By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Any given sophomore class is usually paydirt for NBA scouts.
Very few players leave after their freshman year, meaning the class is mostly
intact. And, with two years of college ball under their belts, the really
talented sophomores are usually ready to make the jump to the NBA and make an
impact right away.
This year, the top four sophomore players in the country could all be looking at
the lottery if they declare. The top two – Wake Forest's Chris Paul and
Pittsburgh's Chris Taft – will compete for the top pick in the draft.
Here's a quick look at 10 sophomores whom scouts will be watching this season.
Also see: Updated Top 5 by position

Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest
The facts: 6-feet, 170 pounds; 14.3 ppg, 6.5 apg on 45 percent shooting
The skinny: The last player under 6-8 to be drafted as the No. 1 overall pick
was Allen Iverson in 1996. Before him, you have to go all the way back to 1981
when the Mavs drafted Mark Aguirre.

Paul could become an NBA draft rarity, a first overall pick who stands
under 6-8.
Despite the lack of historical precedent, the majority of the scouts and GMs
Insider surveyed this week believe that Paul has the inside track for the No. 1
pick in the draft.
Scouts believe that he is the best point-guard prospect to come into the NBA
since Jason Kidd. Not some of them. Everyone Insider talked to. It's easy to
understand why scouts absolutely love him. He is T.J. Ford with a jumper. He's
lightning quick, has unbelievable court vision, is a superb decision maker and
shoots the lights out from the field and the 3-point line. He pushes the ball
relentlessly on offense and already is one of the best penetrators in the game.
His defense is top-notch as well. Teams wish Paul was stronger, but given his
age, they believe that will come.
With that said, Paul got off to a so-so start for Wake before really turning it
on the past few weeks. Paul is averaging 18.2 ppg and 8.2 apg in his last five
games.
Paul continues to claim that he's returning to Wake for his junior season,
regardless of what the draft buzz is surrounding him. However, if his hometown
Bobcats get the first pick in the draft and let him know he's their choice – he
may have a tough time saying no.

Chris Taft, PF, Pittsburgh
The facts: 6-10, 230 pounds; 13.5 ppg, 7 rpg on 54 percent shooting
The skinny: Taft has the rare combination of size, athleticism, strength and
power that NBA scouts covet in a good power forward. And unlike many players who
possess those abilities, Taft prefers to score with his back to the basket. His
footwork is sound, he's patient in the paint and always working for a good shot.


Taft
Taft, too, has enjoyed his share of hype this summer. And he has struggled a bit
to live up to it. Despite his superior strength and athleticism, he's been just
an average rebounder and shot blocker this season.
Several NBA scouts told Insider recently that they were unimpressed with Taft
this season.
"I think he has a bad case of NBA-itis," one NBA scout said. "He just looks like
he's going through the motions. Last year he had something to prove. This year,
he seems like he's just trying not to get hurt."
Another scout said that he's concerned that Taft has put on some bad weight,
which might be hurting his athleticism and explosiveness. Despite the hand
wringing, everyone still concedes that the chances of Taft falling out of the
top five if he declares are slim. There's a dearth of athletic big men in
college basketball at the moment. When one comes along, very few teams are
willing to pass that up.

Josh Boone, PF/C, UConn
The facts: 6-10, 240 pounds; 17.5 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.7 bpg on 64 percent shooting
The skinny: No one has seen his stock soar more this year than Boone. He showed
flashes of being a special player last season during UConn's championship run.
But this year, he's taken his game to an elite level that few college big men
ever reach.

Boone
Boone has all the tools to be a great big man in the pros. He runs the floor,
blocks shots, rebounds on both ends, plays the game with great energy and is
starting to figure out how to finish around the basket on the offensive end.
Scouts also claim that he's a great person – the epitome of a team player. Teams
feel like he is long enough to play center on a running team, but better suited
as a power forward in a more traditional half-court offense.
"I love him," one scout gushed. "He's one of those rare players that doesn't
need the ball to make an impact. High-character big kids with his athleticism
rarely fail."
Most of the scouts Insider talked to claim that Boone is a lock for the top 10
if he comes out, with several claiming that he's now ranked higher on their
draft boards than Taft.
The question is whether Boone will actually come out. Like Emeka Okafor, he's on
a three-year track for graduation, which has some scouts believing he'll stay in
school another year.

