Nuggets get Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic in first round of 2014 NBA Draft

The Denver Nuggets have acquired the draft rights to G Gary Harris and the draft rights to C Jusuf Nurkic from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for F Anthony Randolph and the draft rights to F Doug McDermott, General Manager/Executive Vice President Tim Connelly announced tonight.

As part of the deal, Denver also received a second-round pick in 2015.

Harris, 6-4, 210, was taken 19th overall after averaging 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a sophomore at Michigan State last season. He was an All-Big Ten selection and received honorable mention in the Associated Press All-America voting.

Harris, 19, started 67 of 69 games in his college career and became just the third player in Michigan State history to score 1,000 points in two seasons. He also was the Big 10 Freshman of the year after averaging 12.9 points in 2012-13.

Nurkic, 7-0, 280, was selected 16th overall. The 19-year-old big man averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 28 games for Cedevita Zagreb of the Adriatic League in 2013-14.

In the second round, the Nuggets selected Nikola Jokic with the 41st overall pick. Jokic, 6-10, 254, averaged 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Mega Vizura Belgrade of the Serbian League last season.

The boy, Gary Harris Jr., grew up in the midst of achievement, in an environment where personal boundaries were pushed and the word "can't" was abhorred. The handwriting on the wall constantly reminded him that dreams come true, but only with the proper planning and preparation.

Literally.

"He put a banner across his bedroom wall when he was about 10 or 11 years old, because he said he wanted to play professional basketball," said his father, Gary Harris Sr. "He had a question up there: 'What did you do today to make it to the NBA?' "

The younger Harris woke up every morning to that banner, right across from his bed.

Eight years of daily steps later, Harris sat in the news conference room at the Pepsi Center. He held up a Nuggets jersey for pictures, took questions from reporters