The home of America’s space program took a small step in the development of the hometown basketball team Wednesday, and a giant leap for the NBA and the basketball universe.
The Houston Rockets used the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft to select Yao Ming, the 7-foot-5-inch center from China who is generally considered a developing basketball project and one day could become a top NBA center.
Perhaps more significant, it is the first time a player who did not attend a college or high school in the U.S. has been the first selection in the draft, and further pushes open the door to NBA globalization.
“It’s a new time,” Yao said through an interpreter from China, where he watched the draft on television. “I am confident. I will learn from the NBA and improve myself.”
Yao exchanged clumsy high-fives with associates watching the draft and plopped on a Rockets hat that seemed several sizes too small.
That might be the only thing small about Yao, who is listed at almost 7-6 without shoes and a giant wingspan of almost 7 1/2 feet. He was one of five international players taken among the first 16 picks in the draft, and the first taken No. 1 overall.
The Bulls followed with highly regarded Duke point guard Jay Williams, who is expected to give the Bulls the top young nucleus in the Eastern Conference, if not the NBA.
“There’s nothing but upside,” Williams said.
That’s what the New York Knicks are hoping as they pulled off the only significant trade of draft day. They dealt veteran point guard Mark Jackson, oft-injured Marcus Camby and their No. 7 pick in the first round for former All-Star and Olympian Antonio McDyess and the No. 25 pick, which the Knicks used for Illinois guard Frank Williams.
There was talk of a McDyess deal that included Andre Miller, but it collapsed, and the Wizards made another unsuccessful run at Bulls guard Jamal Crawford.
The Knicks have a chance to return to the playoffs after discarding the erratic Camby for McDyess, who agreed to drop his chance to opt out of his contract after next season.
The Knicks, with the highest ticket prices in the league, never believe they are a team that can rebuild with young players as the Bulls have done. So they add an athletic potential All-Star who joins Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston in an exciting trio.
Frank Williams also could get a chance because the Knicks aren’t high on veteran point guards Howard Eisley and Charlie Ward.
The Nuggets, who probably were going to lose McDyess to free agency, made a commitment to rebuilding as they selected two of the most talented international players, big men Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Nene Hilario. Pronunciation guides will come with Nuggets game programs.
Cleveland pulled off two surprises, taking guard Dajuan Wagner with the sixth pick and not trading Miller. The Cavs were looking for a fan favorite like Wagner, who once scored 100 points in a high school game.
The Clippers loaded up on power forwards with Chris Wilcox and Harvey’s Melvin Ely, while the Heat seemed to score with Caron Butler. Many regard Butler and the Bulls’ Williams as the most NBA ready.
There were several minor deals, including one that might someday be a winner for the champion Los Angeles Lakers. They acquired the rights to Missouri shooting guard Kareem Rush and Tracy Murray from Toronto for Lindsey Hunter and the rights to No. 27 pick Chris Jefferies.
Also, the 76ers traded the 16th pick, Czech guard Jiri Welsch, to Golden State for a future first-round pick, then sent Speedy Claxton to San Antonio for the rights to the 26th and 57th picks.
And the Cavs, to get a shorter contract, took Nick Anderson from the Grizzlies for Wesley Person.
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Draft-day trades
– Denver Nuggets traded F Antonio McDyess, the rights to G Frank Williams and a 2003 second-round draft pick to the New York Knicks for C Marcus Camby, G Mark Jackson and the rights to F Nene Hilario.
– Philadelphia 76ers traded the rights to G Jiri Welsch to the Golden State Warriors for a future first-round draft pick and a future first- or second-round draft pick. Philadelphia traded G Speedy Claxton to the San Antonio Spurs for F Mark Bryant, the rights to G-F John Salmons and the rights to F Randy Holcomb. Philadelphia acquired the rights to F Efthimios Rentzias from the Atlanta Hawks for second-round picks in 2004 and 2006.
– Sacramento Kings traded the rights to G Dan Dickau to the Hawks for a future first-round draft pick.
– Milwaukee Bucks traded the rights to F Chris Owens to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future second-round draft pick.
– Orlando Magic traded C Curtis Borchardt to the Utah Jazz for F Ryan Humphrey and the rights to C Jamal Sampson. Orlando traded Sampson to Milwaukee for the rights to C Rashard Griffith. Orlando acquired the rights to C Mario Kasun from the Los Angeles Clippers for future considerations.
– Los Angeles Lakers traded G Lindsey Hunter and the rights to F Chris Jefferies to the Toronto Raptors for F Tracy Murray and the rights to F Kareem Rush.
– Cleveland Cavaliers traded G Wesley Person to the Grizzlies for G Nick Anderson and the rights to F Matt Barnes.
