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Former Aggie center Chinemelu Elonu drives to the basket against Tarleton State. Elonu was selected 59th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Big Draft for Big 12

Griffin taken 1st overall, Elonu 59th

By: David Harris

Posted: 6/29/09

Thursday's NBA draft saw considerable activity for the NBA as a whole, but especially for Texas, as the three Texas teams acquired a number of rookies. The biggest news concerning Texas A&M came as former Aggie center Chinemelu Elonu was selected with the second-to-last pick of the draft by the 2008-2009 national champion Los Angeles Lakers.

"I was getting a little nervous when there were only a couple of picks left, but I decided early in the night to just leave it all in God's hands," Elonu said. "I was with a lot of friends and family and they gave me a lot of support. It's an honor to be drafted by the NBA champions. I think I can learn a lot from their big men and become a better player. It's also exciting to have a chance to play for a great coach like Phil Jackson. I just want to thank everyone at A&M for all they did for me and for making this possible."

Elonu was an honorable mention All-Big 12 player last season, averaging 9.8 points and a team best 7.3 rebounds and 53 blocked shots. He was named the Big 12's most improved player for the progress he made between his sophomore and junior years. The selection of Elonu by the Lakers means that former Aggies have been selected in four of the last five drafts. A&M has had more players selected over the past three years than any other Big 12 team.

In addition to Elonu, the Big 12 had four selections, with Oklahoma's Blake Griffin taken first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. Missouri's DeMarre Carroll was selected 27 by Memphis. Oklahoma's Taylor Griffin, Blake Griffin's brother, was selected 48 overall by Phoenix. The Big 12 has had a player selected in the top two picks each of the last four years, more than any other conference.

"I'm not worried about what's happened in the past," Griffin said of the Clippers' history to Soonersports.com. "I'm only looking forward to the future. We're not going think about what's happened in seasons past. We're just excited about the opportunity and going to make the best out of whatever situation we're put in."

While the draft was cause for much excitement for the Big 12, the future of the players lie in the hands of the NBA teams that selected them. For Texas, the Mavericks, Rockets and Spurs obtained the rights to eight rookies.

Dallas, who was picking 24 from 22 after a trade with Portland, traded again, this time with Oklahoma City, to move down another spot, the Mavericks took French point guard Rodrigue Beaubois with the 25th pick. They also took St. Joseph's Ahmad Nivins in the second round.

The Houston Rockets didn't have a pick as a result of earlier trades involving Steve Francis and Luis Scola. They did obtain rights to Arizona's Chase Buddinger, Central Florida's Jermaine Taylor and Spain's Sergio Llull through draft night trades.

San Antonio didn't have a first round pick due to their trade in 2008 for Seattle's, now Oklahoma City, Kurt Thomas. They did have three picks in the second round, where they took Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair, Miami's Jack McClinton and France's Nando de Colo.