NEW YORK CITY - With the twenty-sixth pick of the first round, the Detroit Pistons selected UC forward Jason Maxiell. As the 2005 Eastern Conference champions came up short on perimeter shooting in this year's NBA finals, and Arizona shooting guard Salim Stoudamire was available, the pick came as a surprise to some analysts.

Former terrible UC player Robert Whaley, who left the team after the 2003-2004 season to play at Walsh, was drafted with the fifty-first overall pick by the Utah Jazz.

"I couldn't be more thrilled," said Maxiell after his selection was announced. "This must be what reaching the third round of the NCAA tournament would have felt like."

When called for comment, Whaley took forty-five minutes to cross the living room and pick up the phone. "I guess Utah's scouts saw potential in my performance at the NCAA Division I level," he said. "Not that there was much else to look at, what with me trudging around the court and letting the other team run by me for layups over and over." He then laughed richly.

"I'm very happy for Jason," said UC basketball coach Bob Huggins as he uncorked his fourth and fifth consecutive bottles of champagne. "Coaching another first-round pick should help offset my lame-duck status for recruiting a little bit." When Whaley was selected later, Huggins spewed a geyser of champagne from his mouth and threw the bottle into his television.

UC guard Armein "Captain" Kirkland stated, "I'm glad for Max. But Whaley? I knew I should have stayed in the draft."