While most fans are checking their NCAA tournament brackets and reeling from the upsets, pro scouts and executives are comparing notes for June’s NBA draft. Many of the top projected draft picks, including three potential first-rounders from Duke, are still alive in the NCAA tournament. March Madness is the unofficial kickoff for the pro scouting madness that includes so-called predraft camps leading up to Chicago’s in June and subsequent individual workouts.
The Bulls continue to lead the race for the worst record in the NBA, which will guarantee them no worse than the fourth pick. The consensus No. 1 pick is Duke guard Jason Williams, though several scouts said if high school players were eligible before their class graduates, Ohio prep sensation LeBron James would be the top pick. He’s said to be a 6-foot-7-inch combination of Magic Johnson and Tracy McGrady.
Much will change as players decide to remain in school and more foreign players enter the draft. But here’s an early consensus of the first round from interviews with a half-dozen NBA scouts and executives.
1. Jason Williams, 6-2, 195, jr., Duke: It’s really a one-player draft. Some scouts say he’s more a shooting guard, but he’s a leader, which is always a need in the NBA. Defends and shoots.
2. Mike Dunleavy Jr., 6-9, 220, jr., Duke: Most scouts say 7-5 center Yao Ming of China will go second, but not if you’re the Bulls. Dunleavy is a Jerry Krause-type player, a good shooter, ballhandler (he was a point guard in high school) and passer who is a classic NBA small forward.
3. Yao Ming, 7-5, 283, Shanghai Sharks: A perimeter big man. There has been a great deal of intrigue about him for several years, but many consider him a better version of Shawn Bradley. If he falls to the Bulls, look for a trade. Dallas would love him. Michael Finley would fit well with Jalen Rose and Tyson Chandler.
4. Drew Gooden, 6-10, 230, jr., Kansas: He needs to get stronger, not unusual with college players. But he’s close to a classic power forward because of his size. Soft shooting touch, good low-post moves and quick. Also a good jumper.
5. Dajuan Wagner, 6-3, 200, fr., Memphis: Hasn’t quite lived up to the hype in college, and he’ll probably stay another year. An Allen Iverson-type point guard, a sure-fire scorer.
6. Qyntel Woods, 6-9, 225, soph., Northeast Mississippi Junior College: The latest rage, the junior college player. Drawing Tracy McGrady comparisons. He’s a scorer who averaged more than 30 per game and is a good passer.
7. Curtis Borchardt, 7-0, 230, jr., Stanford: Has had foot problems. Helped himself already with his game against Western Kentucky center Chris Marcus. Needs strength but has skills. He can shoot, block shots and rebound, though he’s more of a finesse player now.
8. Jared Jeffries, 6-10, 215, soph., Indiana. Good all-around player, a rare pro prospect from Indiana. Needs time in the weight room to build up to power forward. Can hit threes, pass and handle the ball.
9. Amare Stoudamire, 6-9, 240, sr., Cypress Creek (Fla.) High School: Mercifully, not much of a high school class this year. He’s probably the only one in the first round, an extremely tough kid.
10. Nikoloz Tskitishvili, 6-11, 210, Benetton Treviso (Italy): Another teenager, but we’ve seen the difference when they play overseas. Though a native of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, he has played in Italy for former NBA coach Mike D’Antoni, who raves about him.
11. Chris Marcus, 7-1, 285, sr., Western Kentucky: Missed part of the season with a foot injury and looked horribly out of shape in NCAA loss to Stanford. But he has true center size, and there just aren’t many around. A banger with decent low-post moves.
12. Kareem Rush, 6-6, 218, jr., Missouri: Has been up and down among scouts because of perceived lack of big-game play. But a classic shooting guard who can create off the dribble.
13. Caron Butler, 6-7, 235, soph., Connecticut: Some question whether he has the shooting range to be a classic small forward. But he’s strong and tough. Good passer and defender.
14. Dan Dickau, 6-0, 170, sr., Gonzaga: Point guard who doesn’t have great size, but he can shoot and get to the basket. Bulls love him if they trade down, but he has a reputation as a bad defender.
15. Chris Wilcox, 6-10, 230, soph., Maryland: Good, strong athlete who should handle himself in the NBA immediately on power, if not know-how. Not a very good shooter.
16. Carlos Boozer, 6-9, 260, jr. Duke: Should be a solid NBA power forward. Will have to work on facing the basket, but bangs and converts at the hoop. Can also block shots.
17. Frank Williams, 6-3, 205, jr., Illinois: A big, athletic point guard who was drawing comparisons to Gary Payton a year ago. Supposedly depressed this season as his draft stock fell. Seems disinterested at times, but this is a place in the draft where teams will take a chance on talent.
18. Melvin Ely, 6-10, 256, sr., Fresno State: Jerry Tarkanian is leaving and so is Ely. The Thornton High School product is big and athletic.
