Posted: June 24, 2004
The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have traded the draft rights to Duke's Luol Deng, the seventh pick overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, to the Chicago Bulls. In return, Phoenix will receive a future conditional first-round pick, the draft rights to the 31st pick Jackson Vroman (Vro-men) and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The future pick from the Bulls is protected through No. 3 in the 2005 NBA Draft, through No. 1 in 2006 and is unconditional in 2007.
Jackson, a 6-10, 220-pound center/forward, played his final two seasons of his collegiate career at Iowa State after two seasons at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. At Iowa State, he finished second all-time in school history in career field goal percentage (.558) and ninth all-time in blocked shots (70).
As a senior, Vroman averaged 13.9 points and 9.6 rebounds as he became the first Cyclone to lead the Big 12 conference in rebounding since Dean Uthoff in 1980. He earned Third Team All-Big 12 honors by the Associated Press and the league's coaches.
Prior to enrolling at Iowa State, the 23-year-old averaged 17.4 points and 7.6 rebounds on .596 shooting in 65 games with Snow College. As a sophomore, he averaged 23.9 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Jackson, whose father, Brett, played one season with the Utah Jazz in 1980-81, also had a strong performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament prior to the draft, averaging 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in three games, and was named to the All-Consolation Team.