OU's Griffin Is Top Pick In NBA Draft

Despite the lack of a Longhorn presence in the NBA Draft for the first time since 2005, the League's 2009 selection show still carried considerable Central Texas intrigue by virtue of multiple Big 12 picks and some outside-the-box thinking from the semi-local threesome of NBA teams.

As expected, Blake Griffin, the All-Everything power forward from Oklahoma, went first overall to the perpetually dysfunctional Los Angeles Clippers. Although the Clippers have an abysmal draft history when selecting forwards, Griffin is, by all conventional measures, the surest bet in an otherwise lackluster draft. Missouri's DeMarre Carroll represented the only other Big 12 action in the first round, going to Memphis with the 27th pick.

In the second round, Taylor Griffin, older brother to Blake and fellow Sooner, was selected 18th (48th overall) by the Phoenix Suns.

It was perhaps a perplexing night for local fans of the Dallas Mavericks, who with the 24th overall pick acquired (via a simultaneous trade with Oklahoma City) the largely unknown point guard Rodrigue Beaubois of France, in the process passing on such highly regarded players as Sam Young and DeJuan Blair of Pitt, and Wayne Ellington of North Carolina. Beaubois is expected to develop overseas at least one more season, making the pick even less inspiring.

The Spurs however did not pass on Blair, selecting the burly power forward with the 37th overall pick. Blair, once considered a top 20 pick, saw his draft stock tumble after a report revealed that he no longer has either of his ACL's after two surgeries in high school, naturally raising questions about the knees tasked with supporting his 265 lb. frame.

San Antonio spent its second round picks on Jack McClinton of Miami and Frenchman Nando De Colo while Dallas selected forward Ahmad Nivins of St. Joseph's.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who can be seen in Austin this October, spent the third overall pick on Arizona State shooting guard James Harden.