Sixers select Nikola Vucevic and Lavoy Allen in 2011 NBA Draft - 6/23/2011

Philadelphia, Pa. – June 23, 2011 – The Philadelphia 76ers announced tonight that they have selected forward/center Nikola Vucevic with the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and forward Lavoy Allen with the 50th overall pick. Vucevic was an early entry candidate following his junior season at USC while Allen completed his senior season at Temple.

Vucevic (7-0, 240) averaged 17.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 blocks for the Trojans last season while shooting 50.5% from the floor, 75.5% from the line and 34.9% from 3-point range. He was named All-Pac-10 First Team and FOXSports.com All-America Fourth Team and was the Pac-10’s Most Improved Player in 2009-10.

This past season, Vucevic ranked first in the Pac-10 in rebounding, third in points and fourth in blocks. He posted 22 double-doubles in 34 games played, which was the fifth-most in the country. Vucevic was the first Trojan to average a double-double since 1994-95 and was the first player in school history to capture the Pac-10 rebounding title in consecutive seasons (2009-10 and 2010-11).

The 20-year-old was born in Switzerland and raised in Belgium where his father, Borislav, was playing professional basketball. His father played professionally for 24 years and was a member of the Yugoslavian national team. Nikola’s mother was also a professional basketball player in Bosnia. Vucevic’s family moved to Montenegro when Nikola was a teenager and he represented Montenegro at the 2009 U-20 European Championship. Prior to enrolling at USC, Nikola attended a year of prep school in California.

Allen (6-9, 225) averaged 11.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocks for the Owls last season while shooting 48.0% from the floor and 69.7% from the line. He was named first team All-Atlantic 10 for the second straight season and to the conference’s all-defensive team for the third time.

The 22-year-old leaves Temple as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,147) and ranks third in blocks (213). As a junior, Allen became the first Temple player to average a double-double since Ollie Johnson in 1970-71. Allen was born in Morrisville, Pa. and attended Pennsbury High School.