Celtics Select Jayson Tatum With No. 3 Pick In Draft

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Phil Jackson told Knicks broadcaster Al Trautwig that rising young star Kristaps Porzingis is not untouchable.

The 6-foot-8, 207-pound small forward averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on his way to becoming a Wooden All-American and the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his only season with the Jayhawks.

Riddell said Mika is rated in the top 50-60 players in this year’s NBA Draft and there are 60 picks scheduled to be made. All signs pointed to fireworks.

The draft has already had plenty of excitement with the Boston Celtics trading the top overall pick to Philadelphia.

Markkanen was asked about potentially playing with or replacing Porzingis, who team president Phil Jackson told MSG Network on Wednesday the Knicks are taking calls about after he left NY without attending his exit interview.

Butler ended up going to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an early-night blockbuster.

Boston Celtics fans William Goodman, left, and his son Eli, of Hollis, N.H., applaud as they watch the Celtics choose Jayson Tatum during the team’s NBA basketball draft party at TD Garden, Thursday, June 22, 2017, in Boston. Didn’t matter, as those talks dissipated.

And not just the big names and popular picks either.

Tatum came into his freshman season a highly touted recruit after competing with Team USA before his first year in college. Kennard’s.867 career free throw percentage is the second-best in Duke history (min. 200 FTs made). Around here, his game may draw comparisons to Paul Pierce, but that feels a bit hyperbolic.

Ainge went with the safe bet, though, spurning the more athletic but more volatile Josh Jackson to take a well-rounded 19-year-old who appeared mature beyond his years as he addressed the media in Brooklyn. “I would love to play in Boston“. “I’m trying not to cry right now. I can’t wait to go and learn from coach (Brad) Stevens and Isaiah Thomas and just everybody on that roster”.

“He’s one of those guys who’s going to play hard no matter what”, Riddell said.

INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE: A year after almost half the draft-a record 27 of the 60 picks-were international players, French guard Frank Ntilikina and Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen, who played a year at Arizona, are two of the top international players.

The Celtics are likely to take one of the three elite wing prospects at #3. We felt like we were just taking the player that we wanted [in Jaylen Brown last year]. Kansas forward Josh Jackson (Sacramento) and Kentucky guard D’Aaon Fox (Phoenix) rounded out the top 5.

“He’s a really skilled player, really talented scorer“.

“We think it was a great night for us in terms of the talent we added“, McDonough said. “I think we’re young and we have a really good team and it showed in the Eastern Conference Finals”. They recently finished a very good season, but not a great one, not when the banners in the rafters can become like accusers, as if always asking, “We did it; why can’t you?” However, adding Jimmy Butler would be an immediate upgrade to the starting lineup and Boston could really benefit from getting such a solid two way player in Butler. Tatum Off the board first (locally): Consensus is he’s got the National Basketball Association physicality/versatility and National Basketball Association moves already in place.

“You know, those are probably questions for Danny”, Stevens said.

“No. No.no. Well, there were thoughts, yeah, I was mad”, Ainge said. After debating the NBA a year ago, his calculation to return to UNC paid off as he won a national championship and still landed in the first round. The Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies also are without a pick, while Houston, New Orleans and Washington don’t have one in the first round. By the end of the day, 60 new college and global players will be joining National Basketball Association teams in preparation for the 2017-18 National Basketball Association season.

This was the 15th draft that Ainge has presided over.

Enjoy draft day everybody, and stay in touch with KUsports.com, right here on the site, via Twitter or both, for any happenings that might involve your Jayhawks. This time, however, there was too much hesitation to get something done.