Michigan State’s Miles Bridges, right, poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after he was picked 12th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers during the NBA basketball draft in New York, Thursday, June 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen)
LOS ANGELES — The Clippers came out of the first round of the NBA draft with a new-look backcourt.
They drafted forward Miles Bridges of Michigan State with the 12th overall pick Thursday night then quickly sent him and two future second-round picks to the Hornets for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom Charlotte picked at No. 11. They used the second of their back-to-back picks to select Jerome Robinson of Boston College at No. 13.
Gilgeous-Alexander grew up in Canada and played for the Canadian Junior National Team. He played high school basketball in Tennessee and one season at Kentucky.
At Kentucky, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals.
He joins Robinson as the Clippers’ two newest guards.
“It’s something you can’t put into words,” Robinson said during the telecast of the draft. “It’s a crazy, unreal feeling. I’m very excited.”
Robinson was an unheralded recruit out of high school in Raleigh, North Carolina, and stayed in school for three years. Last year with the Eagles, he averaged 20.7 points per game.
He’s not new to Los Angeles, either. Robinson spent last summer working out with other NBA players before returning to Boston College for his final season.
The Clippers have gone through a lot of change over the last year in trading Chris Paul to Houston almost one year ago and Blake Griffin — the former No. 1 overall pick — to Detroit in January.
Coach Doc Rivers recently signed a contract extension with the Clippers.