UNLV’s Johnson Is No. 1 : NBA draft: Coaches’ attempts in Charlotte and New Jersey to select Billy Owens are overruled. Three UNLV players are taken in the first round.

The quibbling and infighting that marked the selection process at the top of the NBA draft ended Wednesday when the Billy Owens factions in Charlotte and New Jersey were overruled.

The Hornets, drafting first, selected Nevada Las Vegas’ Larry Johnson No. 1, saying that he was something they weren’t last season: a winner.

He was the second choice behind Owens, of Syracuse, in the mind of Coach Gene Littles, who was overruled by Charlotte director of player personnel Allen Bristow. Johnson won out because of the aggressive play he displayed at UNLV, which won the NCAA title in 1990 and went undefeated in 1990-91 until losing to Duke in the Final Four.

Bristow said that the team leaders are now in agreement.

“Certainly, we’d all like to be united as one, and we feel like we are now,” Bristow said. “He came up No. 1 in most of the categories that we were looking at, but the big thing about Larry Johnson is his competitiveness, and his leadership, and he’s a winner. The thing that separates Larry from all the rest is that he’s always been a winner.”

“I’m just happy it’s all over,” Johnson said. “I don’t think it was important that I was No. 1 as it was that I go to Charlotte. I had heard all the speculation and all the rumors leading up to the draft. I think I can do for Charlotte what I did for Vegas.”

New Jersey player personnel director Willis Reed and Coach Bill Fitch also favored Owens, but the Nets’ ownership wanted flashy Kenny Anderson, believing the Georgia Tech sophomore point guard has a better chance to draw fans to the moribund Meadowlands Arena. Anderson was a high school hero in New York City.

“A Kenny Anderson comes along only once every 10 years or so. We looked at next year’s draft and felt there was only one point guard, and there were at least three No. 3s (forwards),” said Joe Taub, a minority owner of the Nets.

“I’m a long-range kind of person. It came down to looking for immediate help or someone for the future. We felt we needed a point guard to make the other players better.”

“They told me they wanted me right along,” Anderson said. “All I can do is go in with a great attitude. There’s a lot of work ahead, but New Jersey has a piece of my heart now.”

Owens finally got the call with the No. 3 pick by Sacramento, which coveted Anderson because the Kings are already loaded with young forwards.

“I’m not really disappointed because it is a dream come true just to get to the NBA,” Owens said. “Sacramento will be a different atmosphere from Syracuse, but I will make the best of it and make them happy they picked me.”

Jerry Reynolds, the Kings’ player personnel director, said before the draft that if Anderson was not available, they would select Johnson or Owens and worry about the team’s crowded forward situation before training camp starts.

Denver did what was expected with the fourth pick, grabbing the best center available in Georgetown’s 7-foot-2 Dikembe Mutombo.

Despite not playing basketball until he was a senior in high school in Zaire, Mutombo averaged 15.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.7 blocks as a senior for the Hoyas and was selected as the Big East’s defensive player of the year last season.

Mutombo also has excellent running skills and stamina for a big man, and he’ll need them with the Nuggets, 20-62 last season with the worst defense in the NBA.

“I am a great defensive player,” said Mutombo who turned 25 on Tuesday. “This will bring defense back to Denver.”

After Miami picked Michigan State guard Steve Smith, Dallas selected Missouri forward Doug Smith and Minnesota took New Mexico center Luc Longley, Denver used another choice to take Temple guard Mark Macon.

The Nuggets, who acquired the eighth pick in a deal that sent Michael Adams to Washington, appeared to commit to using shooter Chris Jackson at point guard.

“Denver is a long way from home, but it is my home now,” Macon said. “When I was finally picked, my heart stopped for a second. It was a relief.”

Atlanta chose UNLV forward Stacey Augmon.

With the 12th pick, the New York Knicks selected UNLV’s Greg Anthony, the fourth time in NBA history three players from one team were taken in the third round.

It also happened to Indiana in 1976, UCLA in 1979 and Michigan last year.

“It’s rare when you have a team that has as many high draft picks make it to the NBA,” Anthony said.

Elsewhere in the first round, Orlando took forward Brian Williams of Arizona 10th, Cleveland grabbed guard Terrell Brandon of Oregon 11th and the Indiana Pacers selected Clemson forward Dale Davis 13th.

After that, it was center Rich King of Nebraska to Seattle, Seton Hall’s Anthony Avent to Atlanta, Chris Gatling of Old Dominion and Victor Alexander of Iowa State back-to-back to Golden State, Louisville’s LaBradford Smith to Milwaukee, John Turner of Phillips to Houston, Eric Murdock of Providence to Utah, Syracuse’s LeRon Ellis to the Clippers, Stanley Roberts of LSU and Real Madrid to Orlando, Rick Fox of North Carolina to Boston, Shaun Vandiver of Colorado to Golden State, Mark Randall of Kansas to the Chicago Bulls and Pete Chilcutt of North Carolina to Sacramento.