The AltRaps Blog

PRO BASKETBALL; Underclassmen Rule Atop N.B.A. Draft Board - New York Times
The expansion Toronto Raptors pulled off the surprise of the draft, drafting the diminutive guard Damon Stoudamire with the seventh pick. Raptors General Manager Isiah Thomas, one of the best little men to ever play the game, simply could not help himself from picking the 5-10 Arizona point guard with the radar-like range from 3-point distance.

With the Skydome crowd chanting, “Ed! Ed!” in reference to O’Bannon, whom they coveted, Commissioner David Stern announced the pick, which was greeted initially by a round of boos. Stoudamire ascended to the podium moments later and soothed their angst by flashing a No. 1 sign.

Thomas also took Chicago Bulls point guard B. J. Armstrong No. 1 in the expansion draft on Saturday, and was unsuccessful in trading the pick. Pre-draft speculation had the Raptors selecting either Duke’s Cherokee Parks, who fell to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 12, or Reeves.

“A lot of people were moving around trying to get a better position,” Thomas said. “We had to be secretive so as not to be sidetracked. We liked Garnett, but if none of the four sophomores were available, Stoudamire was our choice.”