NBA draft 2018: Phoenix Suns select Deandre Ayton with No 1 pick – as it happened

After that, it was a mostly straightforward draft with little fireworks, but plenty of national champion Villanova Wildcats.

The top of it was dominated by big men, starting with a pair of former high school teammates.

The Suns made the 7ft 1in Ayton the first No 1 pick in franchise history. The center from Arizona averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds in his lone season in Tucson, tying for the national lead with 24 double-doubles in 35 games.

He joined Mychal Thompson – father of Golden State All-Star Klay Thompson – in 1978 as the only players from the Bahamas to be the No 1 pick in the NBA draft.

“Having my name called to be the first pick for the Phoenix Suns was mind-blowing,” Ayton said. “Having all that confidence and leading up to that point when I saw Adam Silver came out, I was just waiting for my name, and when he called it, my mind went blank.”

The Sacramento Kings followed by taking Marvin Bagley III, the Duke big man who played with Ayton at Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix in 2015-16.

With Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr. going fourth to Memphis, Texas center Mo Bamba going No 6 to Orlando and Wendell Carter Jr following to Chicago, it was an early run of big men in what’s increasingly become a perimeter-based league.

Then it was another guard with Alabama’s Collin Sexton going at No 8 to Cleveland, triggering chants of Michael Porter Jr’s name by Knicks fans who hoped they would take him with the No 9 pick. But they ended up disappointed as New York went with Kentucky’s Kevin Knox.

“They booed (Kristaps) Porzingis (on draft night) and look where he is now. That’s the same mindset I’m going to have,” Knox said. “They can chant Michael Porter all they want. But they got Kevin Knox, and I’m willing to work and I’m willing to get better.”

With concerns over back problems that limited him to only three games at Missouri last season, followed by a recent hip injury that he believe scared off teams, Porter ended up falling all the way to Denver at No 14, the last lottery position.

There were a couple other trades involving lottery picks. Mikal Bridges, the No 10 pick from Villanova who thought he was staying in Philadelphia with the 76ers – who employ his mother – but was dealt to Phoenix for the rights to No 16 pick Zhaire Smith of Texas Tech and a 2012 first-round pick from the Miami Heat.

The Charlotte Hornets sent the rights to No 11 pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – whose floral-patterned suit stood out among the selections – to the Clippers for No 12 pick Miles Bridges and two future second-round picks.

After Bridges, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Donte DiVincenzo went to Milwaukee at No 17 and Omari Spellman to Atlanta at No 30, giving Villanova three first-round picks for the first time. National player of the year Jalen Brunson then was picked by Dallas with the third pick of the second round.

The Holiday brothers had an NBA reunion when Aaron Holiday was taken at No 23 by Indiana. Brothers Jrue and Justin already play in the league.

Speaking of brothers, Kostas Antetokounmpo of Dayton, brother of Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, was the 60th and final pick by Philadelphia. That marked the first time three international siblings were drafted into the NBA, as Thanasis Antetokounmpo was the No 51 pick in 2014. (AP)