22 | THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM | SPORTS | MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007
Julian Wright's career numbers
10. 4
career points per game
6. 3
career rebounds per game
33
career high for points per game (2/10/07 @ Missouri)
52 career starts
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Wright headed to New Orleans
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By Dylan Schoonover
dschoonover@kansan.com
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Ex-Jayhawk Julian Wright, right, poses for a photo with NBA commissioner David Stern after being selected by New Orleans Hornets as the 13th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft on Thursday in New York.
Hornets take former Jayhawk with 13th pick in Thursday's NBA Draft
Former Kansas forward Julian Wright said he was excited to be heading south to join the New Orleans Hornets as the 13th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Wright slid to the Hornets at 13 in what some NBA analysts called the deepest draft of the decade. Some mock drafts had Wright being selected as high as No.6.
"I'm happy the Hornets took me. It's a great opportunity," Wright said by phone from New York on Thursday night. "Chris Paul is an outstanding point guard for their team and I'm looking forward to the chance to play with him."
cel workouts for multiple teams. He said that despite watching players get drafted before him, he was never worried that he would fall out of the draft lottery. The lottery is comprised of the 14 NBA teams with the worst records from the previous season.
Wright said before draft day that he hadn't had any contact with the Hornets and didn't know where he was going to land until right before he was chosen. Prior to the draft, Wright injured his ankle, forcing him to can-
Wright left Kansas after his sophomore season to become the first Jayhawk picked in the lottery since Kirk Hinrich went 7th to the Chicago Bulls and Nick Collison went 12th to the Seattle Supersonics in the 2003 draft.
Wright said he was excited to help restore a city that suffered great devastation from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Wright said he hoped to help the city become a better place once he got there.
Hornets coach Byron Scott called Wright a "poor man's Magic Johnson." Wright said it was nice to receive such a comparison, but he couldn't let the hype keep him from staying grounded.
"I believe Julian made the right choice for his family and to have a career," Self said. "He made a good business decision. You can't second guess, he could have gotten hurt. He's been a good representative for KU."
"I feel fortunate to be chosen," Wright said. "The NBA is tough, I'm going to play to the best of my ability. I don't have to be a scorer to help my team."
and led the Jayhawks in rebounding with 7.8 boards per contest. Wright was an All-Big 12 first team selection and an honorable mention All-American. He said he was looking forward to his new career.
Kansas coach Bill Self said he expected Wright to contribute immediately in the Hornets' rotation. He said Wright made a good decision to stay in the draft.
Wright averaged 12 points per game during his sophomore season
— Edited by Joe Caponio
MLB
Royals lose Sunday finale, series to White Sox
By Doug Tucker Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Jon Garland, aided by Paul Konerko's 15th home run, maintained his mastery over Kansas City on Sunday and led the Chicago White Sox past the Royals 3-1.
The victory closed out a 6-1 road trip to Tampa and Kansas City for the White Sox, who had lost 11 of 13
away from home before that.
Garland (6-5) went seven innings and allowed one run on seven hits and raised his career mark against Kansas City to 15-5 in 28 starts, more wins than Chicago's veteran right-hander has against any other club. In his last 11 starts against the Royals, he's 8-1 with an ERA of 2.43.
The Royals loaded the bases with two out in the seventh on two
singles and the only walk Garland allowed. Esteban German, on a 3-2 pitch, hit a hot shot up the middle. But Garland got a glove on the ball and slowed it down, and shortstop Alex Cintron ran in and made an outstanding play to nip German, who appeared to hesitate a second while getting out of the batter's box. Boone Logan relieved starting the eighth.
Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for
his 22nd save in 24 chances.
John Thomson (1-1), signed on June 22 after being released by the Toronto organization, was not quite as effective as he'd been in beating the Angels last Monday in his Royals debut.
Chicago leadoff hitter and left fielder Scott Podsednik left the game after the top of the first inning with what the club said was a strained left rib muscle.
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