BATON ROUGE – For the 14th time in LSU Basketball history, a player was chosen in the first round of the National Basketball Association draft as Jarell Martin of Baton Rouge was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies.
It was Memphis’ only pick of the two-round event.
LSU missed out on having two players taken in the first round for the first time in the history of the program. But when Jordan Mickey of Dallas was taken with the 33rd pick of the draft, the third of the second round, it marked the first time that LSU had two players taken in the draft since 2000. That year Stromile Swift was taken in the first round and Jabari Smith in the second round.
While Martin watched the draft at a local restaurant in Baton Rouge, Mickey was in the stands for the draft and did walk across the stage.
Martin, who played two years at LSU, averaged 16.9 points per game and 9.2 rebounds (both third in the Southeastern Conference) and shot 50.9 percent from the field (202-397, 4th in the league). He made a team best 140 free throws and had 15 double doubles while earning first-team All-SEC honors and was an honorable mention All-American selection.
Mickey, who also left after his sophomore season, averaged 15.4 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game. He led the nation in block average at 3.64 blocks per game and shot 50.4 percent. He posted 16 double doubles, 25 for his career as he earned first-team All-SEC honors and was named a finalist for national Defensive Player of the Year.
“I was very nervous, my heart was pounding and for me to get my name called was a big relief for me,” Martin told the media in Baton Rouge. “It was a blessing for me to have my family around me. They were the ones that were around me when I was growing up, so it was great for me to come back home and share this experience with me.
Martin did visit Memphis during his workout trips and liked what he saw.
“When I went up to Memphis, I loved it because it reminded me of here — Baton Rouge,” he said. “The atmosphere around there reminds me of home, so it’s going to be my home away from home.”
Asked what he hoped to bring to the Grizzlies, Martin commented, “A lot of hard work and effort. I’m a guy that’s going to go out there and play hard the whole entire time being out there. Also my versatility, I can attack the basket and knock down shots and create plays for the players around me.”
There were a few media reports that the Grizzlies had told Martin they would pick him at No. 25.
“They said they were going to pick me at (No.) 25, but this draft got a little crazy unexpectedly. So it was pretty nervous for me and I was scared, but they wound up picking me,” Martin said.
Through it all, Martin was his normal, calm self. “I’m very excited on the inside, I’m just trying not to let it show on the outside. I don’t want to get emotional and cry or anything, but I’m very excited.”
Brad Stevens of the Celtics did do a brief interview on their web site and talked about their first three picks, including Mickey.
“Jordan Mickey is a guy who has a great first step for a guy that is a forward,” said Celtics Coach Brad Stevens. “He has great length. He is a big shot blocker from a numbers standpoint. Everyone brings a little bit of a different flavor to the table and it’s a good group.”
With the 25th pick of the @NBADraft, the @memgrizz select @MartinJarell #LSUNBA pic.twitter.com/OZlCFzow0m
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) June 26, 2015
With the 33rd pick of the @NBADraft, the @celtics select @Jmickey_02 #LSUNBA pic.twitter.com/mDygXjBATO
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) June 26, 2015
Jarell Martin’s celebrates with his family after being selected 25th overall by the @memgrizz #LSUNBA pic.twitter.com/UVfoK2p3tR
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) June 26, 2015
Jordan Mickey backstage after the pick in the NBA Draft. https://t.co/UwkmFHjy1h
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) June 26, 2015
NBA Draft Order
Thursday, June 25, 2015
6 p.m. CT | ESPN
First Round
Pick. Team
1. Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky, C
2. Los Angeles Lakers – D’Angelo Russell, Ohio St., PG
3. Philadelphia 76ers – Jahlil Okafor, Duke, C
4. New York Knicks – Kristaps Porzingis, Baloncesta Sevilla (Spain), PF
