Brand-tastic!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The night before the NBA Draft, Elton Brand and his old friend Ron Artest talked until 4 a.m. in the hallway of their hotel, desperately trying to speed up the wait until their names were called at the MCI Center.

And while for Brand the wait seemed endless, it was the shortest wait possible when the Chicago Bulls made him the No. 1 overall pick.

Over the course of the first round, three other Blue Devils were selected, making Duke the first school ever to have four first round draft picks. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Trajan Langdon as the 11th pick and the Seattle Supersonics chose Corey Maggette with the 13th pick, making him the last lottery selection of the Draft. A few hours later, Maggette changed hats when he was traded to the Orlando Magic.

Duke made history on the very next selection, when the Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed William Avery at No. 14.

Brand became the second Blue Devil ever selected with the top overall pick, following in the footsteps of Art Heyman, who was drafted No. 1 by the New York Knicks in 1963.

"It was a great anticipation," Brand said. "I didn't know exactly where I would fit in this draft. To go No. 1 is a special time and a special event."

His selection was greeted with boos from many of the 11,000-plus fans in attendance who hoped that local favorite Steve Francis would be picked first. But Brand was too absorbed in the moment to be bothered by the booing.

"I couldn't believe it," Brand said. "I just had to sit there for a minute and make sure. If you noticed I didn't give anybody hugs or anything. I might have felt I was still dreaming or something."

Avery and Maggette were less pleased with their own draft positions, and both had thought they would go higher.

Maggette, who earlier this season The Chicago Tribune called a potential No. 1 pick, was considered a virtual lock for the top 10, but fell to 13th when Seattle finally selected him.

"I never thought I'd go that late," he said. "But that's how it rolls sometimes. One out of every million kids gets this opportunity. I am feeling good that I got picked. Once it happened, that was the best feeling ever."

Avery was also forced to sit nervously in the green room longer than anticipated, watching four other point guards get selected before him.

"I was back there sweating bullets," Avery said. "The wait was tough especially after the 10th pick. I was surprised because I thought I might go earlier.

"I was a little disappointed at first, but that's over now. I'm a Minnesota Timberwolf."

Avery admitted that he did second-guess his decision to leave Duke. He missed being a lottery pick by one selection and is the only one of the Blue Devils drafted who did not become an instant millionaire. And although his $997,100 rookie salary is nothing to scoff at, many experts believe had he stayed at Duke one more year, he would become a top-five pick.

"I thought about that," he said, "but this was best for my family now and I think that takes more of a priority."

Maggette, meanwhile, had "no regrets" about leaving early, despite his draft-day fall. He believes that his youth did not play a factor in his declining stock.

"If that's the case, what about Jonathan Bender?" Maggette said of the high schooler selected fifth overall. "He's a little younger than me."

But super-agent David Falk, who represents both Brand and Mike Krzyzewski (but not Maggette), disagrees and said Maggette cost himself millions of dollars by not coming back for his sophomore year.

"He'd have been a top-three pick next year," Falk said on John Thompson's radio show. "Coming out this year cost him between $5 million and $10 million in salary and endorsements."

And while Maggette stood by his decision to leave the Blue Devils, he admitted it was very difficult to tell Krzyzewski he was leaving.

"Trying to tell Coach K was very hard, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do," he said. "I hope Coach K is very proud. I knew our team had this type of caliber, but no one knew we would go so early."

Avery also felt the record number of draft picks was a testament to Krzyzewski.

"This is a great thing," Avery said. "I think it shows how good our team was and how hard we work at Duke. They recruited another great crop of players this season, so it wouldn't surprise me if three or four years down the road, this happened again."

Later in the night, Seattle sent Maggette, Billy Owens, Dale Ellis and Don MacLean to Orlando in return for 34-year-old forward Horace Grant and a second-round pick in the 2001 and 2002 drafts.

"It's a good feeling to know you're wanted," Maggette told the Chicago Tribune. "I guess Seattle felt a power forward like Horace Grant was what they needed to contend for a world championship. I'm excited about going to Orlando."

Maggette is already being offered several endorsement deals, including one to join Nike's Team Jordan athletic shoe endorsement lineup. But according to The Chicago Tribune, And 1 is allegedly willing to sign him for a substantial amount and make Maggette the company's marquee player.

Endorsement deals are likely in Brand's future as well and by becoming the nation's top pick, he will earn more than $9 million over the next three years.

But with the label of top draft choice comes expectations, and some in Chicago believe general manager Jerry Krause made a mistake picking Brand.

"I'm just ready to take that challenge, be the best I can and prove all the naysayers wrong," Brand said. "The No. 1 pick always gets chastised every season. It's a lot of pressure. Of course, playing for the Bulls with all their heritage and all their championships is a challenge too."

Krzyzewski believes it is a challenge Brand will be able to live up to. The coach agreed with Brand's decision to turn pro and labeled him a "sure thing."

"I think Elton has an unbelievable upside," Krzyzewski said before the draft. "People who categorize him as just a power player are so wrong. I think he can face the bucket. He has the ability to put the ball on the floor. He can defend the three-point shot. He'll be unbelievably versatile in the pros."

Neal Morgan contributed to this story.