By Chad

In 2002, NBA teams drafted a record 14 international players (including a record three lottery picks, and six overall first-rounders), changing forever the way that we look at the NBA draft.

Forget about the international invasion talk. The invasion is over. International players are rolling into the NBA the same way America rolled into Baghdad -- with only token resistance and to the cheers of the masses.

The shadow government is running the show.

Now that the brambles have been swept clear by pioneers like Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoc, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and even rookies like Yao Ming and Nene Hilario -- the floodgates are figuratively open.

By now you know that Yugoslavian big man Darko Milicic is the consensus No. 2 pick in the draft. France's Mickael Pietrus, Boris Diaw and Brazil's Anderson Varejao are also considered potential lottery picks.

After LeBron, Darko, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford, the rest of the field is wide open at this point. Increasingly, NBA scouts are claiming that the void will likely be filled by a strong group of young international players.

Currently, Insider is projecting that a whopping 12 international players will be drafted in the first round this year. As many as 20 international players could be drafted overall.

"This may be the best class of international players ever," one scout told Insider. "NBA scouting overseas is better than it's ever been. We're identifying kids younger and getting out to more places. I think the general consensus from the start of the year was that this was going to be a pretty weak collegiate draft. So what teams have been doing all year is going out and finding kids who are truly worthy of lottery picks. I think there's a lot to choose from."

It isn't as easy as it looks. NBA teams are finding it harder than ever to get a good handle on the talent of overseas. Teams are pouring in more resources. But it's a little like drinking from a fire hydrant. The more international kids see young guys like Nikoloz Tskitishvili (the second-youngest player in the NBA this season) make the jump the more they begin to believe that they can make it in the NBA too.

The problem, as even the most enthusiastic international scouts will admit, is that international scouting is following the same trend as American scouting. "The kids we are looking at are getting younger and younger," one assistant GM told Insider. "Even three years ago, you pretty much waited until an European kid established himself over there before you seriously looked at him. There were exceptions, like Andrei Kirilenko, but for the most part teams were only comfortable drafting guys who had already become stars on the international scene. Nowadays, we're trying to evaluate kids like Nikoloz Tskitishvili. It's becoming a much riskier proposition."

That's what made Denver's selection of Tskitishvili fraught with danger. Everyone could see his skills in workouts, but no one got a good look at him in a game. This year, Milicic, who turns 18 just weeks before the draft, will be the youngest player ever drafted in the lottery. Fortunately, he starts for his team, giving teams plenty of game film to examine.

But for a number of other blue chip international prospects, scouts must increasingly rely on their gut and a little bit of faith. Without any real game film to go on, teams must lean on international junior competitions, grainy game film, practices (increasingly difficult to get into) and a lot of second-hand accounts.

Today Insider gives you an exclusive inside look at several young international sleepers who could end up in the first round when the smoke clears on draft night . . .

Maciej Lampe, F, 7-0, 255, Real Madrid (Spain)


Lampe, at the age of 18, is widely considered, after Darko, to be one of the best three young prospects in the world along with Yugoslavia's Kosta Perovic and Brazil's Tiago Splitter.

Like Darko, Lampe turned pro at 15, becoming one of the youngest players ever to sign for Real Madrid, widely regarded as one of the top teams in Europe. At age 17, he became the youngest player ever on the Real Madrid's first team.

Lampe's combination of size, shooting touch, ball handling skills and an advanced inside-outside games have drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki.

NBA scouts, however, don't want to go that far yet. "He's not quite the athlete that Nowitzki is," one NBA executive told Insider, "But he's got a great handle for a 7-footer. Put that together with his range on his jumper and he's very intriguing."

People who see him every day are even more impressed.

"I have never seen such a quality player at his age," said Alberto Herreros, widely regarded as one of the best Spanish players ever.

Spanish coach Tonin Llorente went further, "I have not seen many players with his conditions, to be honest. Maybe some older ones, but I have not seen players at his age passing, running or jumping like Maciej. He possesses everything that makes up a great player."

Lampe, like most 18-year-old players, isn't perfect. He can play three positions, but he's probably best at the four. His defense needs lots of work and teams say he's just an average rebounder for someone his size. He also needs to bulk up to handle the rigors of the NBA game. He's also struggled to get playing time this season on a veteran-laden Euroleague team, prompting his coach to send him back to the second team earlier this year.

"There just wasn't enough minutes for me," Lampe told Insider in a phone interview. "I tried to be patient, but I keep wanting to get better. So I think that the second team is better because I get to play every night."

The move has paid off. Lampe recently dominated Splitter in a head-to-head matchup, scoring 26 points to Splitter's 14.

Lampe, like most young international players, is mature for his age. He speaks five different language fluently -- Polish, Swedish, English, Serbian and Spanish. He's been traveling and practicing with players for the past three years. He is wise beyond his years.

"I don't want to go to the NBA too early," Lampe told Insider. "But I know if I go now, I will get better faster. I need to learn how to play better defense and I need to get stronger and quicker. But these things are emphasized here as much. Maybe I'm impatient. But my goal is to be the best and I think I get the best in the NBA."

Lampe's agent, Keith Kreiter, plans on putting Lampe's name in the draft and testing the waters. He's bringing Lampe to Chicago next month to begin working out with Michael Jordan's personal trainer, Tim Grover. Grover has worked wonders over the past few years with young draftees who've needed to get stronger or more athletic.

Lampe will also get the chance at Grover's gym to play with other top-level college players preparing for the draft. Several NBA players, including Jordan, Antoine Walker, Michael Finley, Jamal Crawford, Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, also frequent the gym.

If Lampe gets feedback that he's a lottery pick (several NBA scouts claim he could be this year's Skita), he's likely to keep his name in the draft. He may be the perfect pick for a team like the Pistons or Bucks, who have full rosters and could afford to leave him in Spain another year. Drafting Lampe in the lottery and keeping him overseas would allow the team to avoid taking a cap and luxury-tax hit on his salary this season. Most lottery teams can't afford to do that -- they need the help now. But on veteran teams like Detroit or Milwaukee, they can afford to be more patient.

Lampe watches two to three NBA games a week in Spain. He can't wait to begin testing his game against the best in the world. "I know I have much to improve on. I can't wait for the opportunity."

Pavel Podkolzin, C, 7-4, 300, Metis Varese (Italy)


Insider readers may remember Metis Varese's Pavel Podkolzin from our Yugo Diaries back in December. Pavel was the Siberian giant who was discovered by a Clippers international scout a few years ago. Before Insider wrote about him in December, he had never been scouted by a NBA team.

That's all changed. After the story on Podkolzin appeared in Insider in December, representatives from 18 NBA teams have made the their way to Varese to watch the 18-year-old giant play.

While admitting that he is very raw, and only now beginning to get playing time in Italy, most of the teams that have seen him play claim that he'd be a late-lottery to mid-first-round pick if he puts his name in the draft this year. Pavel has yet to hire an agent, but the word around the league is that he will declare for the draft.

Obviously, teams are enamored with his huge frame. But it's another attribute that makes him something more than George Muresan. "He's a legitimate athlete," one NBA executive said. "I'm not saying that he's Vince Carter, but he's got above average athletic skills for his size. He runs the floor well and he's pretty active. He's a big-time project, but at 18, he's probably worth it."

Maciej Lampe, one of our fellow poster has seen him play and he had nothing but good things to say about his play. I think it was Abdurrahman. If he slips to the second round I wouldn't mind NYK taking a chance on him hell now they need a PF with Dice all iffy. He would be a perfect player to fill his shoes in years to come.

Why do you want another PG?