FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas center Bobby Portis was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA Draft on Thursday.
Portis was taken with the 22nd overall pick of the draft in New York. He is the Razorbacks' 12th former player to be drafted in the first round and first since Ronnie Brewer in 2006.
After earning Southeastern Conference player of the year honors by averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, Portis opted to forego his final two years of eligibility at Arkansas.
First-round selections are guaranteed a two-year contract, followed by two one-year options. According to the rookie salary scale laid out in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, Portis will make at least $1.16 million next season and at least $1.21 million the following year.
In Chicago, Portis will join a veteran team that won 50 regular season games last season. The Bulls were the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and won a playoff series before losing in the conference semifinals.
New Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg got a first-hand look at Portis last December while coach at Iowa State. Portis scored 19 points and had eight rebounds in the Razorbacks' loss to the Cyclones.
Former Arkansas guard Michael Qualls is also draft-eligible, but isn't expected to be drafted before the second round and may go undrafted. Qualls tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a pre-draft workout earlier this month in Phoenix.