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USC's Melton And Metu Selected In The 2018 NBA Draft
June 21, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Features
De'Anthony Melton was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 46th pick and Chimezie Metu by the San Antonio Spurs with the 49th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., today (June 21). The last time USC had two players selected in the same NBA Draft was in 2009 when DeMar DeRozan went ninth overall to Toronto and Taj Gibson went 26th to Chicago.
"De'Anthony (Melton) makes winning plays and will be a great addition for Houston," said USC men's basketball head coach Andy Enfield. "He can help a team in a variety of ways and will make his team and teammates better."
Melton, from Encino, Calif., sat out the 2017-18 season after an outstanding freshman campaign. He appeared in all 36 games during the 2016-17 season, starting the final 25 and averaging 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. Melton was named honorable mention to the 2016-17 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and led the conference with 69 steals, which tied the USC freshman record (Maurice Jones, 2011). Melton was second on the team with 170 rebounds and posted six games with eight or more rebounds. He scored a season-best 16 points twice during the 2016-17 season.
"Chimezie (Metu) will have a long career in the NBA," said Enfield. "He is a hard worker and has a great skill set for someone his size. I look forward to following his success."
Metu, a junior from Lawndale, Calif., was named First Team All- Pac-12 in 2018 as he averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, leading the team in both categories. His 1,284 career points scored rank 20th on USC's all-time list. Metu had 168 blocks in his three-year career which rank third on USC's all-time list. He also had 214 career dunks and his 82 during the 2017-18 season were more than the combined total of the Trojans' opponents. Metu had 11 double-doubles during the 2017-18 season and 18 in his career. He scored a career-high 31 points vs. UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 17, 2017 and scored in double figures in 29 of his 33 starts last season. Metu graduated from USC in three years with a degree in Law, History and Culture.
Melton and Metu were USC's first NBA draft picks since Nikola Vucevic was selected 16th by Philadelphia in the 2011. Vucevic's selection ended a stretch of five Trojans being selected in the first round from 2007-11. Still, USC's five first-round selections since 2007 ranks tied for 13th among all NCAA programs.
"De'Anthony (Melton) makes winning plays and will be a great addition for Houston," said USC men's basketball head coach Andy Enfield. "He can help a team in a variety of ways and will make his team and teammates better."
Melton, from Encino, Calif., sat out the 2017-18 season after an outstanding freshman campaign. He appeared in all 36 games during the 2016-17 season, starting the final 25 and averaging 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. Melton was named honorable mention to the 2016-17 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and led the conference with 69 steals, which tied the USC freshman record (Maurice Jones, 2011). Melton was second on the team with 170 rebounds and posted six games with eight or more rebounds. He scored a season-best 16 points twice during the 2016-17 season.
"Chimezie (Metu) will have a long career in the NBA," said Enfield. "He is a hard worker and has a great skill set for someone his size. I look forward to following his success."
Metu, a junior from Lawndale, Calif., was named First Team All- Pac-12 in 2018 as he averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, leading the team in both categories. His 1,284 career points scored rank 20th on USC's all-time list. Metu had 168 blocks in his three-year career which rank third on USC's all-time list. He also had 214 career dunks and his 82 during the 2017-18 season were more than the combined total of the Trojans' opponents. Metu had 11 double-doubles during the 2017-18 season and 18 in his career. He scored a career-high 31 points vs. UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 17, 2017 and scored in double figures in 29 of his 33 starts last season. Metu graduated from USC in three years with a degree in Law, History and Culture.
Melton and Metu were USC's first NBA draft picks since Nikola Vucevic was selected 16th by Philadelphia in the 2011. Vucevic's selection ended a stretch of five Trojans being selected in the first round from 2007-11. Still, USC's five first-round selections since 2007 ranks tied for 13th among all NCAA programs.
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