Columbia, Mo. ? It took a little longer than he might have wanted or expected, but former Missouri standout Kareem Rush still ended his night as a professional and a first-round NBA draft pick.

Rush, an honorable mention All-American player in each of the past two college seasons, was drafted 20th by Toronto on Wednesday. Some pre-draft projections slated the junior as a higher pick, but Rush had no complaints when he finally heard his name called.

“It’s going to be fun,” Rush said. “They have a lot of great players out there.”

That comment about the Raptors came right after Rush was selected. It certainly still applied later on, after the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers acquired Rush’s rights, along with Tracy Murray, from Toronto for Lindsey Hunter and the rights to the 27th pick, Chris Jefferies.

Now, instead of playing with Vince Carter, Rush will start his NBA career alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Rush’s slide down the draft board was somewhat of a surprise. Missouri coach Quin Snyder, working on the TNT broadcast of the draft as an analyst, admitted he was getting a little nervous.

“I’ve been looking over there every 30 seconds, just checking on him,” Snyder said.

Rush averaged 19.8 points per game as a junior, leading the Tigers to the Western Regional finals in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Oklahoma. As a sophomore in 2000-01, he led the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game.

While Rush didn’t appear to mind his slide at least for the television cameras in New York fans in Columbia watching the draft at the Big 12 Bar and Grill didn’t need to be asked for their reaction.

There were plenty who, perhaps thinking more about the Tigers’ fortunes than Rush, volunteered the opinion that Rush should have stayed in school for his senior season.

Now that Rush is officially a professional, fans at the bar didn’t appear particularly interested to keep tabs on the career of the Tigers’ most popular player in the last few years.

Rush’s older brother, JaRon, left UCLA after his sophomore season, believing he was ready for the NBA. There were no takers in the NBA draft and he since has drifted through the fringes of the sport. In February, he was cut by the Kansas City Knights of the minor-league ABA after missing practice.