One player each from Auburn University and the University of Alabama on Wednesday was taken as a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Auburn small forward Isaac Okoro was taken fifth overall in the draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he will join former Bama star Collin Sexton.
In his sole season playing for Bruce Pearl, Okoro earned Second Team All-SEC honors and made the SEC All-Defensive Team. On Wednesday night, he officially became Auburn’s first “one-and-done” player ever to be selected in an NBA draft; Okoro is the Tigers’ first lottery pick since 1988.
THE best defender in the @NBADraft! #WarEagle https://t.co/5Uo1uqIpFZ
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) November 19, 2020
You can see the moment Okoro got the phone call from the Cavs here.
Also going as a lottery pick on Wednesday was Tide point guard Kira Lewis, Jr., who was taken 13th overall by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Lewis — who attended high school in Hazel Green, Alabama — played two seasons for the Tide.
The Meridianville native earned an All-SEC first-team selection for his sophomore season that ended abruptly during the SEC tournament, which was canceled partway through due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was on the SEC All-Freshman team the previous season.
Lewis, who was perhaps the fastest player available in the draft, said after being selected that he looks forward to playing with the Pelicans’ young core, including last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Zion Williamson. Lewis noted that he and Williamson could be “a match made in heaven.”
A look at the newest Pelican:
@KiraLewisJr ?(Via @AlabamaMBB) | #PelicansDraft pic.twitter.com/wweYKS6KMK
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 19, 2020
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
