NEW YORK

Blake Griffin was the consensus No. 1 pick. Shaq to the Cavs was the consensus blockbuster.

On a day of head-turning trades around the NBA , the Los Angeles Clippers started Thursday night's draft with the obvious choice: Griffin, the only player considered a sure thing in a class full of question marks.

Griffin was the consensus college Player of the Year after leading the nation with 14.4 rebounds per game while averaging 22.7 points last season for Oklahoma. The Clippers said they would take the forward with the top pick just hours after they won the draft lottery last month, and never considered changing their minds.

"The fact is we're getting an incredible player, incredible person, an impeccable work ethic and a guy that we plan on having in L.A. for many years to come," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He's going to be a great, exciting fit for our ballclub."

The draft followed a day of big trades in the NBA .

The deal that sent Shaquille O'Neal to play alongside Le-Bron James in Cleveland was completed earlier Thursday, and Eastern Conference champion Orlando acquired Vince Carter from the Nets in a swap completed shortly before the first pick was made.

San Antonio landed Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee on Tuesday, and more big names could be available this summer as teams are forced to slash payroll. The best way to improve quickly this year was through trades because the draft was considered weaker than in recent years.

The Clippers are hoping Griffin turns out better than their last No. 1 overall pick. They opened the 1998 draft by taking center Michael Olowokandi, a bust who is out of the league.

"Hopefully I can bring something they don't have," Griffin said. "I know they have a lot of great players, but at the same time I'm excited about the opportunity and hopefully I can bring something to the table that they don't have or maybe they need."

The Memphis Grizzlies then grabbed Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, a dominant rebounder and shot blocker who doesn't have strong offensive skills.

After the two big men, the rest of the first round was dominated by guards, with at least 10 players selected who could play the point. Seven guards went in the first 10 selections.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took two of them with the fifth and sixth picks. They snapped up Spanish teenager Ricky Rubio at No. 5, a pick they acquired from Washington this week, before going for Syracuse's Jonny Flynn with the next pick.

It was thought Rubio might go as high as No. 2, but that never worked out for Memphis. Instead the Grizzlies went with Thabeet, the 7-foot-3 native of Tanzania who switched from soccer to Basketball just a few years ago.

Rubio has to pay a multimillion dollar buyout to his Spanish club team to get out of his contract, and he said Wednesday his mother doesn't like cold weather. So he sounded lukewarm about heading to Minneapolis.

"I have to think about that, because I'm just three minutes from a Timberwolves player," he said. "So I'm going to talk with my agent about that and we are going to see."

Oklahoma City took high-scoring Arizona State guard James Harden with the No. 3 pick and Sacramento followed by drafting Memphis freshman Tyreke Evans - who like Griffin was wearing a purple tie. So was Stephen Curry, the NCAA scoring leader from Davidson who went at No. 7 to Golden State.

Jordan Hill (New York), Demar DeRozan (Toronto) and Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee) rounded out the top 10 .

A run of forwards followed before Philadelphia grabbed another point guard, UCLA's Jrue Holiday, who was considered a top-10 pick but tumbled to No. 17. Minnesota followed with its third point guard of the draft, Ty Lawson of national champion North Carolina - though he was shipped to the Denver Nuggets in yet another deal. Atlanta grabbed still another playmaker, Wake Forest's Jeff Teague, at No.\19. Utah kept up the run by selecting Eric Maynor from Virginia Commonwealth.

They were No. 1, too By becoming a top draft pick, Blake Griffin joins a select group of NBA players that includes Norfolk's Joe Smith (1995 to the Warriors) and Hampton's Allen Iverson (1996 to the Sixers). Here's the past 10, and before you disagree on their worth, consider that we've held top picks to a higher standard than most:

Derrick Rose

2008

Bulls

Guard

Memphis

So far, yes. NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

Greg Oden

2007

Trail Blazers

Center

Ohio State

So far, no. Plagued by injury; missed rookie season and parts of this season

Andrea Bargnani

2006

Raptors

Forward

Italy

Not yet. Made the All-Rookie team; career average of 12.4?points per game

Andrew Bogut

2005

Bucks

Center

Utah

Nope, but being on bad teams hasn't helped. Has averaged 11.9 points, 8.7 rebounds per game

