Raptors select Nigerian forward despite injury
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors selected Indiana forward OG Anunoby with the No. 23 pick in the NBA draft, adding an agile, physical player with the length of a centre.
The six-foot-eight Anunoby, who boasts an impressive sevenfoot-two wingspan, was averaging 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds and shooting 55.7 per cent from the field in his sophomore season. But his college career was cut short when he tore his ACL in January. He’d played just 16 games this past season, and the injury added plenty of mystery around Anunoby’s stock.
His brother Chigbo is a defensive tackle with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. The 19-year-old Anunoby — whose full first name is Ogugua — was born in London, but moved to Missouri at the age of four.
Anunoby was in Brooklyn for the draft, dressed in a blue plaid suit and blue bow tie. He confirmed that he would continue to wear his trademark short shorts next season in Toronto.
Earlier in the draft, the Philadelphia 76ers got the player they wanted and Lonzo Ball the team he wanted. The 76ers selected guard Markelle Fultz on Thursday night with the No. 1 pick and the Lakers followed by taking Ball, the start of a record-setting run of one-and-dones in the NBA draft. The point guards from the Pac-12 Conference began a run of seven straight freshmen. Nine of the first 10 selections played just one season of college ball.
A night that’s usually about the rookies quickly was jolted by another of the big moves involving veterans that have come in a flurry since the NBA Finals. The Chicago Bulls traded three-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and the 16th overall pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall draft pick.
Fultz averaged 23.2 points last season, tops among freshmen, and added 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, the only Division I player to reach those stats. He walked across the stage Thursday night at Barclays Center wearing orange sneakers made of basketballs.
The Celtics then took Duke’s Jayson Tatum at No. 3 after moving down two spots in the trade with Philadelphia, drawing cheers from a large contingent of their fans at Barclays Center wearing green. The Suns took Josh Jackson of Kansas, the Sacramento Kings took Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox at No. 5 and the run of freshmen continued when the Orlando Magic selected Jonathan Isaac.
The New York Knicks took French guard Frank Ntilikina at No. 8. The top 10 was rounded out with two more freshmen: Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State to Dallas at No. 9, and Gonzaga’s Zach Collins at No. 10 with the Kings’ second pick.