A Historic OVC Night
(St. Louis, MO) – Thursday was an historic OVC night. With a national audience looking on, Murray State’s Ja Morant became the second pick in the National Basketball Association draft and Belmont’s Dylan Windler was number 26.
Two first round picks out of the Ohio Valley Conference!
Morant became the second Ohio Valley Conference player to be drafted second by ‘the Association’ and the first since 1952! Eastern Kentucky’s Jim Baechtold was picked by the then Baltimore Bullets. The two OVC stars follow Morehead State’s Kennth Faried (22nd in 2011) and fellow Racer Cameron Payne (14th in 2015) as OVC first round picks this decade.
When Memphis chose Morant he became the third Murray State product to be drafted over the past seven seasons. Isaiah Canaan was a 2013 Houston Rockets’ second round selection.
When Cleveland drafted Windler he became the first Bruin ever drafted in the first round and the second Bruin ever drafted. Joe Gaines was a sixth round pick in 1972.
Two Oustanding Resumes
Morant was named to 13 all-American teams for averaging 24.5 points and 10 assists per game. He was the OVC’s ‘Player of the Year’ and the conference’s ‘Athlete of the Year’.
Windler averaged 20.3 points and 10.9 rebounds during his senior campaign and earned his second all-OVC honor.
ESPN called Morant an elite passer and finisher.
Yep. @igotgame_12 is an elite passer pic.twitter.com/bIWOhOoc3T
— Harry Schroeder (@FatherHarry1) June 21, 2019
GoRacers.com says Morant and Windler are in rare company.
“Since 2010 there have been 11 players selected in the first round from schools outside the Power 5 conferences and Big East, American, Mountain West, Atlantic-10 and Gonzaga. Other players from this designated group includes: Damian Lillard, Weber State (2012), Jimmer Fredette, BYU (2011), Kenneth Faried, Morehead State (2011), Norris Cole, Cleveland State (2011), CJ McMollum, Lehigh (2013), Elfrid Payton, Louisiana-Lafayette (2014), Cameron Payne, Murray State (2015), R.J. Hunter, Georgia State (2015), Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State (2016), Ja Morant of Murray State and Dylan Windler, Belmont (2019).”
This is the first time since 2001 the OVC landed two people in the draft. Both 2001 draft picks (Trenton Hassell – Austin Peay and Kyle Hill – EIU) were second rounders.
The Windler announcement created a large celebration.
The moment @BelmontMBB Dylan Windler was selected by the @cavs #NBADraft #itsbruintime pic.twitter.com/9FOFBWAx0u
— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) June 21, 2019
Historic OVC Night – Side Notes
Windler and Morant led their last season teams into the NCAA Tournament where both teams won a game in the tournament and now they are both first round picks. On this historic OVC night, the OVC watched two of its players drafted in the first round for the first time since 1954.
One of my favorite picks in OVC history was when the Denver Nuggets drafted and then sold the rights to the Spirits of St. Louis of James ‘Fly’ Williams. The 1974 draftee wowed crowds in Clarkssville and we loved him during his one season in St. Louis. He was the fourth pick in the American Basketball Association’s draft.
There have now been 12 OVC first round picks.
(Editor: Eastern Kentucky star Nick Mayo has worked out for at least eight NBA teams and should sign a free agent contract soon)
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
