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Daily draft dose: Making sense of it all


Now that the 2000 NBA draft has come and gone, here's a look at what went down Wednesday night:

KATZ'S HINDSIGHT
Jaron Rush
JaRon Rush declared after his sophomore season at UCLA but went undrafted.


Surprising snubs:
Harold Arceneaux, Weber St.
Ed Cota, North Carolina
Schea Cotton*, Alabama
Eddie Gill, Weber State
Johnny Hemsley, Miami
Justin Love, Saint Louis
Paul McPherson*, DePaul
Brad Millard, St. Mary's
Doc Robinson, Auburn
JaRon Rush*, UCLA
Pepe Sanchez, Temple
Matt Santangelo, Gonzaga
Jarrett Stephens, Penn State
Bootsy Thornton, St. John's

*-indicates underclassman

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kenyon Martin was crying because he was picked No. 1 after his dream senior year ended early with a broken leg. Senior Courtney Alexander could have been near tears when he went No. 13.

Only one other senior was taken in the lottery, Syracuse's Etan Thomas at No. 12.

When the first round ended, a record low of 10 seniors were taken while a record high of 18 underclassmen and seven foreigners were selected.

"There is obviously an infatuation with them," Alexander said of the underclassmen who were selected in the first round. "But I'm just glad I'm fulfilling my dream."

NBA teams were banking on the potential of the underclassmen instead of a seemingly sure thing with the seniors.

"There are a lot of great seniors out there but they're all looking a lot at the upside," said Florida's Mike Miller, who declared after his sophomore season. "People are developing a lot earlier now and a lot are jumping. I'm one of them but you've got to be in the right situation. This is showing that I was in the right situation."

Michigan freshman Jamal Crawford said the fact that today's players are competing against NBA players in the offseason gives them confidence that they can play at this level.

"The NBA is going to draft younger players who have the tremendous upside," said UCLA coach Steve Lavin, who was in attendance to watch sophomore Jerome Moiso get selected by Boston at No. 11. "Players are exposed to the top competition at the highest level. As a result, they are less overwhelmed and are more polished when they get to this point."

Swapping hats
The best moments of the draft that weren't seen on TNT's broadcast took place in the bowels of the Target Center. Jamal Crawford was talking about being a Cavalier and playing shooting guard when he was told that he was traded to Chicago for Chris Mihm.

"Really? I had a great workout in Chicago," Crawford said to the laughter of the media. "I like Jerry Krause. It's like a roller coaster, never can tell which way you're going to go. My name was called and that's all that matters. It would have been great to be in Cleveland with (Shawn) Kemp."

And what about the Cavaliers hat?

"I'll let Chris keep it," Crawford said. "The ultimate goal for me is to make it to the NBA. That was the overwhelming decision to go. Wherever they send me I'll go, It's fine with me."

Crawford then had to do a staged event with Mihm. The NBA wanted an exchange of the hats, which was painfully done with Mihm giving a deadpan expression.

"I've made it now and I'm looking forward to being a Chicago Bull," Mihm said before the trade. "It's going to be fun. Marcus (Fizer) and I played against each other in high school."

About 20 minutes later, Mihm said, "It's strange. I just did an interview about the Bulls. This is surprising but it doesn't change a thing. It's a business and there are reasons why trades and picks are made. I said I would make whoever took me happy."

Fizer sticking with Bulls?
Chicago coach Tim Floyd told TNT that he could see Marcus Fizer playing small forward next to Elton Brand at power forward. Fizer said earlier in the week that he can play facing the basket, even though he always had to be a center with the Cyclones. But it will still be a tough adjustment, at least for everyone but Fizer.

"You're going to see," said Fizer, who went to the Bulls at No. 4. "No matter what position Brand plays, they'll put the best guys out there to win. I didn't play a lot of three at Iowa State. The season is going to start in October and November and we'll see. I consider myself a player. I don't consider myself a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5."

Slippery slope
A number of high-profile players went lower than they expected.

Ohio State junior Michael Redd thought he was going in the lottery when he declared. He was drafted by Milwaukee at No. 42. Temple junior Mark Karcher thought he was a first-round pick when he declared but didn't get taken until his hometown Sixers plucked him at No. 48.

Ohio State senior point guard Scoonie Penn was considered a possible first-round pick two months ago but went to Atlanta at No. 57. Utah's Hanno Möttölä and Duke's Chris Carrawell were both first round picks in a number of mock drafts. But Möttölä went to Atlanta at No. 40 and Carrawell went to San Antonio at No. 41.

Same time, next year
The NBA is closing in on a deal to hold the 2001 NBA draft in Denver. But New York is making a late push.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.


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