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SPORTS Saturday 23 June 2018

No. 1 Sun: Phoenix takes Ayton; Trae Young, Doncic swapped

By BRIAN MAHONEY very nice,” the 19-year-old
AP Basketball Writer said. “They were very nice
NEW YORK (AP) — The to me, and I think we had a
Phoenix Suns stayed close very good relationship.”
to home for their first No. 1 The Hawks will get perhaps
pick. The Dallas Mavericks the most exciting player in
looked all the way to Slove- college basketball last sea-
nia for the player they hope son in Young, the first player
can be their next European to lead the nation in scor-
superstar. ing and assists in the same
Shortly after the Suns took season.
Deandre Ayton to start the “Whatever city I went to,
NBA draft Thursday night, I was going to be able to
the Mavericks traded up be comfortable in,” said
two spots for the rights to Young, who wore suit shorts
Luka Doncic. with his burgundy-colored
The Atlanta Hawks jacket.
swapped the rights to Don- “I was just really excited to
cic, the No. 3 pick who has get to Atlanta.”
spent the last year winning After that, it was a mostly From left to right, Phoenix Suns’ George King, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and Elie Okobo pose
championships all over Eu- straightforward draft with for a photo as the team introduces their new players after the NBA basketball draft Friday, June
rope, to Atlanta for Trae little fireworks, but plenty of 22, 2018, in Phoenix.
Young, the No. 5 selection national champion Villano- Associated Press
from Oklahoma. va Wildcats. Phoenix Suns was mind- ingly become a perimeter- willing to get better.”
The Mavericks also gave The top of it was dominat- blowing,” Ayton said. based league. With concerns over back
up a future first-round pick ed by big men, starting with “Having all that confidence Then it was another guard problems that limited him
to draft Doncic, who only a pair of former high school and leading up to that with Alabama’s Collin Sex- to only three games at
arrived in New York on teammates. point when I saw Adam ton going at No. 8 to Cleve- Missouri last season, fol-
Wednesday after helping The Suns made the 7-foot- Silver came out, I was just land, triggering chants of lowed by a recent hip in-
Spain’s Real Madrid win its 1 Ayton the first No. 1 pick waiting for my name, and Michael Porter Jr.’s name jury that he believe scared
league championship after in franchise history. The when he called it, my mind by Knicks fans who hoped off teams, Porter ended up
he won Euroleague MVP center from Arizona aver- went blank.” they would take him with falling all the way to Den-
and Final Four MVP honors aged 20.1 points and 11.6 The Sacramento Kings fol- the No. 9 pick. ver at No. 14, the last lottery
when they won that title rebounds in his lone season lowed by taking Marvin But they ended up disap- position.
this year. in Tucson, tying for the na- Bagley III, the Duke big man pointed as New York went There were a couple oth-
His lengthy European sea- tional lead with 24 double- who played with Ayton at with Kentucky’s Kevin Knox. er trades involving lottery
son kept him from working doubles in 35 games. Hillcrest Prep Academy in “They booed (Kristaps) picks. Mikal Bridges, the No.
out for teams but he knew He joined Mychal Thomp- Phoenix in 2015-16. Porzingis (on draft night) 10 pick from Villanova who
the Mavericks were inter- son — father of Golden With Michigan State’s Jar- and look where he is now. thought he was staying in
ested in having him on their State All-Star Klay Thomp- en Jackson Jr. going fourth That’s the same mindset Philadelphia with the 76ers
team for what’s expected son — in 1978 as the only to Memphis, Texas center I’m going to have,” Knox — who employ his mother
to be Dirk Nowitzki’s final players from the Bahamas Mo Bamba going No. 6 said. — but was dealt to Phoenix
NBA season. to be the No. 1 pick in the to Orlando and Wendell “They can chant Michael for the rights to No. 16 pick
“I’ve been talking to Dallas NBA draft. Carter Jr. following to Chi- Porter all they want. But Zhaire Smith of Texas Tech
a lot. They really wanted “Having my name called cago, it was an early run of they got Kevin Knox, and and a 2012 first-round pick
me, and they were very, to be the first pick for the big men in what’s increas- I’m willing to work and I’m from the Miami Heat.q

NHL Draft tweeted after the pick:
“Welcome to Buffalo @ras-
musdahlin00! Can’t wait to
Continued from Page 17 watch you play, wings on
“I just want everything to going to take the player me later this summer.”
start,” Dahlin said. they thought would be the Dahlin will jump to the NHL
“I’m going to bring every- best down the road. right away and should help
thing I have to that city. ... Holland figured Zadina can the club’s league-worst of-
I’m super excited. I can’t be a 30-goal scorer in the fense that contributed to its
wait.” NHL. last-place finish.
The selections after Dahlin “We’re trying to build,” Hol- He had six assists in seven
and Svechnikov brought land said. games at the world junior
some surprises. Montreal “We’re looking to acquire championships in Buffalo
took Finnish center Jes- as much talent as we can and put up 20 points in 41
peri Kotkaniemi fourth and as quickly as possible.” games in Sweden’s top pro
Arizona went a bit off the After co-owner Kim Pegula league this season. Rasmus Dahlin, of Sweden, puts on a jersey after being selected
board with center Barrett made some opening re- Botterill and his staff met by the Buffalo Sabres during the NHL hockey draft in Dallas,
Hayton fifth, allowing high- marks, general manager with Dahlin at the scout- Friday, June 22, 2018.
scoring Czech winger Filip Jason Botterill announced ing combine in Buffalo and Associated Press
Zadina to fall to Detroit with Dahlin as the top pick. In came away as impressed improve pretty much 31 and you’re very impressed
the sixth pick. the corner of the arena, with the young Swede’s teams in the National Hock- with his hockey sense, his
Red Wings general manag- Sabres fans in attendance self-assessment as his on- ey League,” Botterill said speed, his puck skills but a
er Ken Holland said before chanted, “Dahlin! Dahlin!” ice talent. earlier in the day. very humble man off the
the draft that they were Bills draft pick Josh Allen “I think Mr. Dahlin could “You watch him on the ice ice.”q