The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

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The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown picked in NBA Draft

Semi Ojeleye and Sterling Brown
Semi Ojeleye and Sterling Brown are SMU's first NBA Draft picks since 2001. Photo credit: Getty Images

For the first time since 2001, a player out of Southern Methodist University has been selected in the NBA Draft.

In the second round of Thursday’s NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected forward Semi Ojeleye with the 37th pick and the Philadelphia 76ers selected guard Sterling Brown with the 46th pick. The Milwaukee Bucks are in the process of acquiring Brown from Philadelphia. Reports say that forward Ben Moore signed a partially guaranteed contract with the Indiana Pacers, after going undrafted.

Ojeleye was the first SMU player taken in the draft since Jeryl Sasser in 2001. This is the first time in school history that two Mustangs were taken in the first two rounds. If Ojeleye, Brown or Moore gets on the court, he will be the first SMU player to receive NBA minutes since Quinton Ross in 2011.

Getting drafted 37th represented a bit of a fall from where Ojeleye was projected to go. Many mock drafts foresaw him getting drafted towards the end of the first round.

SMU head coach Tim Jankovich shared his thoughts on Ojeleye getting drafted.

“He did an awful lot for our city and for SMU and our program,” Jankovich told 103.3 FM. “It’s a great story. How can you not pull for a guy who was highly recruited out of high school, has no success at Duke? A lot guys would be crushed, but he worked and worked. He goes from oblivion into a draft choice. It’s a great story for all of us. No one deserves it more.”

A third AAC player was selected this year, as the New York Knicks took Houston’s Damyean Dotson 44th overall. Last year only one AAC player was drafted.

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