University of Tennessee Athletics
Two SEC Stars Chosen in NBA Draft First Round
June 27, 2002 | Men's Basketball
June 27, 2002
NEW YORK (AP) -- Two Southeastern Conference stars were chosen in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. The Milwaukee Bucks, looking for depth in their front court, selected 6-foot-10 Tennessee forward Marcus Haislip with the No. 13 pick.
Ten spots later, the Detroit Pistons selected Kentucky's Tayshaun Prince with the 23rd pick overall.
Haislip, who left the Volunteers after his junior season, was a second team All-SEC selection this year. He averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds while blocking 44 shots.
NBA scouts were impressed with his athletic ability; Haislip has a 40-inch vertical leap and can bench press 400 pounds.
Haislip will give the Bucks more size, something they tried to get last season when they signed 6-foot-8 forward Anthony Mason.
Prince played four seasons at Kentucky and averaged 17.5 points last season. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward made The Associated Press' second-team All-America team last year.
Prince will battle with last year's No. 1 pick, Rodney White, and veteran Michael Curry for playing time at small forward next season.
Pistons president Joe Dumars thought about sending the first-round pick to Atlanta to complete the trade that brought Jerry Stackhouse to Detroit, but decided to keep it.
Two other SEC standouts were drafted in the second round. Tennessee forward Vincent Yarbrough was taken with pick No. 33 by Denver, while Washington grabbed Alabama's Rod Grizzard with pick No. 39.