5. Orlando Magic – Mario Hezonja, Barcelona Basquet (Spain), F/C
6. Sacramento Kings – Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky, C
7. Denver Nuggets – Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdog Southern Tigers (China), PG
8. Detroit Pistons – Stanley Johnson, Arizona, SF
9. Charlotte Hornets – Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin, PF
10. Miami Heat – Justise Winslow, Duke, SG
11. Indiana Pacers – Myles Turner, Texas, PF
12. Utah Jazz – Trey Lyles, Kentucky, PF
13. Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker, Kentucky, SG
14. Oklahoma City Thunder – Cameron Payne, Michigan St., PG
15. Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn) – Kelly Oubre, Kansas, SG (traded to Washington Wizards)
16. Boston Celtics – Terry Rozier, Louisville, PG
17. Milwaukee Bucks – Rashad Vaughn, UNLV, SG
18. Houston Rockets (from New Orleans) – Sam Dekker, Wisconsin, SF
19. Washington Wizards – Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, PG (traded to New York Knicks)
20. Toronto Raptors – Delon Wright, utah, PG
21. Dallas Mavericks – Justin Anderson, Virginia, SG
22. Chicago Bulls – Bobby Portis, Arkansas, PF
23. Portland Trail Blazers – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona, SF (traded to Brooklyn Nets)
24. Cleveland Cavaliers – Tyus Jones, Duke, PG (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves)
25. Memphis Grizzlies – Jarell Martin, LSU, PF
26. San Antonio Spurs – Nikola Milutinov, Partizan (Serbia), C
27. Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston) – Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming, PF
28. Boston Celtics (from L.A. Clippers) – R.J. Hunter, Georgia St., SG
29. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta) – Chris McCullough, Syracuse, PF
30. Golden State Warriors – Kevon Looney, UCLA, SF
Second Round
31. Minnesota Timberwolves – Cedi Osman, Anadolu Efes (Turkey), SF (traded to Cleveland Cavaliers)
32. Houston Rockets (from New York) – Montrezl Harrell, Louisville, PF
33. Boston Celtics (from Philadelphia via Miami) – Jordan Mickey, LSU, PF
34. Los Angeles Lakers – Anthony Brown, Stanford, SF
35. Philadelphia 76ers (from Orlando) – Willy Hernangomez, Baloncesta Sevilla (Spain), PF
36. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Sacramento via Houston) – Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse, PF (traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers)
37. Philadelphia 76ers (from Denver via Houston,Portland and Minnesota) – Richaun Holmes, Bowling Green, PF
38. Detroit Pistons – Darrun Hilliard, Villanova, SG
39. Charlotte Hornets – Juan Vaulet, Weber Bahía Estudiantes (Argentina), SF (traded to the Brooklyn Nets)
40. Miami Heat – Josh Richardson, Tennessee, SG
41. Brooklyn Nets – Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame, SG (traded to Portland Trail Blazers)
42. Utah Jazz – Olivier Hanlan, Boston College, SG
43. Indiana Pacers – Joseph Young, Oregon, SG
44. Phoenix Suns – Andrew Harrison, Kentucky, SG (traded to Memphis Grizzlies)
45. Boston Celtics – Marcus Thornton, William & Mary, SG
46. Milwaukee Bucks – Norman Powell, UCLA, SG (traded to Toronto Raptors)
47. Philadelphia 76ers (from New Orleans via Washington and L.A. Clippers) – Arturas Gudaitis, BC Zalgiris (Lithuania), C
48. Oklahoma City Thunder – Dakari Johnson, Kentucky, C
49. Washington Wizards – Aaron White, Iowa, PF
50. Atlanta Hawks (from Toronto) – Marcus Eriksson, (Sweden), SG
51. Orlando Magic (from Chicago) – Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington, SG
52. Dallas Mavericks – Satnam Singh Bhamara, (India), C
53. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Portland viaChicago and Denver) – Sir’Dominic Pointer, St. John’s, SF
54. Utah Jazz (from Cleveland) – Daniel Diez, Gipuzkoa BC San Sebastian, SG (traded to the Portland Trail Blazers)
55. San Antonio Spurs – Cady Lalanne, UMass, C
56. New Orleans Pelicans (from Memphis) – Branden Dawson, Michigan St., SF (traded to the Los Angeles Clippers)
57. Denver Nuggets (from L.A. Clippers) – Nikola Radicevic, (Serbia), PG
58. Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston) – J.P. Tokoto, North Carolina, SF
59. Atlanta Hawks – Dimitrios Agravanis, (Greece), PF
60. Philadelphia 76ers (from Golden State via Indiana) – Luka Mitrovic, Mega Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), PF