19. Marcus Haislip, 6-10, 230, jr., Tennessee: Has already declared for the draft. Has come on late, but he’s strong and athletic and worth a chance at this point.
20. Rod Grizzard: 6-8, 205, jr., Alabama: A good scorer who’ll be a shooting guard in the pros. Can handle the ball as well but needs to beef up.
21. David West, 6-8, 232, jr., Xavier: Questions about his strength, but he could make a late move in the draft camps. Can score inside, rebound, block shots and defend on the college level. Needs to improve his shot.
22. Sam Clancy, 6-7, 240, sr., USC: One of those classic “if only a few inches taller” guys. A wide body who’s strong, can play in the post and shoot a midrange jumper. Tough and a leader but a tweener.
23. Chris Duhon, 6-1, 190, soph., Duke: Not likely to leave school yet, but a pure point guard who is a good shooter. Some consider him even with teammate Williams.
24. Casey Jacobsen, 6-6, 210, jr., Stanford: Not a great athlete and not living up to the hype he had last year, but a tough shooting guard who can be a leader.
25. Freddy Jones, 6-4, 210, sr., Oregon: Great athlete who is ready for the dunk contest. Smallish shooting guard has improved his defense and shooting.
26. Steve Logan, 6-0, 200, sr., Cincinnati: The pros made out great last season with point guards taken late, such as Jamaal Tinsley and Tony Parker, so there could be a run here. Small, but a terrific scorer and ballhandler.
27. Kirk Hinrich, 6-3, 180, jr., Kansas: Another good point guard who is an excellent shooter, hitting almost half his threes.
28. Juan Dixon, 6-3, 165, sr., Maryland: More of a shooting guard now, but could make himself into a point guard. Can go to the basket and shoot from the perimeter.
29. Luke Walton, 6-8, 233, jr., Arizona: Will come off the bench nicely for some team. Has made himself into a good shooter. A great team player who works hard, passes well and knows the game from personal lessons with dad Bill and Bill’s coach, John Wooden.
Others who could go late in the first round or high in the second: James White, Florida; Jason Kapono, UCLA; Dan Gadzuric, UCLA; Troy Bell, Boston College; Brian Cook, Illinois; Juan Carlos Navarro, Spain; Sani Becirovic, Italy; Hilario Maybiner, Brazil; Darius Rice, Miami; Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky; Marcus Taylor, Michigan State; Tito Maddox, ABA and Fresno State; Kelly Wise, Memphis; Vincent Yarbrough, Tennessee; Tamar Slay, Marshall; Udonis Haslem, Florida; Maurice Baker, Oklahoma State; Ryan Humphrey, Notre Dame.
STATS & STUFF
BREAKING IT DOWN
One formula NBA teams use to evaluate players is to add points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, then deduct missed shots, missed free throws, personal fouls and turnovers, and then divide by games played. With this formula, these were the NBA’s top players going into last weekend:
PLAYER TEAM PTS
Tim Duncan Spurs 27.62
Kevin Garnett T’wolves 25.83
Shaquille O’Neal Lakers 25.34
Dirk Nowitzki Mavericks 23.55
Chris Webber Kings 22.56
Tracy McGrady Magic 22.47
Gary Payton Sonics 21.98
Kobe Bryant Lakers 21.69
Allen Iverson Sixers 20.01
Jason Kidd Nets 19.50
BY THE NUMBERS
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93 The Timberwolves had 93 turnovers in their last five games, missing injured guard Terrell Brandon, and have lost 16 of their last 26 to fall from the West’s top four.
2 Local connections for CBA’s top players last week as Saskatchewan’s Sean Lampley of St. Francis de Sales High School and former Bull Dickey Simpkins of Rockford shared the honor. Lampley is averaging 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds this season, and Simpkins averaged 25.7 points and 13.3 rebounds in three games last week.
15 Scottie Pippen tied a career high with 15 assists for the surging Trail Blazers in Saturday’s win over Washington, their 14th in their last 15.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
L.A. Lakers at Dallas
Tuesday
This will be their second meeting in three days. The Mavericks had lost 40 of 43 to the Lakers going into Sunday’s game. But with more zone defense and more scorers, the Mavericks believe they can handle the Lakers now by outscoring them.
Milwaukee at Orlando
Tuesday
George Karl’s feud with Doc Rivers, the Magic and the world has broken into the open, with some viewing the Bucks coach’s complaint about Rivers getting a coaching job with no experience as a racist comment. Last season, Tracy McGrady mocked Glenn Robinson as a puppy.
Portland at New Jersey
Wednesday
Hot Trail Blazers see if their magic carries over to the road. On Monday they play at Boston, then take on the Nets. On Friday they play the Bulls. It will mark the return of Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and Maurice Cheeks, a Chicago native and potential coach of the year.
— Sam Smith %%
