Sonics take Westbrook with No. 4 pick

With UCLA's Russell Westbrook playing on the West Coast, Seattle SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti got plenty of chances to evaluate the Bruins' guard.

Presti liked what he saw.

Westbrook was taken by the Sonics with the No. 4 pick in Thursday night's NBA draft, as Presti decided improving the Seattle's backcourt was the next step in his remodel of the franchise's oncourt product.

On the same day the Sonics trial with the city of Seattle over where the team will play the 2008-09 season concluded with closing arguments, Presti tried to get a little bit of focus out of the courtroom and back on the basketball court.

Highly regarded for his perimeter defense, quickness and massive wingspan, Westbrook made a rapid assent up many draft boards. He left UCLA after his sophomore season, where he averaged 12.7 points and started 34 games for the Bruins, helping them reach the Final Four.

Westbrook's defensive ability may have been the tipping point ahead of Arizona's Jerryd Bayless and Indiana's Eric Gordon. Seattle was the fourth-worst defensive team in the NBA last season, part of a franchise worst 20-62 campaign. The perimeter defense of guards Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour was often an issue.

Westbrook is the highest UCLA draft pick since Baron Davis was taken third overall in the 1999 draft. Seattle also held the 24th pick in the first round and four second-round selections in the draft.