Former University of Memphis freshman guard Dajuan Wagner was selected Wednesday night as the No. 6 overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Draft in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Wagner, a 6-2, 200-pound scorer, becomes the first Memphis player taken in the first round since Lorenzen Wright was picked No. 7 overall in 1996.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies selected Kansas junior Drew Gooden with the No. 4 pick. Gooden, a 6-10, 230-pound forward, led the Jayhawks to a 16-0 Big 12 record and a Final Four appearance.
Gooden is only the second player in Kansas history to record at least 1,500 points, 900 rebounds and 100 blocks and steals in his career. Last season, he averaged 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds in 37 games while recording 25 double-doubles.
Also selected in the first round Wednesday night was former Tiger recruit and high school phenom Amare Stoudemire, whose collegiate eligibility became null and void after his mother received cash from a Nike official. Stoudemire was selected No. 9 by the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first high school player taken in last night’s draft. He averaged 30 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks a game during his senior season at Cypress Creek in Orlando, Fla.
Qyntel Woods (6-9, 230), who also was set to become a Tiger next season before electing to enter the draft, was selected with the 21st pick by the Portland Trailblazers. Woods averaged 32 points and 10 rebounds last season for Northeast Mississippi Junior College.
Former Tiger senior forward Kelly Wise went undrafted Wednesday.
Wagner, deemed one of the top high school players in recent years (and a potential lottery pick in last year’s draft), was given the nickname “Messiah” by friends, family and fans for his remarkable skills at Camden High School in Camden, N.J. He was named All-USA Boys Player of the Year by USA Today in 2001, the same season he scored 100 points against Glouchester Tech.
As a junior, Wagner led Camden to the state championship, capturing MVP honors and finishing his high school career as New Jersey’s all-time leading scorer with 3,462 points.
After making the decision to play college basketball for The U of M, Wagner lived up to the long-awaited hype.
He played in all 36 Tiger games last season, averaging 21.2 points per game, and finished his one-year career ranked in the top 10 in nine of Memphis’ all-time, single-season records. His 762 points last season ranks No. 1 all-time on the school’s single-season scoring list.
Wagner also received Conference USA Freshman of The Year honors while leading Memphis to five consecutive postseason wins and the 2002 NIT Championship, the school’s first-ever national title.
