By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MYCHAL "Sweet Bells' Thompson clearly remembers the day he was selected as the first foreign-born player with the number one pick in the National Basketball Association's 1978 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Forty years later, he is eagerly waiting to see if another Bahamian, Deandre Ayton, will become the second when the NBA draft is held tonight in Brooklyn, New York.

Ayton, slightly taller than the 6'10" Thompson at 7'1" and 250 pounds, is projected to be selected by the Phoenix Suns. It's been said that it's a "no brainer" that he will go first when the draft will be carried live on ESPN beginning at 7pm.

Significance

"It was nothing compared to how it is now," said Thompson in an interview with The Tribune on the difference between then and now. "With the attention on the draft and the popularity of it and the significance of it and the history of it, it's so promoted with all of the lights in a room filled with all the attention that the young guys get now, it's totally different.

"I was the first Bahamian drafted, but the way I was drafted was so special. The attention was way less than it is now, but that's fine. I was drafted and that is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life."

No doubt tonight will change the life of Ayton, who has already inked his name on a lucrative deal with the shoe company Puma.

"He's going to have the whole Bahamas watching him," said Thompson of the draft today. "When I got drafted, nobody got to see it. It was over a phone call in the office of the Commissioner where I took a polaroid photo and that was it. The whole world will be watching Deandre.

"But it will be good for the Bahamas because it will give us a lot of worldwide publicity and he and his family are going to be in the spotlight.

"So it's so much better now for the Bahamas and Deandre for the draft to happen this way than it did when I was drafted."

Since retiring after spending 13 years in the NBA, including his last five with the Los Angeles Lakers as they won back-to-back titles in 1986 and 1987, Thompson, now a color commentator for the Lakers team, said it would be inconceivable that the Suns don't take Ayton with the first pick tonight.

"He's definitely the number one player in the draft and he will be the number one pick in the draft," Thompson proclaimed. "Phoenix is going to get a great young player to build their future around with shooting guard Devin Booker. He should be very proud of himself, proud of the country and proud of his family for getting him to this stage.

"I know he can't sleep just waiting for his chance to hear his name called and go up and shake the hand of the NBA Commissioner. I know I am excited for him and I will definitely be watching from my couch in LA just like every other Bahamian who can't make it to New York."

Traded

When he played, Thompson was the only Bahamian in the NBA. When selected, Ayton will get a chance to be one of two Bahamians currently playing in the league along with Grand Bahamian Chavano 'Buddy' Hield, who was taken with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2016 draft by New Orleans Pelicans before he was traded to the Sacramento Kings on February 20, 2017. If Phoenix doesn't take Ayton, he could go to the Kings, who have the second pick.

"The Bahamas should be very proud of these two young men because they are continuing a line of players that played in the league from the Bahamas. Hopefully, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Ministry of Education will use these two young men to help promote the Bahamas," Thompson pointed out.

"They should be ambassadors and spokesmen for the Bahamas because this is special to have two of playing in the league at the same time.

"This duo should be used to help promote the Bahamas around the world because they are two special young men. Both of them will be great inspirations and examples for Bahamian youth to see how they can go if they put their mind to it and work hard to achieve their successes. Bahamians can achieve anything that they put their minds too."

On a personal note, Thompson was in Cleveland two weeks ago to celebrate as he watched his youngest son, Klay Thompson, help the Golden State Warriors win their third NBA title in a four-game sweep over the Cavaliers, adding to the crowns they cinched in 2015 and 2017.

"I was so excited, so proud and so happy for him," said Thompson of Klay. "I think they are only halfway through. I think they can win at least three more. If they stay healthy and stay hungry, I don't think any team will be able to touch them. So I was very proud and very happy with their accomplishments. But like I told him, they are only halfway through. They could go for three more championships."

While he would like to see his son move to LA to play with the Lakers, as some rumours suggest, the elder Thompson said anything is possible.

"But I think the Warriors will keep that together and intact for another five years," he projected. "I would be surprised if they break that team up."

The Thompsons are hoping to return to the Bahamas next month when they participate again in the Jeff Rodgers Summer Basketball Camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The elder Thompson said they are looking at joining Houston Rockets' guard Eric Gordon and there is a possibility by Klay's teammate, forward Draymond Green, could be a part of their delegation.

And once the 2018/19 season gets underway in October, Thompson said he can't wait to go to Phoenix to watch Ayton play.

Excited

"I'm excited about that," said the 63-year-old Thompson of the 19-year-old Ayton. "He brings a lot of skills. He reminds me of a young David Robinson the way he plays. He's athletic, he can shoot, he can run the floor, he can rebound and he can clog up the middle defensively. He's a future All-Star. He's going to be exciting to watch.

"Let's all get ready to celebrate because Deandre Ayton will go down as the second Bahamian to be selected with the first round pick tonight. He's one of those players that only come around so often. He's the type of player that you don't trade away. Phoenix is also nice and hot, so he will feel like he's right at home in the Bahamas in their warm weather."