Andrew Wiggins from the University of Kansas was taken with the number one pick of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center on Thursday night.
The 19-year-old Wiggins, an athletic, 6-foot-8 (2.03m) guard with great leaping ability who averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds last season as a freshman, joins a Cavs team that was 33-49 last season in the National Basketball Association.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>With the 1st pick in the 2014 <a href="https://twitter.com/NBADraft">@NBADraft</a>, the <a href="https://twitter.com/cavs">@Cavs</a> select Andrew Wiggins (<a href="https://twitter.com/22wiggins">@22wiggins</a>)! <a href="https://t.co/SngSTRXVTU">pic.twitter.com/SngSTRXVTU</a></p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/statuses/482309389106561024">June 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
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"Just going in and creating impact off the bat," Wiggins said about coming to the NBA. "Just playing my game and have confidence in myself because I have to believe in myself before anyone else can."
The selection of Wiggins made it back-to-back number ones from Canada, as Cleveland made forward Anthony Bennett the first overall pick in 2013. Bennett struggled in his rookie season as he averaged 4.2 points and three rebounds per game.
Jabari Parker of Duke University was taken with the second pick of the draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 19-year-old Parker, a polished offensively-minded forward who averaged 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds as a freshman last season, was happy to join Milwaukee, which is about a 90 minute drive from his hometown of Chicago.
"I'm really excited," said Parker. "You know I get to represent the city of Chicago but also the city of Milwaukee and the whole Midwest, those Great Lakes, Lake Michigan. It feels real good."
Joel Embiid from the University of Kansas, the potential defensive ace of the draft, was taken with the third pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Embiid, a 7-foot center with outstanding defensive skills, averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a freshman despite missing the postseason tournaments because of a back injury.
Embiid, who had been projected as the possible number one pick, had recent foot surgery, which hurt his outlook.
"I just can't believe it," Embiid, who could not come to New York because of his surgery, told NBA TV. "It just shows that anything is possible."
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