DeMarre Carroll endured so much to arrive at this moment.</p><p>The moment, Thursday night, when, watching on television, Carroll heard NBA commissioner David Stern call his name as the No. 27 overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA draft.</p><p>From the beginning of his decision to play basketball for his uncle, Mike Anderson, and help rebuild Missouri basketball from the ashes, there were pitfalls and potholes.</p><p>A season on the sidelines after transferring from Vanderbilt. Being shot in the ankle while trying to serve as a peacemaker in a fight between others outside at a Columbia nightspot.</p><p>Being told by NBA evaluators &mdash; after Carroll&rsquo;s junior season at Missouri &mdash; that he wasn&rsquo;t good enough to be taken in the 2008 draft.</p><p>And then, on the cusp of his welcome to professional basketball, having to assure all possible employers that the liver ailment Carroll had kept private for two years, would not prevent him from giving his all to the pro game.</p><p>Just as he did in driving Missouri to the Elite Eight of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in vintage Junk Yard Dog style.</p><p>&ldquo;I had a lot of obstacles come my way,&rdquo; Carroll, a former MU power forward, told The Star on Thursday night. &ldquo;In the end, the work on the court showed what I can do.&rdquo;</p><p>Internet speculation that he might require a liver transplant &mdash; which Carroll and his doctor denied in writing to NBA teams &mdash; was just the latest obstacle.</p><p>&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to go through things to get to some things,&rdquo; Carroll said. &ldquo;At the end of the tunnel there is always a light.</p><p>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t let anything bring me down. I&rsquo;m just that type of individual. I&rsquo;m a strong-minded individual.&rdquo;</p><p>Carroll&rsquo;s selection continued a draft rush of Mizzou athletes off their recent college seasons.</p><p>In the 2009 NFL draft, Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was taken No. 19 in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles. In that same draft, defensive lineman Ziggy Hood was taken No. 32 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.</p><p>In the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, the Royals took former MU pitcher Aaron Crow No. 12 in the first round while another MU pitcher, Kyle Gibson, went No. 22 to Minnesota.</p><p>Considered a middle to low second-round pick even after Missouri&rsquo;s breakthrough season, Carroll hustled his way into the first round, drawing praise from several NBA officials along the way.</p><p>Carroll was not on hand at the draft in New York. He spent Thursday night at the office of Mark Bartelstein, the Chicago-based agent who represents both Carroll and MU teammate Leo Lyons, who was not selected and now will be able to seek free-agent tryouts with any team.</p><p>Carroll experienced a bit of a coincidence. Linas Kleiza, who was the last Missouri basketball player to be a first-round selection, also heard his name called at No. 27 in 2005. Kleiza was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers before being sent to the Denver Nuggets.</p><p>Since the inception of the two-round NBA draft for 1997, four previous Missouri players had been selected.</p><p>The first of those &mdash; point guard Keyon Dooling in the 2000 draft &mdash; remains the earliest MU pick. He was taken No. 10 by the Orlando Magic and was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.</p><p>In 2002, small forward Kareem Rush was the No. 20 pick by the Toronto Raptors. Rush was then swapped to the Los Angeles Lakers.</p><p>In the 2004 draft, guard Rickey Paulding went to his hometown Detroit Pistons, No. 54 overall in the second round.</p><p>Ultimately, Carroll said, overcoming obstacles fed his competitive fire. Especially the NBA evaluation that he was not ready for the prime time of pro ball last year.</p><p>&ldquo;I like when people doubt you,&rdquo; Carroll said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m kind of how our Missouri team was.</p><p>&ldquo;We came out of nowhere. A lot of people talk about what I can&rsquo;t do, what position will I play in the NBA.</p><p>&ldquo;I like that. I like to fly under the radar, to come out of nowhere.&rdquo;