Dwight Howard

2004

Magic

Forward

High school

No doubt. Current NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Star

LeBron James

2003

Cavaliers

Guard

High school

Oh, yeah. Reigning NBA MVP and five-time All-Star; also was NBA Rookie of the Year

Yao Ming

2002

Rockets

Center

China

A weak thumbs up. Limited by injuries the past four seasons

Kwame Brown

2001

Wizards

Forward/Center

High school

No. First high-schooler taken with the top pick has bounced around to three other teams.

Kenyon Martin

2000

Nets

Forward

Cincinnati

'fraid not. Skilled player, but stats (14.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg) don't suggest No. 1 pick status.

Elton Brand

1999

Bulls

Forward

Duke

No. co-Rookie of the Year; solid, but not spectacular

SOURCE: Staff research the virginian-Pilot draft-day deals

Shaq to cavs; carter to Magic

The Eastern Conference rivals appear to be beefing up for perhaps another meeting in the conference finals next year. (Story, Page 5) Here's how each team's starting five could look, as well as who might have the edge.

Position Cleveland Orlando Edge

Point guard Mo Williams (17.8 ppg, 4.1 apg) Jameer Nelson (16.7 ppg, 5.4 apg) Orlando Nelson came of age at the point last season.

Shooting guard Delonte West (11.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg) Vince Carter (11.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg) Orlando Carter still has enough explosiveness.

Center Shaquille O'Neal (17.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg) Dwight Howard (20.6 ppg, 13.8 rpg) Orlando Shaq is too old to keep up with Superman.

Power forward Anderson Varejao (8.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg) Rashard Lewis (17.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) Orlando Lewis has shown a knack for delivering in the clutch.

Small forward LeBron James (28.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg) Hedo Turkoglu (16.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) Cleveland Turkoglu might leave as a free agent, anyway.

SOURCE: Staff research the virginian-Pilot STARTING OUT

Scott Speed looks to become the 79th driver in NASCAR history to make his Cup debut at Martinsville Speedway. A look at some of those drivers and what happened after that first race:

Year No. 1 pick Position team what happened

2008 Derrick Rose guard Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2007 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2006 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2005 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2004 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2003 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2002 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2001 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

2000 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

1999 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

1998 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

1997 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

1996 Derrick Rose Bulls NBA Rookie of the Year; led Chicago in epic first-round playoff series loss to Boston

1995 Travis Kvapil Oct. 2004 Won 2003 Truck title.

SOURCE: Staff research the virginian-Pilot starting five

1. L.A. Clippers, Blake Griffin, Oklahoma forward

2. Grizzlies, Hasheem Thabeet, UConn center

3. Thunder, James Harden, Arizona State guard

4. Kings, Tyreke Evans, Memphis guard

5. Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio, guard from Spain

of note

7. Warriors, Stephen Curry, Davidson guard

13. Pacers, Tyler Hansbrough, UNC center

20. Jazz, Eric Maynor, VCU guard related news

Jazz take Vcu's maynor at no. 20

Eric Maynor became Virginia Commonwealth's first NBA player to be drafted in 16 years when he was taken with the 20th pick, by the Utah Jazz.

"I can't even describe the feeling right now," Maynor said. "I've worked my whole life to get to this point ."

Maynor is the first player from the Colonial Athletic Association to be selected since Old Dominion's Cal Bowdler went to Atlanta with the 17th overall pick in 1999. He is the third-highest CAA player ever drafted and the fourth taken in the first round. The others: Navy's David Robinson, No. 1 in 1987 to San Antonio, and East Carolina's Blue Edwards, No. 21 in 1989 to Utah. (ODU's Chris Gatling went at No. 16 to Golden State in 1991, just before the Monarchs began CAA play.)

Maynor is the first Ram to be picked in the first round. He also is the first VCU player to be drafted since Sherron Mills went in the second round to Minnesota in 1993.

- Staff report