Phoenix Acquires Cash Considerations from Portland in Exchange for 24^th pick

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns added two players in tonight’s 2007 NBA Draft, including Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker, the 29^th pick overall in the first round, and Maryland guard D.J. Strawberry, the 59^th overall pick in the second round. Phoenix also traded the draft rights to Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, the 24^th pick overall, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for cash considerations.

Tucker, the 2007 Big Ten Player of the Year and a First Team All-American by The Associated Press, averaged 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 36 games in his senior season with the Badgers. He was also one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy given to the national player of the year, along with eventual winner Texas forward Kevin Durant (2^nd overall to Seattle), Texas A&M guard Acie Law IV (11^th overall to Atlanta) and North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough.

The 6-6, 205-pound forward finished as Wisconsin’s all-time leading scorer (2,217 points), surpassing former Suns draft pick Michael Finley (21^st overall in the 1995 NBA Draft). Tucker, 23, also holds seven other school records, including games played (134), games started (126), minutes played (4,297), field goals (798), free throws (520), free throw attempts (817) and offensive rebounds (314).

As a senior, Tucker led Wisconsin to heights unparalleled in school history. The Badgers won 17 consecutive games, the longest single-season streak in school history, earned a No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press poll for the first time, and garnered their highest seed ever in the 2007 NCAA Tournament (No. 2).

Tucker, who spent five seasons with the Badgers after receiving a medical redshirt in 2003-04, averaged 16.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 134 collegiate games from 2002-07.

With the second to last pick of the draft, the Suns nabbed Strawberry, who tested as the best athlete at the Orlando Pre-Draft camp earlier this month. The 6-5, 201-pound guard blossomed in his senior season posting career bests in scoring (14.9), rebounding (4.4) and steals (2.03) in 34 games played, and earned All-ACC Second Team and ACC Defensive Team honors.

The 22-year-old is the son of former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry.

– Suns.com –

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