Wizards Chose First NBA pick

The Washington Wizards opened the NBA draft yesterday Thursday by electing John Wall to quickly rebuild their defense.

The player of the year by the Southeastern Conference is the first Kentucky basketball player in history to be elected first.

He will go to a Washington team that expected rebound after a disastrous season that included a suspension of Gilbert Arenas the rest of the campaign to get weapons at his locker.

Wall could replace Arenas as the Wizards' playmaker, or maybe play with him on a defense that scored many points.

Wall was elected shortly after a person familiar with the deal told that Chicago Bulls have agreed to swap the Wizards veteran guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th.Hinrich is an effective defense veteran who could help in the transition from Wall to the NBA.

Also reported that Portland Trail Blazers had canceled a general manager Kevin Pritchard.

After his name was announced at the beginning of the ceremony, Wall hugged his family and donned a cap with the Wizards before taking the stage to shake hands with commissioner David Stern.

The Philadelphia Sixers made the second choice, Evan Turner, Ohio State and national player of the year. To Sixers fans who attended the Madison Square Garden liked the team's decision and cheered loudly? "Evan Turner! ? Evan Turner! ".

New Jersey Nets were the third choice, keeping the front of the Georgia Tech Derrick Favors After Minnesota took the forward Wesley Johnson of Syracuse, who had been under the radar of the Nets.

The forward DeMarcus Cousins, also trained at the University of Kentucky, was elected with the number five by the Sacramento Kings.

Golden State Warriors decided by forward Ekpe Udoh, Baylor, to choose the six numbers drawn.

While another big man, center Greg Monroe, formed with the Georgetown Hoyas, was preferred by the Detroit Pistons with the number seven.

Los Angeles Clippers used the right to select the number eight forward Al-Farouq Aminu, the Wake Forest University.

Another revelation forward last college season, Gordon Hayward, of Butler, was elected with the number nine for the Jazz in Utah.

The Indiana Pacers, who had no pressure to select a player of his homeland, decided with the number 10 by forward Paul George, University of Fresno State.

The following selections, the New Orleans Hornets were decided with the number 11 for center Cole Aldrich made at the University of Kansas.

The Hornets have agreed to switch to Aldrich and veteran shooter Morris Peterson to Oklahoma City for the selections of the Thunders, the number 21 (Craig Brackis, front of Iowa State) and the number 26 (Quincy Pondexter, a swingman from Washington).

THE FIRST ROUND
1. Washington John Wall, g, Kentucky.

2. Philadelphia Evan Turner, g, Ohio State.

3. NJ, Derrick Favors, f, Georgia Tech

4. Minnesota, Wesley Johnson, f, Syracuse.

5. Sacramento, DeMarcus Cousins, f, Kentucky.

6. Golden State, Ekpe Udoh, c, Baylor.

7. Detroit, Greg Monroe, f, Georgetown.

8. L.A. Clippers, Al-Farouq Aminu, f, Wake Forest.

9. Utah (from New York to Phoenix), Gordon Hayward, f, Butler.

10. Indiana, Paul George, f, Fresno State.

11. New Orleans, Cole Aldrich, c, Kansas.

12. Memphis, Xavier Henry, g, Kansas.

13. Toronto, Ed Davis, f, North Carolina.

14. Houston, Patrick Patterson, c, Kentucky.

15. Milwaukee (from Chicago), Larry Sanders, fc, Virginia Commonwealth.

16. Minnesota (from Denver to Charlotte), Luke Babbitt, f, Nevada.

17. Chicago (from Milwaukee), Kevin Seraphin, fc, Cholet (France).

18. Oklahoma City (Miami), Eric Bledsoe, g, Kentucky.

19. Boston, Avery Bradley, g, TX.