Utah Jazz select VCU guard Maynor with pick No. 20

The Jazz did have high hopes for landing University of North Carolina product Tyler Hansbrough, but those were dashed when Indiana picked the senior power forward from this year's NCAA champs at No. 13 overall.

O'Connor acknowledged the loss.

"Remember just a few years ago when we didn't get J.J. Redick and we got Ronnie Brewer?" O'Connor asked a draft-party crowd gathered at EnergySolutions Arena.

Along with Duke shooting guard Redick in 2006 and Georgetown center Roy Hibbert last year, Hansbrough joins a growing list of players the Jazz seem to have targeted, only to have them go before they got a chance to pick. Redick went to Orlando in the same draft that the Jazz took Brewer — now their starting shooting guard — from the University of Arkansas.

Another possible Jazz pick for this year, Wake Forest power forward James Johnson, went 16th to Chicago, and Wake point Jeff Teague, much-liked by the Jazz, went 17th to Atlanta in a point-strong draft.

University of Pittsburgh swingman Sam Young and Pitt power forward DeJuan Blair — each came to Utah for a workout — both were still on the board when the Jazz picked Maynor, who according to Sloan should fit in well on Utah's bench.

"He gives us the ability," the Jazz coach said, "to have a young player that maybe can come in and play behind Deron Williams and Ronnie Price, and hopefully make himself a better player."

Price will be an unrestricted free agent as of late Tuesday night, but the Jazz apparently plan to re-sign the Utah Valley product — and to not re-sign veteran and also soon-to-be free agent Brevin Knight, who was Williams' primary back last season.

"Ronnie probably didn't get the opportunities he needed last year, looking back on it," Sloan said.

"He played hard every time we put him out there. He made mistakes, but the kind of mistakes he made were hustle mistakes. We need to get more of those kinds of things out of all our players if we're going to be competitive."

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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TextEric Maynor file

Selection: 20th pick, first round

Position: Point guard

Size: 6-3, 164 pounds

Team: Virginia Commonwealth (VCU)

Age: 22 (June 11, 1987)

Hometown: Raeford, N.C.

Career highlights: Completed college career with 72 consecutive starts and ended as VCU's all-time leader in scoring (1,953 points) and assists (674) ... Honored as Colonial Athletic Association player of the year for junior and senior seasons ... Sank game-winning jumper against Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore in 2007 ... Senior season averages: 22.4 ppg, 6.2 apg, 3.6 rpg, 46.3 FG percentage, 3.0 TOs.

NBA.com analysis: "Gets into the lane easily. Makes excellent decisions."

DraftExpress analysis: "Has a good combination of scoring and playmaking skills. Proved to be a clutch player at the college level."Heady

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who can hit mid-range shots, according to the NBA Draft Guide.