In a puzzling free-fall, the Buckeyes' veteran guard slipped completely out of the draft.
View full sizeWhen NBA teams passed on Ohio State's David Lighty (23) in the later stages of Thursday's draft, it sparked some criticism from ESPN commentators.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State senior guard and Cleveland native David Lighty fell further in the NBA draft than most analysts thought he would Thursday night.
In a puzzling free-fall, he slipped completely out of the draft.
The league's 30 teams all passed on Lighty, and the draft's 60 picks went by without his name being called, while several largely unknown foreign players were selected late instead.
The somewhat good news for Lighty is he now has his pick of teams to sign with as an undrafted free agent. However, with the league and players union embroiled in collective bargaining negotiations and a potential lockout looming, it remains unclear if and when free agents will sign.
Lighty is a 2006 graduate of Villa Angela-St. Joseph on Cleveland's East Side.
Some mock drafts had Lighty going to the Cavaliers with the 54th pick, but they picked 21-year-old Serbian forward Milan Macvan.
Portland grabbed Lighty's OSU teammate, 3-point ace Jon Diebler, with the 51st pick, which caught some by surprise. Analyst Jay Bilas said on ESPN he thought Lighty would be drafted before Diebler. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who specializes in foreign-born players, ripped the Lakers for passing on Lighty with the 58th pick. "They're wrong [for drafting Nigerian player Chukwudiebere Maduabum]," Fraschilla said during the broadcast.
Lighty (6-5, 220) is well-regarded for his defense and leadership, and averaged 12.1 points, 4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 32 minutes during his senior season. He shot 47 percent from the field, 68 percent from the line and 43 percent from 3-point range (an improvement from 38 percent as a junior). He was second-team All-Big Ten.
Lighty, 23, watched the draft at Trifecta Sports Lounge in Richmond Heights, a few miles from his Cleveland home, with about 45 friends and family, including his mother, Emily, and father, David Sr.
Lighty worked out for the Detroit Pistons earlier in the day and arrived at the draft party wearing jeans and a plaid shirt a few minutes before 9 p.m., in about the middle of the first round.
Lighty spent five years at Ohio State, including a red-shirt season in 2008-09 when he suffered a broken foot. He is the third Buckeye to amass 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. He was part of 129 career victories, two short of the NCAA record, and this year received a first-team Lowes Class All-American award based athletic and academic achievement, as well as community work and character.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2011/06/portland_takes_jon_diebler_in.html
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