Parker: At least NBA thinks highly of Tennessee natives

And who said they don't play good basketball in Tennessee?

The NBA draft came and went on Thursday evening at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Volunteer State was well represented. In fact, a quarter of the first 12 picks all played their high school basketball in Tennessee.

In years past, the only folks that really come to mind that played any ball here are former UT Volunteers Allan Houston and Dale Ellis along with Memphis boys Anfernee Hardaway, Rodney Carney and Lorenzen Wright. I don't doubt there are numerous others but age is catching up with me.

While taking in the first round at a popular Murfreesboro eatery, I expected more of a contingency locked in on the ongoings of the draft considering that a pair of Midstate natives were set to be snatched up in the lottery.

When NBA commissioner David Stern walked up to the podium and announced that the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Corey Brewer with the No. 7 pick, I thought surely there might be a table or two of folks yell and spit folklore about how they went to school with the Portland High graduate.

Maybe not. Portland's about half the size of Shelbyville and isn't really known as a powerhouse in the TSSAA state tourney.

Perhaps Brewer's spurning the state schools to go help the Florida Gators win a pair of national titles had something to do with it.

No sooner than Brewer exited the stage after posing in his T'Wolves hat, Stern walked up and announced that Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats selected North Carolina forward and Brentwood Academy standout Brandan Wright with the very next pick.

Surely, one of those BA faithful or a Nashville native would give a big ole "That's my boy!" screams.

Nope. Nothin'. Hardly a peep.

Maybe there is some bitterness over BA rolling through just about every high school team in the state while Wright was throwin' down dunks for years there. Of course, Shelbyville natives don't hold much against him since Dequan Twilley and the Golden Eagles took them down when they swaggered into Bedford County.

Stuart Scott, who interviewed the draftees after being chosen for ESPN, sat down with Wright. Scott's introduction of Wright mentioned how he was likely one of the few picks who would probably get beaten in a game of 1-on-1 by the ballclub's general manager or director of player personnel since the Bobcats' main man is Jordan.

Without even so much as a smirk or blink, Wright bounced back by saying of Jordan, widely viewed as the best basketball player of all time, "I don't think he wants any right now."

Wright was traded later that night to the Golden State Warriors.

Four picks later, Memphis native Thaddeus Young was gobbled up by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 6-foot-8 forward played for Georgia Tech after falling in the Class AA state title game with Mitchell High in 2006.

Notice a recurring theme? In-state talent bolting the local universities for apparent greener pastures?

Vanderbilt's Derrick Byars, also from Memphis, was taken 42nd overall in the second round by the Portland Trail Blazers. He'll run with Wright after being traded to the 76ers. No word yet on whether or not Byars dogged out his GM.

Roughly 20 boneless wings and some potato wedges didn't allow me to stick around long enough to check out the reaction to Byars' selection. I'm guessing it was little more than a slight applause as though a popular golfer sank a putt for bogey.

Chances are the next couple of NBA drafts will light a little fire under Tennesseans with Vols like Chris Lofton and incoming transfer Tyler Smith (formerly of Pulaski) or even former Shelbyville Central star Barry Stewart threaten to earn a spot in "the league."

Hopefully, they are off the board before I hit wing No. 21.

Danny Parker is sports editor of the Times-Gazette.