SECAUCUS, N.J. — Those longtime losers from Los Angeles were big winners Tuesday night.
The Clippers came across the country for what’s practically an annual spring vacation and are going home with a nice souvenir: the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft.
The Clippers won the draft lottery, moving up from the third-best chance to earn the top pick for the third time, earning the right to draft All-America forward Blake Griffin of Oklahoma, the national college player of the year.
Memphis vaulted to second and Oklahoma City will pick third. Sacramento, which had the best chance to win the lottery after finishing with a league-worst 17-65 record, fell to fourth and Washington dropped from second to No. 5.
The Clippers last had the No. 1 pick in 1998 and, perhaps predictably, blew it, taking eventual bust Michael Olowokandi.
They stand a better chance of getting it right this time if they go with Griffin, who led the nation with 30 double- doubles and 14.4 rebounds per game, while also averaging a Big 12-best 22.7 points as a sophomore.
Clippers president Andy Roeser wouldn’t confirm that his team will choose Griffin.
“I think five years from now Blake Griffin will be hitting his stride in the NBA and he will be an impact player wherever he is,” Roeser said.
The draft is June 25.
Minnesota has the sixth pick followed by Golden State, New York, Toronto, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Charlotte, Indiana and Phoenix.
Footnotes.
Jazz forward Kyle Korver had surgery to remove scar tissue from his right wrist. He will be re-examined in two weeks.
• The 76ers interviewed Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis and Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey in their search for a replacement for Tony DiLeo, who stepped down from coaching and returned to the front office last week.
The Associated Press