First round
1. Rockets
YAO MING
C, 7-5, 296, China
2. Bulls
JAY WILLIAMS
G, 6- 1/4, 197, Duke
3. Warriors
MIKE DUNLEAVY
F, 6-8, 230, Duke
4. Grizzlies
DREW GOODEN
F, 6-83/4, 227, Kansas
5. Nuggets
NIKOLOZ TSKITISHVILI
F, 6-11, 225, Rep. of Georgia
6. Cavaliers
DAJUAN WAGNER
G, 6- 3/4, 193, Memphis
7. Knicks
NENE HILARIO (a)
F, 6-9 1/4, 253, Brazil
8. Clippers
CHRIS WILCOX
F, 6-8 1/4, 218, Maryland
9. Suns
AMARE STOUDEMIRE
F-C, 6-8 1/2 , 233, Fla. High
10. Heat
CARON BUTLER
F, 6-5 1/4, 222, Connecticut
11. Wizards
JARED JEFFRIES
F, 6-10, 230, Indiana
12. Clippers
MELVIN ELY
F, 6-9, 240, Fresno State
13. Bucks
MARCUS HAISLIP
F, 6-8 1/2 , 221, Tennessee
14. Pacers
FRED JONES
G, 6-4, 210, Oregon
15. Rockets
BOSTJAN NACHBAR
F, 6-8, 220, Slovenia
16. 76ers
JIRI WELSCH (b)
G, 6-6, 200, Czech Rep.
17. Wizards
JUAN DIXON
G, 6-0, 160, Maryland
18. Magic
CURTIS BORCHARDT (c)
C, 6-11, 238, Stanford
19. Jazz
RYAN HUMPHREY (d)
F, 6-8, 235, Notre Dame
20. Raptors
KAREEM RUSH (e)
G, 6-5, 199, Missouri
21. Trail Blazers
QYNTEL WOODS
F, 6-7, 213, NE Miss. CC
22. Suns
CASEY JACOBSEN
G, 6-5, 215, Stanford
23. Pistons
TAYSHAUN PRICE
F, 6-9, 215, Kentucky
24. Nets
NENAD KRSTIC
F, 6-11, 210, Yugoslavia
25. Nuggets
FRANK WILLIAMS (f)
G, 6-1 1/2 , 212, Illinois
26. Spurs
JOHN SALMONS (g)
G, 6-6, 207, Miami
27. Lakers
CHRIS JEFFERIES (h)
F, 6-8, 215, Fresno State
28. Kings
DAN DICKAU (i)
G, 6-0, 180, Gonzaga
(a) to Nuggets; (b) to Warriors; (c) to Utah; (d) to Orlando; (e) to Lakers; (f) to Knicks; (g) to 76ers; (h) to Raptors; (i) to Hawks
SECOND ROUND
30. Golden State
Steve Logan, G, Cincinnati
31. BULLS
Roger Mason Jr., G, Virginia
32. Memphis
Robert Archibald, F, Illinois
33. Denver
Vincent Yarbrough, F, Tennessee
34. Milwaukee (from Houston) Dan Gadzuric, C, UCLA
35. Cleveland
Carlos Boozer, F, Duke
36. New York
Milos Vujanic
G, KK Partizan (Yugoslavia)
37. Atlanta
David Anderson
F, Kinder Bologna (Italy)
38. Houston (from Miami)
Tito Maddox, G, Fresno State
39. Washington
(from Phoenix through Denver) Rod Grizzard, G-F, Alabama
40. Washington
Juan Carlos Navarro
G, F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
41. v-L.A. Clippers
Mario Kasun, C, Opel Skyliners (Germany)
42. Milwaukee
Ronald Murray, G, Shaw U.
43. Portland
(from Toronto through Chicago) Jason Jennings, C, Arkansas State
44. BULLS (from Indiana)
Lonny Baxter, F, Maryland
45. Philadelphia
Sam Clancy, F, Southern Cal
46. w-Memphis (from Orlando)
Matt Barnes, F, UCLA
47. x-Utah
Jamal Sampson, C, California
48. y-Milwaukee
(from New Orleans)
Chris Owens, F, Texas
49. Seattle
Peter Fehse, F, SV Halle (Germany)
50. Boston
Darius Songaila, F, Wake Forest
51. Portland,
Federico Kammerichs, F
Ourense (Spain)
52. Minnesota
Marcus Taylor, G, Michigan State
53. Miami
(from Detroit through Toronto and Houston), Rasual Butler, F, LaSalle
54. New Jersey
Tamar Slay, G, Marshall
55. Dallas
Mladen Sekularac, G-F
FMP Zeleznik (Yugoslavia)
56. San Antonio
(from L.A. Lakers), Luis Scola, F
Tau Ceramica (Spain)
57. z-San Antonio
Randy Holcomb, F, San Diego State
58. Sacramento
Corsley Edwards, F
Central Connecticut State
v-traded rights to Orlando
w-traded rights to Cleveland
x-traded rights to Orlando and Orlando traded to Milwaukee
y-traded rights to Memphis
z-traded rights to Philadelphia
