For the first time since 2017 Syracuse has a player taken in the NBA Draft.

Elijah Hughes, who had decent rise up teams’ draft boards this offseason, was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 39^th pick – though he won’t be playing for the Pelicans. Hughes will be heading to the Utah Jazz thanks to a yet-to-be-approved trade by the league.

A transfer from Eastern Carolina, Hughes became a star for the Syracuse Orange. Hughes averaged 19 PPG and shot 34% from three last season at SU; en route to a first-team all-ACC selection.

Hughes is the 73^rd Syracuse-player taken in the NBA Draft.

Rochester-native, Isaiah Stewart, moved up the draft board Wednesday night. Stewart jumped up to the 16^th selection going to the Detroit Pistons (Portland made the selection for Detroit via a trade). A product of Mike Hopkins at Washington, Stewart was once a target of the Syracuse Orange – only to follow Hopkins out to the Pacific Northwest. It just so happens that Stewart is now joining another former SU assistant in Troy Weaver. Weaver was named the Pistons General Manager this offseason.

With the first pick in the 2020 NBA Draft the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards of Georgia. The former Bulldogs star led all freshmen in scoring at the division one level with 19.2 PPG.

Florida State’s Patrick Williams was the first ACC player taken when he went number four to the Chicago Bulls. The second from the conference also came from Tallahassee. Devin Vassell, a shooting guard from FSU, was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs at 11.

The 2019 player of the year, Obi Toppin, was selected by the New York Knicks with the 9^th pick. The Dayton Flyer had a mid-60s shooting percentage his final season with Dayton.