Local flavor

O.J. Mayo, USC guard, selected by Minnesota with the third pick. After the draft, his rights were traded to Memphis as part of an eight-player deal:

“It didn’t matter if it was a big-market organization, small-market or medium-market, it really didn’t matter. I just want to be a part of the NBA.”

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Russell Westbrook, UCLA guard, selected by Seattle with the fourth pick:

“It feels great. I worked so hard to get to the best possible positions I could possibly be in . . . and now I have to keep working to be at the top.

“It’s the highlight of my life. . . . Seattle is a great organization and I look forward to playing with Kevin Durant.”

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Kevin Love, UCLA forward/center, selected by Memphis with the fifth pick. After the draft, his rights were traded to Minnesota in the Mayo deal:

“It’s crazy, we had three of the top five picks and I was so happy for Russell [Westbrook] that he got picked there.

“You know, he’s going to the Northwest and that’s where I’m from and I’m happy for him. I told him beforehand if he got picked before me, to give me a big hug and vice versa, and it worked out that way and O.J. [Mayo], really we go all the way back to seventh grade, we’ve been friends, so really happy for both of those guys.”

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Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA forward, selected by Milwaukee with the 37th pick:

“I don’t have any winter clothes. That’s one thing that’s going to change. I’ve never been in the cold, ever.

“I had a really good workout in Milwaukee and was able to showcase myself. I’m happy I went really early in the second round, not as late as it could have went.

“Definitely would hope to have gone in the first round like everybody else and get a guaranteed contract, but I didn’t. But I think this is great, a great situation.”