NBA Draft night on Thursday, which was held at the Barclays Center home of the Brooklyn Nets, was one of the most exciting in the last few years.

Aside from Zion Williamson’s presence and the New York Knicks’ fans being able to cheer and exhale with the selection of RJ Barrett at No. 3, Brooklyn Nets fans were excited as well as you could hear the chants of B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N from nets fans and the Brooklyn Brigade.

Nets fans were still basking in the glory of making it to the NBA playoffs and for the first time since 2013, not having the ominous cloud of the Boston Celtics hanging over their heads. The Brooklyn Nets were finally able to shake off the 2013 nightmare trade with the Boston Celtics which resulted in the Nets losing their first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and the right to swap first-rounders in 2017 with the Boston Celtics.

And, with their very owned NBA Draft selection, the Brooklyn Nets selected Nicolas Claxton with the 31st overall pick (second round) of the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Additionally, the Nets acquired the draft rights to Jaylen Hands, the 56th overall pick, along with a 2020 first round pick from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele, the 27th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Claxton (6’11, 220), comes to Brooklyn after two collegiate seasons at the University of Georgia (2017-19). As a sophomore, the forward/center averaged a team-high 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds (third in the SEC), 1.1 steals and 2.5 blocks (10th in the nation) while adding 1.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-SEC Second Team. The 20-year-old finished his career ranked No. 8 on UGA’s all-time blocks list (123). Claxton has also represented the U.S. Virgin Islands in international competition.

Hands (6’3, 180) spent the past two seasons at UCLA (2017-19). As a sophomore, the guard averaged 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists (first in the Pac-12) and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per contest, earning All-Pac-12 Second Team honors.

Jaylen Hands, a sophomore from UCLA. Photo Credit Unknown.

The San Diego, California native ended the 2018-19 season tied for eighth in the conference in 3-pointers made (66), shooting at a 37.3 percent (66-of-177) clip.