Mississippi State Joins Kansas With Two Picks In 2003 NBA Draft
May 25, 2016 | Men's Basketball
| Derrick Zimmerman now looks to continue his basketball career as a teammate of former MSU star Erick Dampier after being picked 40th overall by the Golden State Warriors in this week's NBA Draft. |
Austin and Zimmerman helped lead coach Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances the past two seasons, a quarterfinal-round NIT berth in 2001, as well as an SEC Western Division championship this past year and an SEC Tournament title in 2002.
The Kansas Jayhawks were represented in Thursday's NBA Draft by first-round selections Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison.
In addition, the SEC led all conferences with a total of six players selected in this year's NBA Draft, led by Georgia's Jarvis Hayes as the 10th pick overall to the Washington Wizards.
A native of York, Ala., Austin completed his three-year collegiate career ranked 17th on Mississippi State's all-time scoring list with 1,199 career points and 18th with 570 career rebounds. This past season as a finalist for both the John R. Wooden All-American Team and Naismith Player of the Year Awards, Austin ranked among the SEC's Top 10 statistical leaders in scoring (15.5 ppg; 9th), rebounding (7.7 rpg; 5th) and field-goal percentage (53.4%; 2nd) for the second consecutive season. He was chosen as the 2002 SEC Tournament MVP after leading State to the school's first league tournament title since 1996.
A two-time team co-captain for the Bulldogs, Zimmerman helped lead Mississippi State to a composite four-year record of 80-47, including a school-record 27 victories in 2001-02 and 21 wins this past year. The Monroe, La., native established new all-time school standards with 514 career assists and by having appeared in 127 career games. A two-time member of the SEC All-Tournament Team in helping lead MSU to school-first, back-to-back championship-game showings, Zimmerman paced the SEC in assists (5.5 apg) and ranked third in steals (1.9 spg) for the second consecutive season this past year. He also averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest as a senior.
Additionally, former Starkville (Miss.) High School standout Travis Outlaw became the second Mississippi State signee in four years to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Chosen as the 23rd pick overall by the Portland Trail Blazers this week, Outlaw was a McDonald's High School All-American as well as being tabbed as the Mississippi High School Boys' Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year this past season as a senior. Previously, Picayune (Miss.) native and 1998-99 McDonald's All-American Jonathan Bender was the No. 5 pick overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. Bender now plays for the Indiana Pacers.
