A former Most Valuable Player in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state basketball championships was chosen in the National Basketball Association draft on Thursday night.

Darius Johnson-Odom, who played collegiately for  Marquette University, was taken in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks. His rights were traded later to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Johnson-Odom averaged 18.5 points per game, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Golden Eagles this year, shooting 45.1 percent from thefloor and 38.9 percent from the three-point line while leading Marquette in scoring.

Johnson-Odom was the Most Valuable Player in the NCHSAA 4-A championship in 2006 as Wakefield nipped North Mecklenburg 45-43. He scored 16 points for the Wolverines.

A basket by Scott Brooks with seven seconds left was the margin of victory as Wakefield (27-4) won its second state crown in three years and denied North Meck (23-7) back-to-back titles.  Wake Forest-bound Jamie Skeen of North led all scorers with 20 points and nine boards. The score was tied five times and there were 13 lead changes.