, coming off their first losing season since 1998, selected Washington center Spencer Hawes at the 10th spot.
Guard Acie Law IV of Texas A&M was chosen 11th by Atlanta, while Georgia Tech forward Thaddeus Young was taken 12th by Philadelphia. That was followed by Kansas forward Julian Wright going to New Orleans and Florida State forward Al Thornton heading to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers. Rodney Stuckey, a guard from Eastern Washington, was taken 15th by Detroit, while Southern California swingman Nick Young went to Washington at No. 16. New Jersey took Boston College big man Sean Williams at 17th, while Golden State chose Italian guard Marco Belinelli next.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who have been pressed by trade demands from Kobe Bryant, were unable to move their superstar and took Georgia Tech guard Javaris Crittenton at No. 19.
Colorado State forward/center Jason Smith was taken 20th by Miami, while Philadelphia took Ohio State guard Daequan Cook at No. 21. However, the two teams exchanged the picks before the first round was over. The Sixers also sent the Heat a 2009 second-round pick and cash.
Charlotte selected Boston College forward Jared Dudley next, followed by New York selecting DePaul forward Wilson Chandler. Guard Rudy Fernandez of Spain went to Phoenix at No. 24, and Rice guard Morris Almond was taken by Utah at the 25th spot.
The final five picks of the first round saw Oregon guard Aaron Brooks going to Houston, UCLA guard Arron Afflalo heading to Detroit, Brazil forward Tiago Splitter joining the NBA champion Spurs, Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker heading to the Phoenix Suns, and Finnish guard Petteri Koponen going to the 76ers. Koponen was then dealt to Portland for the rights to No. 42 pick Vanderbilt guard/forward Derrick Byars and cash considerations.
