A total of seven players from the Atlantic Coast Conference were selected in the NBA draft last night, a drop from last year when nine players were drafted from the conference.
Shelden Williams, who spent four years playing at Duke, was the highest ACC player taken. The Atlanta Hawks selected him with the No. 5 pick. Former teammate J.J. Redick was drafted No. 11 overall by the Orlando Magic.
Redick, who had been projected by analysts anywhere from No. 8 to No. 18, was dealing with an injured back and a recent arrest for drunken driving.
“I have to be clean from here on out,” Redick said to ESPN’s Stuart Scott after being drafted. “I understand that.”
Cedric Simmons of N.C. State was drafted No. 15 by the New Orleans Hornets. Simmons was the only other ACC player drafted in the first round. Last season, seven ACC players were taken in the first round.
The Big East – considered last season’s most dominant conference – had seven of its players drafted in the first round, more than any other conference.
-From staff reports
