The Carolinas’ Connection
Another NBA Draft is in the books. The 2017 NBA Draft was held last night in Brooklyn, New York.
Markelle Fultz was taken with the number one pick by The Philadelphia 76er’s, to nobody’s surprise.
Now back to the title of this piece, “Carolina’s Connection.” The Carolina’s, North and South Carolina produced 10% of the 60 picks in this NBA Draft.
The first one of the board was the most obvious with Fayetteville’s finest Dennis Smith Jr., going with the ninth pick to The Dallas Mavericks.
Pinetown, North Carolina is a small, if that even classifies this town that “Bam” Edrice Adebayo hails from was taken 14th overall by The Miami Heat after spending one season at Kentucky.
Winston-Salem’s Harry Giles went 20th to The Sacramento Kings. Giles coming out of high school was regarded as the top prospect in his class but knee injuries kept him from going higher after one season at Duke University.
SC Raptors alum and Greenville, South Carolina native Jawun Evans was selected #39 and quickly traded to The Los Angeles Clippers in what many consider a move to replace free agent All-Star Chris Paul.
Joining Evans in The Los Angeles Clippers organization with the 48th pick is Lancaster, South Carolina native Sindarius Thornwell who had a stellar career at South Carolina.
With the 53rd pick, The Boston Celtics picked former New Hanover High School sensation Kadeem Allen. Allen jumped on PrepHoopsNC’s Justin Byerly’s radar during the 2012 NCHSAA 4-A state championship game as the Wilmington bred Allen and New Hanover took down Charlotte powerhouse West Charlotte and UNC’s Kennedy Meeks.
Meeks, who won a national title with North Carolina this season was picked up by The Toronto Raptors organization as a unrestricted free-agent.
JF Webb HS alum, Isaiah Hicks who with Meeks won a title at North Carolina was picked up as a free-agent by The Los Angeles Clippers.
Another piece of South Carolina’s run to a Final Four was PJ Dozier, out of Spring Valley High School outside of Columbia, South Carolina. The Los Angeles Lakers signed Dozier to a unrestricted free-agent contract.
Gaffney High School alum, LJ Peak who spent three years at Georgetown University also signed a free-agent contract with The Houston Rockets.
When the math is calculated, Carolina born and bred players accounted for 10-percent of the 60 2017 NBA Draft picks.