Arizona basketball: Rondae rolls with it (or tries to)

NEW YORK – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson may be pretty good at rolling with things, but even he was thrown a bit late Thursday night in the NBA Draft.

“I was in some room in the back and they (NBA officials) walked in, and I’m smiling, thinking `I’m gonna get on the phone with the Portland people,’ and they said `Hold on, we got some news for you,' " Hollis-Jefferson said.

The news, of course, was that RHJ was dealt quickly after his No. 23 selection to the Brooklyn Nets. That meant he didn’t have to change his location, but he was told to take his Blazer hat off.

“I think it’ll be pretty good,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “It’s a nice arena, Brooklyn’s a lovely place, New York’s a great place and I’ll bring more people here because I’m so close” to his hometown of Chester, Pa.

The trade was the latest event in a night that had even the easygoing Hollis-Jefferson shaking a bit. Especially when he rose up as the No. 23 pick.

“It was emotional, but I got it together,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “I hugged my mom, shook my grandfather’s hand and the commissioner’s hand. I was kind of shaking, like, `Wow, this is happening.’ “

Hollis-Jefferson was forced to make two separate sets of interviews, one when he was first picked and one after he was traded. He said he didn’t work out for Brooklyn, which held the No. 29 pick, but did interview with them at the NBA combine.

Hollis-Jefferson said believed he could fit in anywhere with his personality and work ethic, and threw some credit UA’s way.

“It helped a lot being able to play in that program, to play with those guys,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “My great coach Sean Miller and my other great coach Book Richardson (who was on hand Thursday at the draft), it was pretty good being able to play with those guys. They helped groom me to become a man and more mature. I really appreciate everything they’ve done.”

Some draft critics are wondering why the Pistons took Stanley Johnson over Justise Winslow. And the Detroit Free Press' Drew Sharp says they should have gone with Devin Booker.

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But Pistons president and coach Stan Van Gundy raved about Johnson and said Winslow received a "little bump" from Duke's national championship.

We have a story posted tonight about the emotions that both Hollis-Jefferson and T.J. McConnell went through, when RHJ was traded and McConnell agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the 76ers.

Larry K says Delon Wright's draft-night party went "up in arms" over the Raptors' pick of Wright, and the Utah coach says he can't wait to see Wright begin his NBA career.

A torn Achilles tendon could keep Colorado's Xavier Johnson out into next season.

But the injury could open a window of opportunity for Tre'Shaun Fletcher.

USA Basketball's U19 team will open U19 World Championship play at 7:45 a.m. Pacific/Arizona time Saturday against Iran. The game is scheduled to be streamed via FIBA.com.