NBA Draft: Eight-player trade with Mayo on the side

Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy had seen Mayo played numerous times this season because Dunleavy's youngest son, James, redshirted this season on the USC basketball team.

But when it became clear that Minnesota was going to take Mayo, the talks between the Clippers and the Sonics bogged down. The Clippers remained at No. 7 and took Indiana guard Eric Gordon.

Howland said he was not shocked that three of the top five players picked were from the Pac-10 and more specifically, from Los Angeles' crosstown rivals.

Seven Pac-10 players were picked in the first round, including twins Brook and Robin Lopez of Stanford, who went No. 10 to New Jersey and No. 15 to Phoenix, respectively.

Yet another UCLA player, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, was drafted in the second round, 37th overall, by the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I talked about that going into the season in November," Howland said, recounting his assessment of the abundance of player talent in the conference.

Love said, "It says a lot for our league. It shows the quality of players we have."

USC forward Davon Jefferson went undrafted.