Basket, NBA

Italian Andrea Bargnani became the first European player to be number one pick in the NBA Draft when he was selected by the Toronto Raptors in a dizzying first round at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. "It's an incredible feeling," Bargnani said. "I...

Italian Andrea Bargnani became the first European player to be number one pick in the NBA Draft when he was selected by the Toronto Raptors in a dizzying first round at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

"It's an incredible feeling," Bargnani said. "I feel so excited, so proud to represent my country."

A total of six international players were selected in the first round, with Thabo Sefolosha of Sweden taken at 13 by Philadelphia, Oleksiy Pecherov of Ukraine (18) by Washington, Spain's Sergio Rodriguez (27) by Phoenix. Briton Joel Freeland was the last pick of the round at 30th, by Portland.

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