NEW YORK - Peach fuzz was more valued than razor stubble, and a high school diploma carried more weight than a college degree in the NBA draft.

A leaguewide youth movement was the theme of the night Thursday, with eight high schoolers chosen in the first round - including the overall No. 1 pick, Dwight Howard of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.

The Orlando Magic decided to take Howard over Emeka Okafor, the junior who led Connecticut to the NCAA championship. Okafor is more mature and has a better resume, but Howard has more promise.

At least that was the way the Magic saw it.

"When you have the first pick, your responsibility is to pick the best player," Magic general manager John Weisbrod said. "Our guys had a lot of conviction that he was the best player."

That statement is certain to follow Weisbrod around for the next decade or so while the league watches the development of Howard, a baby-faced 18-year old, and compares it to that of Okafor, who went second to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Okafor answered with sarcasm when asked about being passed over in favor of someone three years his junior: "It made me feel real special, all warm inside."

Howard became the third prep player in the past four years to be selected first overall, joining Kwame Brown and LeBron James. Seven more high schoolers were picked before Jameer Nelson, the college player of the year at Saint Joseph's, who dropped to the Denver Nuggets at No. 20 and was subsequently dealt to Orlando for a future No. 1 pick.

"I was very surprised how far Jameer Nelson fell," Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird said. "I've always been a big fan of his. I'm still stunned he went that low."

The quest for youth brought an unfamiliar dynamic to a draft night that began with mystery, the identity of the Magic's pick a secret to almost everyone right up until commissioner David Stern walked onstage at Madison Square Garden and delivered the news.

When the pick was announced, Howard's family members leaped out of their seats as Okafor's family applauded at the next table. The two players shook hands before Howard became the first player of the evening to be greeted by Stern.

"This feels so good," Howard said. "I want to go out there and prove all the doubters wrong."

A crowd of about 10,000 fans in Charlotte cheered when Okafor was not selected by the Magic, and owner Bob Johnson nodded his head and smiled. Fireworks then exploded, and orange and white confetti and streamers rained down on the cheering crowd.

Okafor's UConn teammate, Ben Gordon, went third to the Chicago Bulls, marking the second time in three years teammates have been selected second and third. Jay Williams and Mike Dunleavy of Duke had that distinction in 2002.

High school senior Shaun Livingston of Peoria, Ill., went fourth to the Los Angeles Clippers, who had traded down from No. 2 earlier this week in a deal with the Bobcats.

Wisconsin guard Devin Harris was chosen fifth by Washington, which was picking for Dallas as part of a trade agreed to Wednesday night that sends Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to the Wizards. Stanford junior Josh Childress went at No. 6 to Atlanta, which had been trying to move into the No. 1 spot.

"This draft in particular, no one had any idea which way it would go," Childress said.

Duke freshman Luol Deng was picked seventh by Phoenix, which traded him to Chicago for a future first-round pick, cash and the rights to the 31st pick, Jackson Vroman. The Suns, who owned three first-round picks before dealing them all away, wanted to get rid of the No. 7 pick to clear enough salary cap room for a maximum salary offer to one of the top free agents. San Antonio, Denver and Atlanta also have enough room to offer a "max" contract to a free agent class headed by Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash.

Andris Biedrins, an 18-year-old from Latvia, shed tears after he was selected 11th by Golden State, and Bakersfield, Calif., high schooler Robert Swift - a 7-footer - went next to Seattle.

Sebastian Telfair of Lincoln H.S. in New York City was chosen 13th by Portland, a higher-than-expected slot for one of the record nine eligible high school seniors. Miffed that he was not invited to sit in the "green room" offstage, Telfair celebrated at rapper Jay Z's nightclub, not far from the Garden.

The Utah Jazz had three first-round picks, selecting Minnesota forward Kris Humphries (14th), Nevada guard Kirk Snyder (16th) and 7-foot-5 Russian Pavel Podkolzine (21st), who was dealt to Dallas for a future first-round pick.

Boston also had three first-rounders and chose Mississippi high school senior Al Jefferson (15th), St. Joseph's guard Delonte West (24th) and Oklahoma State guard Tony Allen (25th).

Prep players Josh Smith (Oak Hill Academy), J.R. Smith (St. Benedict's Prep, Newark, N.J.) and Dorell Wright (South Kent Prep, Conn.) went to Atlanta, New Orleans and Miami with picks 17-19.

"I've seen them all," Miami president Pat Riley said. "And when you see them, these kids are developed. The bodies are cut. They have NBA bodies. They have somewhat of an NBA game. The only thing you ask yourself about is about experience. Until the NBA puts an age limit on this thing, you're still going to see people take these kids."

Notable second-round picks included Brazilian Anderson Varejao (No. 30, Orlando), 7-foot-3 Puerto Rican Peter John Ramos (No. 32, Washington), Duke senior Chris Duhon (No. 38 Chicago), 7-foot-3 South Korean center Ha Seung-Jin (No. 46, Portland) and Gonzaga guard Blake Stepp (No. 58, Minnesota).