NBA lottery pick Derrick Favors to get $19.3 million over four seasons — one year out of South Atlanta High

The lovefest between Derrick Favors and the New York area media officially tipped off when Favors was drafted No. 3 overall by the New Jersey Nets on Thursday. Favors, who turns 19 years old on July 15, projects to earn $19.3 million over five years, according to the NBA rookie salary scale.

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Here are some highlights:

• The New York Times had a bunch of one-liners on Favors, who is the first player addition under the new owner of the Nets, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorow. Wrote the Times: “‘I’m open to learning Russian,’ Favors said, letting everyone know what he didn’t study during his one year in college.” The Times also explained the New Jersey draft logic, saying “the Nets opted for the most athletic frontcourt player available but the one considered the least NBA ready.”
• ESPN gave major props to Favors college coach. “Georgia Tech has been a pipeline to the pros in recent years, a weigh station where NBA prospects quickly develop their raw talent under Paul Hewitt, then move on,” wrote ESPN blogger Kevin Arnovitz.
• The New York Daily News rehashed the draft woes of the Nets: “On May 18, the Nets finished third in the draft lottery despite going in with the best odds to win the No. 1 pick. That killed their dream of drafting [Kentucky PG John Wall], the most dynamic player in the draft, who many feel would have given the Nets their best chance to land LeBron James this summer. Still, Favors could help the Nets recover from last season’s debacle. He is considered a superb athlete who can get off the floor quickly to block shots and rebound. He is also a solid shooter with a soft touch on his hook shot.”
• Nets coach Avery Johnson gave heavy praise to Favors, comparing him to another Atlanta NBA product. Johnson told the New Jersey Star-Ledger, “We just absolutely loved this young man, we think he has a great upside. We think potentially if he can put on another 15 more pounds, we have a Dwight Howard with … not only power, but some finesse, a great touch around the basket. So we think he’s explosive — if you look at his calves and rear end and base, he’s really good. He’s strong down there. We’re going to get him stronger in the upper body, but we’re really excited about this young man.” The newspaper also quoted an anonymous NBA team official not from the Nets, who offered the skinny of Favors: “His jumper needs some work, but a few changes in his technique will show a real benefit. Right now there’s no finesse — he’ll just keep pounding away at you. But once he gets some, he’s going to have a big-time career. I love him. He’s a total stud.”
  On May 18, the Nets finished third in the draft lottery despite going in with the best odds to win the No. 1 pick. That killed their dream of drafting Wall, the most dynamic player in the draft, who many feel would have given the Nets their best chance to land LeBron James this summer.
  Still, Favors could help the Nets recover from last season’s debacle. He is considered a superb athlete who can get off the floor quickly to block shots and rebound. He is also a solid shooter with a soft touch on his hook shot.On May 18, the Nets finished third in the draft lottery despite going in with the best odds to win the No. 1 pick. That killed their dream of drafting Wall, the most dynamic player in the draft, who many feel would have given the Nets their best chance to land LeBron James this summer. Still, Favors could help the Nets recover from last season’s debacle. He is considered a superb athlete who can get off the floor quickly to block shots and rebound. He is also a solid shooter with a soft touch on his hook shot.
• The Canadian Press wrote in the headlines that “Nets grad power forward Derrick Favours.” Evidentially, Favors’ last name is spelled differently in Canada. CP also reported that “Favours [was] the youngest American in the draft,” quoting him as saying “Now I have to grow up and grow up fast, and get ready to play against some of the top players in the world.”