NEW YORK -- The Washington Wizards selected John Wall with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday as they quickly began rebuilding their backcourt.
With the No. 1 pick in the draft, the Wizards selected guard John Wall -- one of three Kentucky Wildcats taken among the first 14 picks.
The SEC player of the year is the first Kentucky player ever chosen first overall.
"It's a big honor," Wall told ESPN after his selection.
He goes to a Washington team hoping to quickly bounce back after a disastrous season that included Gilbert Arenas' season-ending suspension for bringing guns into the team locker room.
Wall could replace Arenas as the Wizards' point guard, or perhaps play alongside him in a potential high-scoring backcourt. He'll try to become the third straight freshman point guard to win Rookie of the Year honors after Chicago's Derrick Rose and Sacramento's Tyreke Evans -- who like Wall also played for John Calipari.
The pick came shortly after a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that the Chicago Bulls had agreed to trade veteran guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick in the draft to the Wizards. Hinrich is a solid veteran defensive guard who could help with Wall's transition to the NBA.
After his name was announced to begin the draft, Wall hugged family members and donned a blue Wizards cap before climbing onto the stage to shake commissioner David Stern's hand.
The Philadelphia 76ers took national player of the year Evan Turner from Ohio State at No. 2. The notoriously tough Philadelphia fans at Madison Square Garden liked the choice, loudly cheering and chanting "Evan Turner! Evan Turner!"
Derrick Favors became the second freshman taken in the first three picks when the New Jersey Nets chose the Georgia Tech forward. A source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that the Nets might make a deal Thursday night after selecting the 6-10 Favors, or wait to see if one comes in July during the free-agency period.
The Minnesota Timberwolves then grabbed Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson, whom the Nets also had considered. Stern seemed impressed by the Christmas-colored slacks worn by Johnson, who held up his leg to show them off.
Kentucky, which hoped to have a record five players taken in the first round, put its second in the top five when DeMarcus Cousins was taken by Sacramento.
Cousins, Wall's Kentucky teammate, said Wednesday he is the best player in the draft and "it's that simple."
The 6-11 Cousins has the potential to become a dominant big man in a league where there are fewer every year, and his size and skill would seem to make him a lock to be taken in the first few picks.
"I am the most dominant, and I believe I am the biggest game changer," Cousins said. "I believe I am the best talent in the draft."
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