The Washington Wizards also trade with the Chicago Bulls for veteran guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick in the draft, Kevin Seraphin.
View full sizeAs expected, Kentucky guard John Wall was the first player taken during Thursday's NBA Draft.NEW YORK -- John Wall is ready to go to Washington and clean up the Wizards.
And he's expected to have more backcourt help when he gets there -- whether or not Gilbert Arenas is still around.
The Wizards selected Wall with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and agreed to a trade for another guard Thursday, hoping they've found players who can help them quickly bounce back from a season that was embarrassing on the court and in the locker room.
"I feel like I had pressure since I became No. 1 in high school and was one of the top players," Wall said. "I always got there hungry wanting to fight hard and compete in every game, so when I step on the court I'm going to take on any challenge there."
The SEC player of the year is the first Kentucky player ever chosen first overall -- and started a record run of Wildcats. He goes to a team still reeling from Arenas' season-ending suspension for bringing guns into the team locker room.
The pick came shortly after a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press that the Chicago Bulls had agreed to trade veteran guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick in the draft, Kevin Seraphin, to the Wizards. Hinrich is a solid veteran defensive guard who could help with Wall's transition to the NBA.
Kentucky, which set a record with five players taken in the first round, put its second in the top five when DeMarcus Cousins was taken by Sacramento.
Kentucky put two more players in the top 18 picks when the Houston Rockets chose Patrick Patterson at No. 14 and Oklahoma City took guard Eric Bledsoe four spots later. Daniel Orton then went to Orlando with the 29th pick, breaking the previous record of four first-round picks from one school.
The Philadelphia 76ers took national player of the year Evan Turner from Ohio State at No. 2.
Derrick Favors became the second freshman taken in the first three picks when the New Jersey Nets chose the Georgia Tech forward. The Minnesota Timberwolves then grabbed Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson, whom the Nets also had considered.
Baylor's Ekpe Udoh also is headed to Northern California, chosen by Golden State at No. 6. Detroit kept up the run of big men by selecting Georgetown center Greg Monroe with the seventh pick, before the Los Angeles Clippers went for Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu.
Butler's Gordon Hayward went ninth to Utah, one spot before the Indiana Pacers would've faced pressure to pick the hometown star. Instead, they chose Fresno State forward Paul George before Kansas teammates Cole Aldrich (New Orleans) and Xavier Henry (Memphis) went with back-to-back picks.
Aldrich's rights were later sent to Oklahoma City along with veteran swingman Morris Peterson for the rights to the Thunder's No. 21 and 26 picks, which became Iowa State forward Craig Brackins and Washington guard Quincy Pondexter.
The draft hadn't even started and already the buzz was on free agency, which opens in a week with LeBron James leading perhaps the deepest class ever. There were even a few chants for the league's MVP, whom the Knicks are expected to make a run at.
Moves were made with July 1 in mind, such as the Bulls' deal with Washington that opened additional salary cap space for perhaps a second top player. Toronto drafted North Carolina's Ed Davis at No. 13, a potential replacement if the Raptors lose Chris Bosh in free agency.
The Cavaliers did not have a selection entering the draft and remained on the sideline over the course of the evening.