"Was the world turning off its axis around 9:15 Thursday night?

University of North Carolina basketball icons Michael Jordan and Larry Brown agreed to choose, ahem, a Dukie with their 2009 NBA Draft lottery pick.

Gerald Henderson come on down!

"We're real happy with the pick - even thought Michael and I had a hard time picking a Dukie," Brown said afterward, drawing laughter at their post-pick news conference.

Henderson will become the soon-to-be six-year-old franchise's first Duke alumnus when he suits up for the Bobcats in the fall.

And Jordan and Brown had the choice of three eventual first-round Tar Heels before choosing Henderson with the 12th overall selection. Tyler Hansbrough, the ACC's all-time leading scorer, went one pick later to the Indiana Pacers.

And Ty Lawson (18th) and Wayne Ellington (28th) both were chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Also, Wake Forest standouts James Johnson (Chicago Bulls, 16th) and Jeff Teague (Atlanta Hawks, 19th) were on the draft board when Henderson was chosen.

"He's a very capable player," Jordan said of Henderson. "He went through a great program. Granted, it's tough for us to say that.""