The Nets made two additions for their future in the first round of Thursday’s NBA Draft at Barclays Center, selecting Alabama center Noah Clowney with the 21st overall pick and Duke forward Dariq Whitehead with the 22nd overall pick.

Clowney gives the Nets added depth at the center position after averaging  9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.6 steals per game.

Leading up to the draft the Nets had been high on Clowney, ESPN reported.

Whitehead has dealt with injuries this past season, but was Mr. Basketball USA in 2022 and averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rounds per game in his freshman season at Duke.

The Nets had two first-round picks in this year’s draft after they acquired Phoenix’s first-rounder as part of the Kevin Durant trade in February. 

The pick turned into the 21st overall selection, which they used to take Clowney.

The Nets are coming off a drama-filled season where they ended the superstar era in Kings County and have begun to retool around star Mikal Bridges, who was also acquired as part of the Durant deal.

The NBA Draft has been held at the Nets’ home arena every year, except 2020 due to COVID, since 2013.