For a pair of former Syracuse basketball stars, the dream of playing in the NBA became reality at Barclays Center during Thursday's 2014 NBA Draft.
The Phoenix Suns selected point guard Tyler Ennis [10] with the 18th overall pick, and the Philadelphia 76ers took forward Jerami Grant [11] 39th overall. Ennis' early selection marked the third-consecutive year in which an Orange player was taken in the first round.
Ennis, who averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 assists last season with the Orange, is also the third Syracuse player to be drafted after only one year of college (Carmelo Anthony- 2003, Donte Greene- 2008). On a night full of trades and shuffled picks, multiple reports claimed the Toronto Raptors [12] pursued the rights to the Ontario native following his selection. However, nothing materialized.
Grant, meanwhile, will join former Orange teammate Michael Carter-Williams in Philadelphia, which won only 19 games last season. Grant's father, Harvey, and uncle, Horace, previously enjoyed productive careers in the NBA.
Former Orange forward C.J. Fair [13] was not selected after he averaged 16.5 points per game during his senior season.
