Darius Johnson-Odom seemingly found himself reunited with former Marquette University teammate Jae Crowder during the NBA draft Thursday night … but the reunion proved short-lived.
The Los Angeles Lakers ultimately acquired the rights to Johnson-Odom in exchange for cash considerations. He was selected in the second round at No. 55 overall, originally by the Dallas Mavericks, who picked up Crowder in a trade earlier in the night.
Johnson-Odom, a 6-3, 215-pound guard, led the Golden Eagles in scoring last season at 18.3 points per game and added 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He tallied double figures in scoring in 33 of 34 games played. Johnson-Odom and Crowder formed the highest-scoring duo in the Big East last season.
Johnson-Odom transferred to Marquette after spending one season in junior college. He earned first-team NJCAA honors as a freshman at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he averaged 21.6 points and 5.2 rebounds. In three seasons at Marquette, Johnson-Odom scored 1,649 points to rank 11th all-time in program history.
The Lakers will receive a proven outside shooting threat in Johnson-Odom. He left Marquette ranked fourth all-time in 3-pointers made (221) and ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (.403).
This year's draft marked the third straight year that a Marquette player was selected — the first time that has occurred since 1984. Forward Lazar Hayward (Washington) and Jimmy Butler (Chicago) were taken 30th overall in the 2010 and 2011 drafts, respectively.
It is also the first time that two Marquette players were picked in the same draft since Doc Rivers and Terrell Schlundt were chosen in 1983.
Former University of Wisconsin point guard Jordan Taylor, a long shot to hear his name called on Thursday night, was not taken during the two-round draft and likely will sign a free-agent deal.
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