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The NBA’s Southwest Division could become a showcase next season for rookies who do their best work in the paint.
Memphis took Duke forward Cameron Boozer third overall in the NBA draft Tuesday night and added forward Karim Lopez of Mexico later in the first round.
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The Dallas Mavericks used their top draft choice — at ninth overall — to select Morez Johnson Jr. from the reigning NCAA national champion Michigan Wolverines.
The defending Western Conference champions added a big man, too. The San Antonio Spurs took Kentucky forward and center Jayden Quaintance at 20th overall — and then traded for another big man — UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. — at No. 26.
Shortly after the 6-foot-9 Boozer found out he’d be heading to Memphis, he predicted that he and Zach Edey would “become one of the best rebounding duos in the league” and cause mismatch problems for opponents.
The 6-9 Johnson joins dynamic second-year big man Cooper Flagg in the Mavericks’ potentially formidable front court. Johnson averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in helping Michigan win the second NCAA title in program history this past season.
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Houston and New Orleans did not have first-round selections this year, and neither succeeded in finding a trade they liked to get back into NBA draft’s opening round.
The Rockets didn’t make their first pick until late in the second round Wednesday night, at 53rd overall, and they, too, grabbed a big man. Houston took 6-11 Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso of Nigeria.
The Pelicans, who won just 26 games last season, had only the third to last pick in the second round, or 58th overall. They took SMU wing Jeron Pierre Jr.
What was the team’s need: Pieces for an ongoing rebuild process that Memphis started last summer.
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Who did Memphis draft: Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 power forward from Duke with the No. 3 pick. Two trades dropped the Grizzlies from No. 16 to No. 17 to 21, picking up five second-round picks in the process. At No. 21 from Detroit in a deal that won’t be official until July 6, Memphis selected Karim Lopez, a 19-year-old forward from Mexico, who played for the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-draft-brings-more-paint-031003270.html
Author : BRETT MARTEL
Publish date : 2026-06-25 03:10:00
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