Flight Takes Ohio State Center Ken Johnson with First Pick
November 6, 2003 - NBA G League (G League)
Huntsville Flight News Release
HUNTSVILLE, AL (November 6, 2003) â The Huntsville Flight selected former Ohio State center Ken Johnson with the first overall pick in the 2003 National Basketball Development League (NBDL) Draft. A 2001 All Big Ten selection, Johnson was in NBA training camp with the Toronto Raptors and played last season with the Miami Heat before coming to the NBDL. He was selected by the Heat in the second round (#49 pick overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft.
With the first pick in round two, the Flight chose former LSU star forward Ronald Dupree (6-7, 209). Dupree averaged 15.8 points per game as a senior, and was chosen to the SEC All-Tournament Team in 2001.
Among the Flight's other picks in the 10-round draft was former Michigan State All-American point guard Mateen Cleaves (6-2, 200), a veteran of 122 NBA games with Detroit and Sacramento. Cleaves was chosen the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after leading the Spartans to the National Championship.
The Flight will open training camp on Saturday, November 8. After an exhibition game on November 18 against the Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten, the Flight will open the NBDL regular season against the Columbus RiverDragons on Friday, November 21 at 7:00 PM at the Von Braun Center arena in Huntsville.
Huntsville Flight 2003 NBDL Draft Picks
Rd Player Position College Last Played
1. Ken Johnson center Ohio State NBA
2. Ronald DuPree small forward LSU college
3. Erick Barkley point guard St. John's Internationally
4. Phil Ricci power forward Oregon State college
5. Rick Apodaca guard Hofstra college
6. Mateen Cleaves point guard Michigan State NBA
7. Uche Okafor center Missouri USBL
8. Jamario Moon small forward Meridian CC NBDL
9. Rashid Hardwick center Eastern Oklahoma USBL
10. Duke Freeman-McKamey power forward Fordham USBL
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NBA G League Stories from November 6, 2003
- Dazzle Select Asselin in First Round of NBDL Draft - Roanoke Dazzle
- Flight Takes Ohio State Center Ken Johnson with First Pick - Huntsville Flight
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- Lowgators Select Forward Rolan Roberts with First Pick - Charleston Lowgators
- Columbus Riverdragons Announce 2003 NBDL Draft Results - Columbus Riverdragons
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