Sonics take Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka in first round of NBA draft

Russell Westbrook wasn't a college All-American or even the best player for the UCLA Bruins last season.

But none of that mattered to the Sonics, who bucked conventional wisdom and chose Westbrook with the No. 4 pick in today's NBA draft.

Sonics general manager Sam Presti loves defensive-minded players and Westbrook, the Pac-10 defensive player of the year, is a lockdown defender who can defend three positions.

At issue is Westbrook's role. Even though he led the Bruins with 4.3 assists per game, he was a primarily a shooting guard during his two seasons with the Bruins.

Westbrook will move to point guard and will team with last season's draft picks Kevin Durant, the rookie of the year, and Jeff Green, a first team All-Rookie team choice, as the building blocks for a team hoping to rebound from its worst season in franchise history.

With their second pick, No. 24 overall, the Sonics took Serge Ibaka, an 18-year-old, 6-foot-10 forward/center from the Congo. Ibaka, who played last season in Spain, is likely to continue to play there and probably won't play in the NBA for a few seasons.

The Sonics traded the No. 32 and 46 picks to Detroit for D.J. White, a forward from Indiana who was taken with the 29th pick by the Pistons.

The Sonics took California center DeVon Hardin with the No. 50 overall pick, then Kansas center Sasha Kaun at No. 56. The Sonics traded Kaun to Cleveland.

The Sonics' first selection came shortly after the conclusion of the trial to determine whether the team can break its KeyArena lease and move to Oklahoma City. Judge Marsha Pechman will make her ruling on Wednesday.

The Sonics, 20-62 last season, considered choosing Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless, Stanford center Brook Lopez, Indiana guard Eric Gordon and UCLA center Kevin Love with the fourth pick.

Love went at No. 5 to Memphis.

Westbrook is the first guard chosen in the first round by the Sonics since the team selected Luke Ridnour in 2003.

Westbrook averaged 12.7 points, 1.6 steals and shot 46.5 percent from the field in 39 games during his sophomore season.

Conceivably Westbrook will compete with incumbent, Earl Watson, and Ridnour for a starting job if the veterans aren't traded before the start of training camp.

Reportedly the Sonics had trade discussions involving Miami and its No. 2 pick and the Los Angeles Clippers and the No. 7 pick.

Westbrook was the first of seven Pac-10 players taken in the first 21 picks. Overall, 12 Pac-10 players were selected, including Washington State guard Kyle Weaver (No. 38, Charlotte).

The Chicago Bulls selected Memphis point guard Derrick Rose with the first pick.

Rose, a 6-3 native of Chicago, played one season for Memphis. He guided the Tigers to a 38-2 record and the NCAA title game, which they lost to Kansas. Rose averaged 14.9 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Tigers, hitting 33.7 percent of his three-point attempts.

The Miami Heat used the second pick to take Kansas State's Michael Beasley. Beasley, a 6-10 forward, averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds as a freshman.

Minnesota, choosing third, made it three freshmen in a row, selecting USC guard O.J. Mayo. Mayo, 6-5, scored 20.7 points per game in his only season with the Trojans.

It's the first time in draft history that three college freshmen were the first three picks.

Rose is just the second guard chosen with the No. 1 pick since Magic Johnson in 1979. The other was Allen Iverson in 1996.

The Bulls were 33-49 last season, the ninth-worst record in the league, but overcame long odds to win the first pick in the draft lottery. The last time the Bulls had the No. 1 overall selection they took Duke forward Elton Brand in 1999.

At No. 6, the Knicks selected 19-year-old Italian forward Danilo Gallinari, a pick that was booed by most of the New York crowd.

Gordon went seventh, to the Clippers. He was the fifth college freshman taken.

Milwaukee took West Virginia forward Joe Alexander, Charlotte selected Texas point guard D.J. Augustin and New Jersey chose Brook Lopez to close out the top 10.

Bayless was the fifth Pac-10 player chosen, at No. 11 by Indiana. Jason Thompson, a senior forward from Rider, was taken by Sacramento at No. 12.

Portland took Kansas guard Brandon Rush, then traded Rush, Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts to Indiana for Bayless and Ike Diogu.

Golden State selected Louisiana State forward Anthony Randolph and Phoenix chose Stanford's Robin Lopez, the twin brother of Brook Lopez.

Philadelphia took Florida big man Marreese Speights, then Toronto selected Georgetown center Roy Hibbert. The Raptors were apparently selecting for Indiana after making a deal with the Pacers for Jermaine O'Neal. In the proposed trade, Indiana would send O'Neal to Toronto for point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, Hibbert and a player to be determined.

Washington took Nevada center JaVale McGee and Cleveland followed with North Carolina State forward J.J. Hickson.

Charlotte, with the No. 20 pick obtained from Denver, took French center Alexis Ajinca.

New Jersey, with its second pick of the first round, took California forward Ryan Anderson, the Pac-10's leading scorer last season.

Orlando selected Western Kentucky guard Courtney Lee, a four-year starter who averaged 20.4 points last season. Utah, picking ahead of Ibaka, the Sonics' second first-rounder, chose Ohio State center Kosta Koufos.

Houston, at No. 25, selected Nicolas Batum, a 19-year-old forward from France. San Antonio then took George Hill, a guard from IUPUI. New Orleans selected Kansas forward Darrell Arthur, the last player remaining in the green room. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.

The Hornets were making the pick for Portland, which had made a trade for the selection.

Memphis, which took Love with the No. 5 pick, selected Syracuse forward Donte Green at No. 28. Green was the 10th freshman chosen.

Detroit took D.J. White, who was eventually traded to the Sonics.

Boston closed out the first round by drafting New Mexico guard J.R. Giddens, the fifth senior selected.