Gay leads UConn

Rudy Gay was supposed to be the leadoff man in the lineup of Connecticut Huskies taken in last night's NBA Draft, but he got things started a little later than expected.

Gay was the first of four Huskies selected in the first round, taken by Houston with the eighth pick. Center Hilton Armstrong was selected by New Orleans/Oklahoma City with the 12th pick and Marcus Williams slipped to No. 22, where he was taken by New Jersey. The Nets, who also had the 23d pick, used it on teammate Josh Boone.

Gay, who had been projected as a possible top-three pick, watched as commissioner David Stern announced pick after pick. Houston finally took the forward with the eighth pick overall, but the Rockets moved him to Memphis for Shane Battier.

``I was just thinking, hopefully, I end up in the right place for me," he said. ``And Houston seems like a place that could be a good fit for me, and also Memphis. I'm pretty happy with the pick. Although, competitively, I am kind of mad that I slipped."

Asked by ESPN's Stuart Scott what it felt like to be wearing a new cap for one team knowing he'll be playing for another, Gay responded, ``At this point, I'd be happy to play for anybody."

Gay, who averaged 15.2 points as a sophomore, worked out with Michael Jordan before the draft, and said he surprised Jordan with his all-around game, not just his shooting and finishing, and now he wants to display his skills at the next level.

``I've worked on it so much," he said. ``I took a lot of time, and I used this time to get better as a player."

Armstrong applauded his teammate from the green room, then shook hands with Stern four picks later.

``He's a UConn player. He's like one of my brothers," said Armstrong, the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year."

Williams was the last player left in the green room by the time he was selected.

``It was weird, but things happen," he said. ``I was prepared for it. I told them, `If I'm the last guy out there, so be it.' "

Craig Smith's pro career will start where his college career ended, in Minnesota. Smith, who led Boston College to the NCAA regional semifinal in Minneapolis, was selected by the Timberwolves with the 36th pick.

``It's a new beginning," he said. ``Obviously college is college and this is a chance to start anew. I'm excited. It's a wonderful feeling to be at this point."

Another Connecticut product, guard Denham Brown, was drafted in the second round, taken 40th overall by Seattle.

But Iowa State's Will Blalock had the longest wait of all. The point guard from Roxbury was taken by the Detroit Pistons with the final pick of the night.