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| | Wednesday, June 14 Top five players by position | |||||
| By Andy Katz ESPN.com With a few weeks left before the Chicago pre-draft camp (June 6-9), ESPN.com checked with NBA scouts for a sneak peek at the top five at each position. But just because a player is in the top five doesn't mean he's a lock to be picked in the first round. Teams late in the draft may feel they need to go with a foreign project, a high school player or maybe the team has to fill a specific need. The strongest position in the draft is power forward -- any one of the top three at that position could be taken No. 1 overall in the draft. The draft camp and subsequent workouts with teams could change these rankings. Note: Player rankings as of May 19. Point guard 1. Mateen Cleaves, 6-2, Sr., Michigan State: Cleaves' leadership and guts keep him atop the point guard list. He's still shying away from competition in draft camps while he nurses his sore foot. But he still has the moxie for the position that his competitors lack. 2. Erick Barkley, 6-1, So., St. John's: Barkley doesn't have the size, but he does have the quickness and court vision that NBA teams love at the point. Barkley should stay in the lottery because of his ballhandling and pestering defense.
1. Courtney Alexander, 6-5, Sr., Fresno State: Still the top shooting guard available because of his ability to create his own shot. His defense needs to pick up, but that won't stop him from being a top-seven pick. Alexander is letting his regular season speak for him by missing all of the draft camps. 2. DerMarr Johnson, 6-9, Fr., Cincinnati: His Lamar Odom-like skills make Johnson a top-seven pick and a tantalizing shooting guard. Johnson has been hanging out in Los Angeles trying to hone his game. Like Alexander, he won't be going anywhere near the Chicago pre-draft camp court. 3. Morris Peterson, 6-6, Sr., Michigan State: Scouts love his size, jump shot and work ethic. Peterson made himself a lottery pick through hard work and commitment. He still needs to work on his ballhandling but that won't take him out of the lottery. 4. DeShawn Stevenson, 6-5, HS, Washington Union (Fresno, Calif.): Scouts have a love-hate relationship with Stevenson. His athleticism gets some scouts juiced, while his erratic shooting leaves others wondering what can he actually do at the NBA level. He's enough of a talent to go in the middle of the first round. 5. Quentin Richardson, 6-6, So., DePaul: Richardson could have gone higher had he stayed in school for another year. But his best asset might be his ability to get to the basket and finish plays. Too many guards find themselves watching their shot instead of following it for a rebound. Richardson makes coaches proud by finishing everything he starts. Small forward 1. Darius Miles, 6-9, HS, East St. Louis (Ill.): Miles' stock keeps climbing and he's likely to go in the top seven. His versatility as an inside-out forward will make him the first small forward taken in the draft. He needs to get stronger but he'll get a honeymoon period for a year or two. 2. Mike Miller, 6-8, So., Florida: Miller's feet are deceptively quick for a player who looks like he lumbers down court. He can shoot 3-pointers, get to the basket and make the mid-range shot (see win over Butler in the first round of the NCAA Tournament). He came out because his advisers told him he'd be picked be in the lottery. They're right. 3. Desmond Mason, 6-6, Sr., Oklahoma State: Mason's athleticism will keep him high in the first round. He can dunk, run the floor and finish around the basket but his perimeter skills need to improve before he can be an impact player. His defense is above average and he could be this draft's James Posey. 4. Chris Carrawell, 6-6, Sr., Duke: He has the love-hate thing going just like Stevenson, where some scouts don't understand how others can have him in the lottery or just outside the top 13. But Duke players rarely slip too far in the first round. Carrawell has a nose for the ball and will get in good with a coaching staff because of his tenacity in practice. 5. Hanno Möttölä, 6-9, Sr., Utah: Möttölä's camp has been quiet this spring but he's still a shooting forward who has the skills to be a decent scorer in the NBA. He's not as quick as Keith Van Horn, or as consistent a 3-point threat. But Möttölä is active and moves well without the ball. He won't slip out of the first. Power forward 1. Kenyon Martin, 6-8, Sr., Cincinnati: Forget about the broken leg. Martin is still the most complete and dominant player in the draft. He can surpass Elton Brand's effectiveness in the NBA because of his size and defense. If Martin stays as the top power forward prospect, he'll likely be the top pick overall. 2. Stromile Swift, 6-9, So., LSU: Although Swift didn't sign with an agent, he probably won't be coming back to school. Swift is a top-five pick because of his versatility as an inside-outside scorer, his quick first-step to the basket and his tenacity on the boards. He could get stronger but he's not that far away from being an impact player in the NBA. 3. Marcus Fizer, 6-8, Jr., Iowa State: Fizer's bully mentality in the lane makes him a strong pick to leap ahead of Martin or Swift. But his size could push him behind the two. He's not as effective away from the basket and his defense isn't as consistent as that of Martin and Swift. But there's still a chance someone could like Fizer enough to take him No. 1. 4. Jerome Moiso, 6-10, So., UCLA: Moiso makes power forward the strongest position in the draft. All four players could go in the top 10, with Moiso being the most intriguing. He has the raw skills to tantalize the scouts but can still build his upper body. His legs are like springs, and despite still-developing post moves, Moiso will be a find for whichever team picks him. 5. Etan Thomas, 6-9, Sr., Syracuse: Thomas is a hard one to figure for scouts. He doesn't have the offensive skills as the previous four, but may be a better shot blocker and defender than any of them. He's stronger than Swift and Moiso but doesn't have the wow factor when scouts watch him play. He could still sneak into the lottery. Center 1. Chris Mihm, 7-0, Jr., Texas: He came out for a reason -- to be the No. 1 draft pick. But Mihm will only be the top pick if the team that drafts first is in need of a center. But even if he's not the top pick, he won't last past No. 5. He has the nimble feet, soft hands and the mindset to have a long-lasting career in the NBA. 2. Joel Przybilla, 7-0, So., Minnesota: He was a shot blocker as a freshman and more of a scorer in the few games he played in during his sophomore season. He's shedding body fat and adding muscle while working out this spring. Don't be shocked to see him go in the top five. 3. Iakovos Tsakalidis, 7-1, Greece: The Greek national who earned his stripes playing in Russia could be the next foreign center to be starting on a NBA roster near you. Tsakalidis hasn't worked out in the U.S. but is expected to be a high first-round pick because of his size and potential around the basket. 4. Mamadou N'diaye, 7-0, Sr., Auburn: Injuries have kept the buzz down on N'diaye. When he didn't show up in Phoenix, scouts were wondering about how high he should be taken in the draft. If he's not in Chicago, they'll have to go on what they saw this season -- N'daiye as a defensive presence but inconsistent offensively. 5. Jamaal Magloire, 6-11, Sr., Kentucky: Magloire and Georgia Tech's Jason Collier could be battling for the last center spot in the first round. Magloire proved he could be more of a scorer this season instead of simply being a big body inside. He has stayed away from the camps and might not show in Chicago. Magloire made the right call in pulling out of last year's draft -- he's ready now, but still needs an assurance that he can go in the first round. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. | ALSO SEE NBA draft order Draft: El-Amin on a mission Draft: Swiftly moving up the charts NBA Draft: Mock draft No. 1 Nets weigh M&M's: Mihm and Martin Draft: Who's advising these guys? Early-entry candidates for NBA draft Draft: Who could go in the first round Draft: Skipping Chicago a bad idea | |||||
