Griffin To Be Top Pick By Clippers In Draft

Griffin, a 6-foot-10-inch (2.08-metre), 251-pound (113.9 kg) power forward roundly acclaimed as U.S. college player of the year.

Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin said he was unconcerned about the past as he faced the prospect of being taken by the long-time losing Los Angeles Clippers as first pick in Thursday's NBA Draft.

Griffin, a 6-foot-10-inch (2.08-metre), 251-pound (113.9 kg) power forward roundly acclaimed as U.S. college player of the year, said he and the Clippers would be starting fresh together if he were taken by them as top choice.

"That's the history, it's in the past," Griffin told reporters about the Clippers, who have managed to win more games than they have lost just twice in the last 26 years.

"It doesn't matter. I wasn't there. I have no control over it. A lot of those guys there now were not there five years ago, 10 years ago."

The Clippers are coming off a 19-63 record and are in sore need of a strong inside player such as Griffin, who averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds for the University of Oklahoma.

The Memphis Grizzlies select second, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Sacramento Kings in the current order of the 30 NBA clubs, which could be shaken up by trades.

Wheeling and dealing enabled Minnesota to hold the fifth, sixth and 18th spots in the first round and put the Timberwolves in position to do more juggling in the NBA talent hunt night at Madison Square Garden.

BUYOUT CLAUSE

Other players expected to go high in the draft include 7-foot-three-inch (2.21-metre) centre Hasheem Thabeet, a native Tanzanian who starred at the University of Connecticut, and flashy 18-year-old point guard Ricky Rubio of Spain.

Rubio's draft status might be affected by his contract situation with DKV Joventut in Spain. He has a 4.75-million-euro ($6.6 million) personal buyout clause.

"There is some possibility that where I'm selected could affect my decision whether to pay the buyout or not," Rubio said. "Because if I'm in a top position I can get my buyout. We're going to see what happens.

"I want to play here, it's my dream, even if I don't get any money my first year," he said about the prospect of paying off the Spanish club from his own pocket. "I want to play in the best league in the world."

Much speculation surrounds the ranking of a deep class of guards that includes Tyreke Evans of Memphis, James Harden of Arizona State, Stephen Curry of Davidson, Jrue Holiday of UCLA, DeMar DeRozan of USC and Jonny Flynn of Syracuse.

Thabeet said there would be a lot of interest in his native Tanzania to see where he went.

"There's like a bar back home where they are going to be showing the whole draft experience," said Thabeet, who grew up in Dar Es Salaam.

"They have to go to this bar that is going to be open late for that night so people can watch the NBA draft. It's going to be two o'clock a.m."