The Chicago Bulls have made Arkansas forward Daniel Gafford’s NBA dreams a reality.
Chicago selected Gafford with the 38th overall pick on Thursday, making him the first Razorbacks player taken in the draft since Bobby Portis went No. 22 to the Bulls in 2015.
Gafford joins a Bulls draft class that also includes North Carolina shooting guard Coby White, who was selected with the No. 7 pick. Chicago (22-60) finished the 2018-19 season 13th in the Eastern Conference, 19 games out of the final playoff spot.
"He's limited outside the paint, but he's athletic, long, tough and very, very physical," ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said. "In the second round, a solid pick for a big guy. Just a guy who's not going to score much outside the paint."
Gafford finished his Arkansas career as one of the most efficient scorers the program has ever seen. He averaged 14.3 points per game over two seasons on 63.5 percent from the floor, which ranks second in school history, and shot a program-record 62.1 percent in SEC games.
According to shot chart data collected throughout last season with the exception of the UT-San Antonio game in North Little Rock, Gafford made 170-of-219 attempts (77.6 percent) at the rim. Eighty-one of those baskets were dunks.
After becoming the first freshman in program history to score 400 points, grab 200 rebounds and block 60 shots in a season, Gafford was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 2017-18. He was named SEC Freshman of the Week three times, twice during the conference schedule.
Ten days after the Razorbacks’ first-round loss to Butler in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, Gafford announced he would return to school for his sophomore year.
Gafford was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection in 2018-19, the only player in the SEC to finish in the top five in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, blocks and offensive and defensive rebounds. He was also named to the All-SEC defensive team (151 deflections, 65 blocks, 30 steals) and an AP All-America honorable mention.
Gafford declared for the NBA Draft on March 18, four days after finishing with 15 points and six rebounds in Arkansas' 66-50 loss to Florida in the SEC Tournament. He did not play in the Razorbacks' NIT games against Providence and Indiana.
Cody Martin, who began his career at North Carolina State before transferring to Nevada to play for Eric Musselman, was also selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 36th pick.
Arkansas' NBA draft picks since 2000
2001 - Joe Johnson, Boston Celtics, Round 1, Pick 10
2006 - Ronnie Brewer, Utah Jazz, Round 1, Pick 14
2008 - Sonny Weems, Chicago Bulls, Round 2, Pick 39
2009 - Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Lakers, Round 2, Pick 42
2015 - Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls, Round 1, Pick 22
2019 - Daniel Gafford, Chicago Bulls, Round 2, Pick 38