Andrew Bogut, PF/C, Utah
The facts: 6-10, 240 pounds; 20 ppg, 11.8 rpg on 62 percent shooting
The skinny: Bogut is back in favor with NBA scouts.
The Australian burst onto the scene at the World Junior Championships in Greece
in 2003, when he led Australia to a gold medal over the Americans (and averaged
26.3 ppg and 17 rpg). At the time, some scouts predicted he'd be a lock for the
lottery. However, a good, but not great, freshman season at Utah caused his
stock to slide a bit. Bogut actually wanted to turn pro last summer, but when
the Ute staff did some research, they discovered no team was serious about
taking him in the first round anymore.
That has changed. Bogut was great for Australia in the Olympics. He scored 22
points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a victory over Team USA. Most of that time Tim
Duncan was guarding him.
Bogut does a little bit of everything. He's an excellent, physical rebounder
with nice hands. He's a tremendous passer for a big. He's very difficult to
guard because of his ability to score in both the high and low post. Overall, he
just has an excellent feel for the game.
He's not as athletic as scouts would like, but one NBA executive sees
similarities between Bogut and one highly successful, unathletic NBA big man.
"He's a young Vlade Divac," the exec said. "He passes like him, shoots like him,
is slow like him. He's tailor-made for the NBA. I'd be stunned is he goes any
later than No. 12 (overall) in the draft."

Ronnie Brewer, G, Arkansas
The facts: 6-7, 200 pounds; 16.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.1 spg on 54 percent shooting
The skinny: Brewer is another player who is rocketing up the charts.
Some scouts believe that Brewer has the tools to be a point guard in the pros.
That makes him an incredibly sexy prospect at 6-foot-7. His excellent
athleticism, long arms and ball handling skills have drawn comparisons to
Marquis Daniels and John Salmons.
However, Brewer plays with an aggressiveness that often surpasses what Daniels
or Salmons did at the collegiate level. He is an excellent defender using his
long arms to swipe away passes in the lane.
The only question scouts really have about Brewer is his outside shot. Despite
the fact that he's shooting a red-hot 54 percent from the field and 46 percent
from 3-point range, scouts have uniformly complained about his shooting
mechanics. That concern extends all the way to the free-throw line where he
shoots just 60 percent from the charity stripe.
Right now he's looked at as mid-to-late first-round pick.

J.R. Giddens, SG, Kansas
The facts: 6-5, 200 pounds; 11.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg on 45 percent shooting
The skinny: Giddens has watched his NBA draft stock take a hit the past month.
Several NBA scouts who've watched him play this year say they haven't been
impressed.
"He's a great athlete," one NBA scout said. "And he can really knock down the
3-point shot. But he has absolutely no in-between game. If he's not dunking or
launching a 3, he can't score."
Said another scout. "He only looks like a player when he's open. He doesn't know
how to clear space. I also have no faith that he can stay healthy."
In many ways, the knocks on Giddens sound eerily similar to what some scouts
said about high school phenom J.R. Smith last year. Scouts value two guards who
can create their own shot and get to the line as much or more than guards who
have unlimited range.
With that shooting stroke and his superior athleticism, there's a place in the
league for Giddens. But if he declares this year, it might not be until the late
first round. Giddens probably needs another year or two at Kansas refining his
in-between game and defense if he's going to have a legit shot at the lottery.

Adam Morrison, SF, Gonzaga
The facts: 6-foot-8, 215 pounds; 19.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg on 52 percent shooting
The skinny: The dude looks like he should hosting a Star Trek convention. But
when he gets on the court, there are very few people that can light it up the
way Morrison can.
Like every white player that can hit a jump shot, he typically gets the Larry
Bird comparisons whenever you bring up his name. In some ways, it's more
justified with this kid. He has a confidence about his game that is palpable.

Morrison (left) plays with fire, as Missouri associate head coach Melvin
Watkins discovered.
His ability to consistently make tough shots with a hand in face might be his
most appealing aspect. His knowledge of the game, his passing ability, his silky
smooth jumper and his fierce competitiveness all are Bird-esque.
So are his heavy legs and lack of athleticism. Foot speed and lateral quickness
also hurt his stock somewhat. Even more troubling for some scouts is Morrison's
struggle with diabetes. Several times he's had to take insulin shots during
games. Other players have gone on to have successful careers with the disease,
but it's certainly a big question mark if you're thinking about handing him a
three-year guaranteed contract.
Scouts are all over the board on where he'd go if he declared for the draft.
Most think he'll stay at least one more year at Gonzaga. Suffice to say that
some scouts see him as a lottery pick, others think he's a high second-rounder.
I doubt that will change much. He's an "eye-of-the-beholder" type player. But on
the right team, he could be very good.

Sean Banks, SF, Memphis
The facts: 6-8, 210 pounds; 16.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg on 37 percent shooting
The skinny: On talent, Banks is a lottery pick. But the way he conducts himself
within the team and off the court have scouts seriously questioning whether he
has the mental makeup to be a good NBA player.
Several weeks ago, head coach John Calipari suspended Banks indefinitely for
breaking team rules. However, there's more to it than that. Banks gets so caught
up in his offensive game that he often forgets his teammates.
"He's been a cancer on that team," one NBA scout said. "He's a selfish player.
Instead of reveling in the fact that he has more talent around him, he's gotten
more selfish. He's a very talented player, the most talented guy on Memphis. But
with his attitude, I'm not sure how you give a guy a guaranteed contract in the
first round acting like he does."
Those observations, coupled with a checkered past for Banks, have torpedoed his
NBA stock for the moment.

