truebluefan

TULSA, Okla., October 4, 2006 - The Anaheim Arsenal secured the first overall selection in the 2006 NBA Development League Draft through a lottery conducted at the annual coaches meeting Tuesday. The Draft is scheduled for November 2 at 8 p.m. CDT.

"We are excited about the position we have in the draft," said Tulsa 66ers head coach Joey Meyer. "Of course, we would have liked to have been fifth or sixth, but I think we're still in a good place to get a championship team together. Assistant Coach Roy Rogers and I have been preparing all summer and we are confident we'll get some of the best players onto the 66ers court."

The Sioux Falls Skyforce will have the second overall pick in a serpentine selection process, followed by the Colorado 14ers, Fort Worth Flyers, Dakota Wizards, Arkansas RimRockers, Los Angeles D-Fenders, Tulsa 66ers, Idaho Stampede, Austin Toros, Bakersfield Jam and Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

Since the draft is serpentine, or "snaked", the order will be reversed in each of the 10 rounds. For example, after picking first, Anaheim's next selections will be the 24th and 25th overall. Albuquerque will select last in the first round, but first in the second round, giving the T-Birds the 12th and 13th overall picks. The 66ers' second pick will be number 17.

To be eligible for the 2006 Draft, a player must have signed a standard D-League player contract. Previous top picks currently in NBA vet camps include Chicago Bulls guard Andre Barrett (2005) and New Jersey Nets forward Mikki Moore (2002).

Training camp rosters will consist of the 10 players selected in the Draft, up to four returning players, two allocation players of regional significance and a player invited from each team's open tryout. The four returning players for Anaheim, Bakersfield, Colorado and Los Angeles, all expansion teams, will be signed from the 10 players each selected in the Expansion Draft on September 19.

The Tulsa 66ers tip off their sophomore season with back-to-back home games against the Arkansas RimRockers Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25. Both games begin at 7 p.m. Nineteen of the 66ers' 24 home games will be held on Friday or Saturday nights, allowing Tulsa families the opportunity to see professional basketball when it best fits their schedules. For ticket information, log on to tulsa66ers.com or call the ticket office at (918) 585-8444.