Becoming the first Razorback taken in the NBA Draft since Joe Johnson in 2001, Ronnie Brewer of Fayetteville was selected by the Utah Jazz as the 14 th pick of the first round in Wednesday night’s draft in New York.

The 6-7, All-SEC and honorable mention All-America guard, turning pro after his junior season for Stan Heath’s Razorbacks, had been projected anywhere from 10 th to 16 th in most media mock drafts before Thursday’s real thing.

At Utah, Brewer will be coached by veteran coach Jerry Sloan, one of the toughest, most hard-nosed coaches in the league.

It’s an experience Brewer’s dad, Ron Brewer, a former Razorback All-American guard for former Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton from 1976-78 and himself a former longtime NBA veteran guard, had prepared Ronnie for long before it was known who would coach Ronnie on the professional level.

ADVERTISEMENT

“ I told him, ” Ron Brewer told ESPN’s Stuart Scott, Thursday night, “ this is going to be a very tough job, and it’s a growing experience for him. Day by day it’s a learning experience. I think he will end up being a really good pro out there. But it’s a chore and he’s got to make sure he will maintain his responsibility. ”

Neither Ronnie nor Ron Brewer could be reached by phone in New York Thursday night, but Ronnie Brewer did talk to Stuart Scott on ESPN television Thursday night and was asked about his shot, an unorthodox shot stemming from Ronnie breaking his arm while a child.

Brewer isn’t a classic shooter but he’s obviously effective, leading the Razorbacks with an 18. 4 average this past season which was second in the SEC, and was a McDonald’s All-American while starring at Fayetteville High.

“ I just worked with my dad and had confidence in myself, ” Brewer said. “ A lot of people told me, ‘ Don’t change your shot. ’”

No less than Michael Jordan, for whom Brewer toiled last summer at Jordan’s “ Flight School” basketball camp, told Brewer not to mess with his unorthodox form.

“ He pretty much told me, ” Brewer said, “ a lot of people are going to criticize my shot and that it doesn’t look like the right way to shoot it. He told me just maintain and shoot 500 shots a day and make it consistent and that’s what I try to do. I’m in the gym all day in the summer time. ”

Brewer’s scoring ability is just part of his offensive game as a versatile combo guard expected to complement Utah guard Deron Williams, the former University of Illinois All-American, and help the Jazz immediately.

“ He’s a good pick for Utah, ” ESPN analyst Greg Anthony said, “ because he’s a slasher, something they don’t really possess. I think it’s a very solid pick for Utah. ”

DraftExpress, covering the NBA Draft for Rivals. com, observed pre-draft that Brewer would be “ an ideal fit” for the Jazz.

“ Ronnie Brewer would be an ideal fit here, ” the service reported, “ because he can play both the 1 and the 2, and he’s a Jerry Sloan type of player. ”

As a defender, the longarmed Brewer led the SEC in steals.

“ He’s another guy, ” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said, “ with freaky length to his arms. He’s got a 6-11 wingspan for a guy that’s 6-6. He’s very disruptive, but he gambles a lot.

“ Defensively he’s got to be a little bit more disciplined, but he will get that over time especially playing in Utah for Jerry Sloan. He’s a transition athlete. ”

Brewer often had to gamble at Arkansas as the Razorbacks, a streakshooting team prone to dry spells, generated much of their offense from their defense.

Brewer’s scoring average improved annually, 12. 2, 16. 2 to 18. 6, at Arkansas as did Heath’s Razorbacks, 12-16, after being 9-19 while Brewer was still a senior at Fayetteville High, 18-12, then 22-10 this past season with the school’s first NCAA Tournament since Nolan Richardson coached the Joe Johnson led Hogs in 2001.