DePaul University Athletics
Chandler, Mejia Picked In NBA Draft
6/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Wilson Chandler Profile
Sammy Mejia Profile
DePaul's NBA Draft History
NEW YORK – For the second time in six years the DePaul basketball program had two players picked in the NBA Draft on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Wilson Chandler was taken by the New York Knicks with the 23rd pick of the first round while Sammy Mejia went in the second round (57th pick) to the Detroit Pistons.
Chandler, a 6-8 native of Benton Harbor, Mich., concluded his sophomore season with the Blue Demons in 2006-07. In his two-year career he averaged 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per outing. A second team All-BIG EAST Conference pick this past season, Chandler was also a unanimous pick to the league’s All-Rookie team in 2005-06. He finished his career in a Blue Demon uniform ranked 10th in school history with 86 blocked shots while his 497 points this season was the 30th-best single season effort in DePaul annals.
Mejia, a 6-6 native of the Bronx, finished his four-year DePaul career in 2006-07 and left a big mark in the school’s record book. He is one of just two players (Tom Kleinschmidt being the other) to have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 3pt. field goals in a Blue Demon uniform. He is ranked among DePaul’s all-time leaders for minutes played (second – 3,839), games played (fourth - 123), assists (sixth - 396), 3pt. field goals attempted (sixth - 351), scoring (ninth – 1,494) and 3pt. field goals (ninth - 115). A second team All-BIG EAST pick this past season, Mejia became the seventh player in school history to score 40 or more points in a game when he had 40 against Northwestern State on December 30, 2006. He was twice named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week in 2006-07. Mejia was also a member of the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2003-04. He concluded his collegiate career averaging 12.1 points per contest.
Chandler and Mejia are the 45th and 46th DePaul players respectively to be drafted by the NBA and Chandler became the ninth to be taken in the first round. This is the first time since 2001 that the Blue Demons have had multiple players taken in the draft when Steve Hunter was picked in the first round and Bobby Simmons in the second. DePaul has had five players taken in the last seven years and five of the last seven Blue Demons picked have been first round selections. Mejia is the first DePaul senior taken since Stanley Brundy in 1989.
