June 27, 2008

Indiana’s Eric Gordon was selected seventh overall in the 2008 NBA Draft (by the Los Angeles Clippers) on Tuesday night in New York.  Gordon joins teammate D.J. White (29th pick to Detroit Pistons) and Ohio State’s Kosta Koufas (23rd pick to Utah Jazz) as the three conference players chosen in the first round of the draft.

Gordon, the 2008 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, set a freshman scoring record for the conference with 669 points during the 2007-08 season.  He is the highest drafted Hoosier since Calbert Cheaney was selected sixth by the Washington Bullets in 1993.  Gordon becomes the Big Ten’s 45th lottery pick since the NBA began using the lottery system in 1980.     

White, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, finished his Indiana career in the top 16 in both scoring and rebounding in IU history.  The 2008 draft marks the fourth time Indiana has had multiple first-round selections.  White, originally selected by the Pistons, had his rights traded to the Seattle Supersonics shortly after being selected.

Koufas is the 20th Buckeye to be taken in the first round of the draft and the fourth Ohio State freshman to earn the distinction in the last two years.  Since 1947, 45 Buckeyes have been drafted by NBA teams.  Koufas finished his freshman season by leading Ohio State to the National Invitation Tournament Championship and was named MVP of the tournament.  Koufos topped Ohio State in rebounding (6.7 ppg.) and blocks (67) in 2007-08. He was second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game.