| | Associated Press
Three first-round draft choices from last month's NBA draft signed contracts with their new teams Thursday, as DerMarr Johnson joined the Atlanta Hawks, Chris Mihm joined the Cleveland Cavaliers and Speedy Claxton joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
No. 6 overall pick Johnson, a 6-foot-9 shooting guard who can also play small
forward, averaged 12.6 points in his only season at Cincinnati. In
1998-99, he was Parade Magazine's high school player of the year
after averaging 26.1 points for Maine Central Institute.
Under the NBA's rookie salary scale, Johnson will receive within 20 percent of about $5.65 million over three seasons. In a rookie game against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, Johnson scored 14 points.
The 7-foot Mihm, who left Texas after his junior year to enter
the NBA draft, was the seventh pick overall in the June 28 draft.
He averaged 17.7 points and 10.5 rebounds a game as a junior.
Mihm, rated by most the top center in the draft, holds blocked-shot
records at Texas for a single game (eight), season (90) and career
average (2.8 per game).
Cleveland needed size with the future of injury-prone 7-3 center
Zydrunas Ilgauskas still uncertain. Mihm was drafted by Chicago and, within minutes, was traded to Cleveland for No.8 pick Jamal Crawford, plus an unspecified amount
of cash.
Claxton, the 76ers first-round, signed a three-year, $2.46 million contract with a fourth year at the club's option.
The 5-10 Claxton was selected 20th overall and gives the 76ers
another small, quick player behind All-Star guard Allen Iverson,
whose relationship with coach Larry Brown remains strained.
Claxton was the America East Conference Player of the Year as a senior, averaging 22.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists at Hofstra University. He made 38 percent of his 3-pointers.
He played his way into the first round with a strong showing at
the NBA predraft camp in Chicago, where he was the top point
guard and raised eyebrows with a thunderous two-handed driving
dunk in one game.
The 76ers also signed guard Mark Karcher, their second-round
pick out of Temple.
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ALSO SEE
Status of NBA first-round draft picks
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