It’s all part of the process leading up to the NBA Draft.

A process that couldn’t have ended sooner for the two players selected in the first round by the Knicks on Thursday. Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, both Atlanta natives whose journeys took them to the bright lights of New York, can now just sit back and focus on playing the game of basketball.

“I’m really happy. It was a long process, a long and nervous process,” said Hill, the eighth overall pick. “I’m just glad I got it over with.”

Hill worked out for the Knicks in a solo session two weeks before the draft, impressing the team with his size and versatility. He was widely considered a perfect fit in their fast-paced system, but whether or not he was going to be around when the Knicks picked remained a mystery… until about five minutes before New York was on the clock.

After Minnesota selected two point guards with the fifth and sixth picks, Knicks President Donnie Walsh knew he was in a win-win situation with both Hill and guard Stephen Curry still on the board. It was up to the Golden States Warriors to decide the Knicks’ - and Hill’s - fate.

“I knew the Knicks were interested in Stephen Curry and me, so once Golden State chose Stephen I knew there was a pretty good chance I’d be going to the Knicks,” Hill said, “and sure enough they called my name.”

Douglas was in a similar situation as Hill, having no clue as to where he could land. The combo guard, who was slated to go anywhere from the middle of the first round to early in the second, had caught the Knicks’ attention after a strong showing in a workout against top-notch guards Jonny Flynn and Ty Lawson at the team’s training center.

Douglas was selected at No. 29 by Lakers and later dealt to the Knicks in exchange for a future second-round pick and cash considerations. The Knicks, who worked out an agreement to acquire the pick earlier in the day, had a deal in place to trade the pick for a future first- and second-round selection if Douglas wasn’t left.

“This draft was a crazy draft,” Douglas said. “You just had to sit and wait. All it takes is one team to give you the opportunity, and you just have to seize that moment.”

Hill and Douglas spent draft night two different ways after the weeks of preparation. Hill, who was one of 15 players invited to attend the event, made his way onto the stage and shook the NBA Commissioner David Stern’s hand after his name was called. Douglas, meanwhile, watched from his home in Atlanta with family and friends.

Douglas flew to New York in his agent’s private plane first thing Friday morning where he joined Hill for interviews and photo shoots. It was their first full day as NBA players and still waiting for that to sink in.

“It’s still kind of crazy, but I did work hard to get here,” Hill said. “I feel real good and I’m real excited about it. I’m just ready for this thing to get jumping.”

Fast Facts About the Rookies

Hill and Douglas played against each other in AAU basketball in Atlanta and have held a friendship ever since. “We built a relationship throughout AAU and college in the summer and stuff like that,” Douglas said. “It’s going to get even better now that we’re here in New York together.” … As a 6-foot-7 high school freshman, Hill decided to stop playing baseball and join the basketball team. … Hill will return to Arizona in the next few days to get back in game shape. He will return to New York on July 8. … Hill and Douglas are both expected to play in the NBA Summer League next month.