A total of six Pac-10 players were drafted, tying the conference with the Atlantic Coast Conference for the second-highest number of draft picks in the last four years with 29. The Big 12 Conference has the highest number of total draftees over the past four years with 31.
Here’s a breakdown of where the other players representing the Pac-10 went in the draft.
Klay Thompson
Taken at No. 11 on Thursday, Thompson became Washington State’s highest draft pick ever, and the first Cougar to be drafted since 2008. He is just the second WSU player to be drafted in the first round. Thompson played three years at Washington State and led the Pac-10 with 21.6 points per game this season.
Selection: No. 11, Golden State Warriors
School: Washington State
Position: Guard
He said it: “”It’s really humbling, just because I know how good the organization of the Warriors is and I can tell they are going in the right direction. I can’t wait to go up there and play for coach (Mark) Jackson; he’s going to be demanding but he’s going to get the most out of it.””
Nikola Vucevic
Vucevic is the fifth USC player selected in the first round of the draft since 2007, giving the Trojans at least one first-round draft pick in four of the last five years. Vucevic played three seasons at USC, averaging 11 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Selection: No. 16, Philadelphia 76ers
School: USC
Position: Forward
He said it: “”I wanted to say that this was by far the greatest moment of my life. When I heard my name called, I was just going to hold myself. I had to cry a little bit and hug my parents and my agent. It was a great feeling.””
Tyler Honeycutt
Honeycutt played two seasons at UCLA, and started 33 of the Bruins’ 34 games this season. He became UCLA’s 11th draft pick in the past eight years. He averaged 12.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game and led the Bruins in three-point shooting, connecting on 36.2 of his attempts from long range.
Selection: No. 35, Sacramento Kings
School: UCLA
Position: Small forward
He said it: “”To get to this point has been my dream since I was a little kid, and it’s come true. To play for the Kings, I think it’s going to be a great situation for me.””
Malcolm Lee
Lee was UCLA’s 12th draft pick in the last eight years. The three-year player averaged 13 points per game in his career.
Selection: No. 43, Chicago Bulls, rights traded to Minnesota Timberwolves
School: UCLA
Position: Shooting guard
Isaiah Thomas
Arizona fans will best remember Thomas for his last-second shot in the Pac-10 Tournament championship game that sank the Wildcats in overtime, but the junior from Washington almost didn’t hear his name called in the 2011 draft. Thomas is the seventh Huskies player to be drafted in the last nine years. He ranks sixth all-time among Washington’s scoring leaders.
Selection: No. 60, Sacramento Kings
School: Washington
Position: Guard
He said it: “”It was real nerve-racking because I didn’t expect to go that late. Even my agent was a little surprised, because we heard different things coming up into the draft. Other than that, it was just a blessing to get picked.””
