CLEVELAND — Quicken Loans Arena was the last place J.J. Hickson expected to be Friday, but he couldn’t have been happier about it.
The North Carolina State power forward said he had no idea the Cavaliers were going to take him with the 19th pick in the NBA Draft, so it was quite a shock when he heard his name called by commissioner David Stern.
“I was real surprised — I can’t put it into words — but I’m thankful to them for drafting me,” Hickson said. “The Cleveland Cavaliers have shown some belief in me and I plan on rewarding them. I’m really excited about the chance to see ‘The King’ (LeBron James) every day.”
The 6-foot-9, 242-pounder was formally welcomed to the King’s court during a late afternoon news conference, as was Kansas forward Darnell Jackson — who was acquired in a post-draft trade with Miami.
They were joined by general manager Danny Ferry and coach Mike Brown, both of whom were eager to put their newest acquisitions to work.
“They’ve got some nice size, they’re nice athletes and they had some success on the college level,” Brown said. “Both guys are going to play in the summer league, so we’ll take a look at them there and see where they are as players.”
At this stage of his career, Hickson appears to be a raw talent with the potential to develop into a solid contributor. He averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in his lone college season, setting an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman record with 23 boards against Clemson on Feb. 16.
The Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler High graduate is especially adept playing with his back to the basket, which should be a major asset on a Cleveland team in need of more low-post scoring.
“It’s something I work at and something I’ll continue to work at,” said Hickson, who led the ACC with a .591 field-goal percentage. “I love to be on the block with the ball, but I’ll do whatever Coach Brown and Danny ask of me.
“I feel like I can go out and play (effectively there now), but whatever Coach asks me to do, I’ll do.”
While Hickson became a member of the Cavs in prime time on national television Thursday, Jackson and fellow Jayhawks product Sasha Kaun didn’t join the team until well after midnight.
Jackson was drafted 52nd overall by Miami, then was dealt for the lower of Cleveland’s two second-round picks in 2009. Kaun went 56th to Seattle, but had his rights purchased for cash by the Cavs. Both played four seasons at Kansas, helping the Jayhawks win the 2008 national championship, as well as four consecutive Big 12 titles.
“It was very exciting to see my teammates walk onto the stage and see their names called,” said Jackson, one of five Jayhawks chosen. “We had a great team and it’s nice knowing a lot of us are going to have the chance to keep playing.”
While Kaun, a 6-11 center, has already signed a one-year contract with a team in his native Russia, Jackson plans on sticking around in Cleveland.
Nicknamed “D-Block”, he averaged 11.2 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds as a senior while shooting .626 from the floor. At 6-8 and 250 pounds, he is a bit undersized to play power forward in the pros, but certainly capable of contributing.
“My job at Kansas was to hustle for rebounds, take charges and play defense,” Jackson said. “I can create offense if I need to, but that wasn’t what we needed.
“I’m just thankful to Cleveland for the opportunity to work hard and bring something positive to the team.”
Just what positives Hickson and Jackson can bring to the court at this point, though, remains to be seen.
In their favor are the coaches they were tutored by. Former Timberwolves and Grizzlies bench boss Sidney Lowe is in charge at N.C. State, while the well regarded Bill Self leads Kansas’ program.
On the flip side, the Cavs are under pressure to win right now with James two years away from free agency. They can’t afford to give Hickson and Jackson playing time unless they deserve it.
“It’s so tough watching them on tape from college because you just don’t know how everything will translate to the next level,” Brown said. “They’re coming from terrific programs, which you do have to take into consideration, but it’s not the end-all in making a decision to bring them in.
“But we do like both guys, and I’m anxious to see what they can do for us.”
Contact Brian Dulik at 329-7135 or sports@ohio.net.

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