Salt Lake City - Utah Jazz made their high draft to select years, then immediately had to defend it. Choosing Utah's Butler, a sophomore Gordon Hayward with the ninth overall to choose Thursday was greeted with a big boos than cheers at the EnergySolutions Arena, where the lanky forward helped lead Bulldogs' run to Final Four a few months ago.
"The only thing I hope that within two years you're not booing," Utah general manager Kevin O'Connor said Boos for the lottery selection to choose in Jazz.
Hayward was in New York for the draft Thursday night, however, aware of the negative reaction to shortcut conference with reporters, Utah.
"Hopefully, I can do some things on the site and turn those around," Hayward said.
Utah fans were afraid of the rare top-10 to get to 6 feet 8 forward who weighed all of 207 pounds. Jazz fans are also skeptical about the point guard Deron Williams of Utah, when he took his third overall, five years ago, so that O'Connor is not too bothered with the negative response.
"They told me that they boo John Stockton, too, so let's hope that history repeats itself," said O'Connor.
O'Connor acknowledged that Utah probably would have gone with a big center forward or - if there was one still available, that jazz has been rated higher than Hayward.
By the time came to select the ninth, the top-ranked big thing of the other teams that Jazz knew was very likely in the draft this year, once a star guard John Wall and Evan Turner continued - as expected - with the first 2 picks.
Hayward Jazz impressed scouts watching his sophomore season, Butler, and with the way he played, and interviews with team officials during pre-draft workout.
"We took the best player available," said O'Connor. "We believe that it is more position players and win counts for something. He was the winner, where he was."
final match of the college Hayward two points in the loss of the Duke championship game NCAA. He brought up the Bulldogs scored and restored as soon as sophomore and scored 22 points to lead the Bulldogs over Kansas State in the West regional final on March 27 in Salt Lake City.
Butler Coach Brad Stevens said communication Utah a few minutes after take a congratulatory tweet of his former player.
"Another great Butler points coming in Salt Lake City, Stephens tweeted. "I congratulate Gordon and jazz!"
He was tall and choose Utah because trade up 2 spots to get Williams in 2005. Until then, Jazz, did not take the top 10 after receiving Thurl Bailey at number 7 in the 1983 draft.
Jazz was the pick because of trade with the Phoenix made six years ago, when the sun should be a reduction of wages, and made a deal with Utah in a timely manner. It was really to get New York Knicks' from earlier transactions Nix suns and protection limit has expired, giving Utah a place Knicks in the lottery.
"We felt, as it turned out, the money. We did not have to win 29 games to get the ninth to get the project," said O'Connor.
