Clippers Get Bo, Not Boos : NBA draft: The selection of Kimble makes fans happy at the Sports Arena, unlike last season’s first-round choice of Danny Ferry.

Bo Kimble, who said he wanted to remain in Los Angeles, got his wish when the Clippers selected the Loyola Marymount guard eighth in the NBA draft Wednesday.

So, after last year’s first-round selection of Danny Ferry, a player who apparently didn’t want to be a Clipper, they got a player who dreamed of being a Clipper.

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Kimble said. “The L.A. Clippers are a team that I wanted to play for. I couldn’t have been any luckier. To have everything come out so perfectly. . . . God is so great.”

Kimble blew a kiss to his family after NBA Commissioner David T. Stern made the announcement and he accepted a Clipper hat from forward Charles Smith, who attended the draft in New York.

After earning the adulation of fans as he led Loyola Marymount to the NCAA West Regional final after the death of Hank Gathers, the selection of Kimble was popular with the fans who watched the draft at the Sports Arena.

When Coach Mike Schuler stepped to the podium to announce the selection of Kimble, the crowd shouted Bo, Bo, Bo before he could finish the announcement. The standing ovation the announcement drew was a contrast to last year, when the fans booed the selection of Ferry.

“If we hadn’t selected Bo, there would have been a riot,” said Donald T. Sterling, Clipper owner.

The Clippers selected Michigan forward Loy Vaught with the No. 13 pick.

Did Kimble’s market value play a role in his selection?

“We wanted the best possible basketball player we could get,” Schuler said. “It was just a perfect fit. And I’m so happy that it did fit our plans and our needs because he’s gone through a great deal of hardship and he came through with flying colors.”

Does Kimble think staying in Los Angeles will aid his endorsement potential?

“I don’t know about my marketing prospects,” Kimble said. “There’s already another Bo (Jackson) in town. Bo (Kimble) knows L.A. and after this season, Bo knows winning.”

The Clippers hope that Kimble will help fill the void left by the absence of guard Ron Harper, who is expected to return in midseason from knee surgery.

The top scorer in college basketball last season, Kimble, a 6-foot-3 1/2, 197-pound shooting guard, averaged 35.3 points in leading Loyola Marymount’s fast break.

Some NBA scouts were concerned about Kimble’s defense, but he proved that he was an adept defensive player at an NBA draft evaluation camp in Orlando, Fla. He also played strong defense in winning the One-on-One Collegiate Challenge Monday in Atlantic City, N.J., defeating Gary Payton of Oregon State, the No. 2 player selected in the draft.

“I think that’s been the doubt all year, if Bo could play defense,” Kimble said. “I went to Orlando and did well defensively and I played the One-on-One and beat some of the top guys defensively. Everything is clear, I can play ‘D.’

There were some nervous moments for the Clippers in the draft before it became clear that Kimble would be available. But when the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had considered taking Kimble, used the sixth pick to take center Felton Spencer of Louisville, there was applause in the Clipper war room, where team officials had gathered.

“We’re very excited to get Bo Kimble,” said Elgin Baylor, Clipper general manager. “He’s going to give us the outside perimeter shooting that we want. The style that Mike is going go play is really conducive to Bo Kimble’s type of ballgame.”

Schuler agreed.

“Bo Kimble is the most impressive young man I’ve ever interviewed, in my nine years in the league,” Schuler said. “I just fell in love with him. He’ll fit in so well with the things we’re going to do.”

Kimble said he wasn’t surprised that the Clippers selected him.

“If I wouldn’t have been selected for the Clippers, I’d have probably fallen out of the chair,” Kimble said. “I think I’ll fit in well. I think my personality and my game suits the Clippers.”

Was he nervous?

“Right around the seventh pick, I was hoping that I wasn’t going to be the one called,” Kimble said. “Once I knew I was going to available for eighth, I was happy because I knew that I’d be in L.A.”

After selecting a guard, the Clippers attempted to strengthen their front court by selecting Vaught, a 6-9, 230-pound forward, who averaged 15.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and shot .595 from the field last season. He led the Big Ten in rebounding and field-goal percentage.

Although the Clippers needed a backup center, they couldn’t bypass Vaught because of his rebounding.

“He’s a Charles Oakley-type rebounder,” Schuler said of Vaught. “He’s going to rebound for you every night.”

The Clippers also plan to use Vaught as the backup to center Benoit Benjamin.

Vaught hopes to win fans with his work ethic.

“I hope that no one will be sorry when they see how I progress as a player and as a person as a result of being picked by the Clippers,” Vaught said.

Now the real work begins for the Clippers, who must sign Kimble and Vaught. And that may not be easy, given their negotiating history with previous top draft picks such as Danny Manning, Benoit Benjamin and Reggie Williams, who missed most of training camp after signing late.