Banks is a nightmare to defend, in more ways than one.
The reason he's still on this list is because of his many talents on the court.
Banks is a big-time athlete who's also a fluid, aggressive scorer. He's a
scoring threat anywhere on the floor. He can score off the dribble or stick the
mid-range jumper. He's also got the skills to be a long-range threat. He's a
nightmare to defend. He takes bigger players off the dribble or out on the
perimeter. He takes smaller, quicker defenders into the paint and posts them up.

Strength is a big issue for him. He needs another 15-20 pounds of muscle to
compete in the pros. He's also a little one-dimensional right now. He's just an
average rebounder, so-so defender and passer for someone of his abilities.
Scouts believe Banks needs at least one more year of school to add strength and
prove that he can play in a team system. However, all indications are that he
wants out of Memphis and will at least test the waters this summer.

Curtis Stinson, PG, Iowa State
The facts: 6-3, 215 pounds; 17.1 ppg, 5.2 apg on 44 percent shooting
The skinny: Stinson hasn't gotten the pub of the other eight guys on the list,
but scouts who have seen him play all believe he has what it takes to succeed in
the NBA.
Stinson is a scoring point guard with great size who likes to take the ball to
the basket. He's got a great basketball IQ and is an excellent passer and
defender. He's very strong and likes to take smaller guards down in the paint.
When he gets to the rim, he's a great finisher.
The only thing holding him back is his jump shot. While his mid-range jumper is
solid, he's not much of a long-range threat from 3-point land.
Scouts believe that there's a good chance Stinson will declare for the draft
this year. He will be a 22-year-old sophomore in February. He's at least two to
three years older than most college sophomores and knows the clock is ticking.
Right now he's probably a late first-round pick if he came out. If the jumper
ever improved, the rest of his game is pure lottery.

Mustafa Shakur, PG, Arizona
The facts: 6-3, 180 pounds; 9.2 ppg, 5.1 apg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: Shakur is off to a terrible start to the season, causing many scouts
to reconsider whether he's really NBA material.
Shakur's troubles started this summer when it became pretty clear that he wasn't
in the same league as Chris Paul on Team USA's junior team. This year, he's been
pretty awful until a breakout game against Arizona State that thankfully took
place in front of a number of scouts.
Shakur had 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, but he still didn't do enough to get
back in great graces with scouts. Coming out of high school, Shakur was billed
as a pass-first point guard. But after watching him this year, scouts claim that
he's really more of a "full-court" point guard. His decision-making on the break
is fantastic, but he breaks down pretty quickly in the half-court set.
When several scouts claim that you're Reece Gaines without the jump shot, you
know your draft stock is in serious trouble. While two scouts told Insider they
still believed Shakur was a mid first-rounder, most of the scouts now believe
that he might not crack the first round at all if he were to declare for the
draft this spring.
Best of the Rest: Linas Kleiza, F, Missouri; Charlie Villanueva, F, UConn;
Brandon Bass, PF, LSU; Ekene Ibekwe, PF, Maryland; Alexander Johnson, PF,
Florida State; Shannon Brown, PG, Michigan State; Martin Iti, C, Charlotte; Nick
Fazekas, PF, Nevada; Marcus Williams, PG, UConn; Jared Dudley, F, Boston
College; Mohammed Kone, C, Southern Idaho (JUCO)
Draft Cards
Tale of two prep prospects: Whoever told high school 6-2 shooting guard Louis
Williams that he'd be a top-five pick in the 2005 NBA draft needs to be banned
from scouting. Williams claims that his "sources" told him that recently.
Maybe he was referring to a host of amateur Web sites run by kids living in
their parents' basement who move people up and down on their mock draft
depending on whatever the hype is for the day.
I haven't encountered one NBA scout who believes he's lottery material, let
alone top five.
A number of those NBA scouts traveled to Florida in mid-December to watch
Williams play in the City of Palms Classic. Everyone Insider talked to all
walked away with the exact same impression. Williams is years away from being an
NBA player.
On the opening night of the tournament, Williams shot just 7-21 from the field,
committed six turnovers and fouled out of the game before his team suffered an
upset loss in the first round. According to scouts at the scene, Williams was
bickering with officials constantly and, for most of the game, played completely
out of control.
Later in the tournament he posted a better game, scoring 24 points on 6 of 10
shooting, but he still committed eight turnovers and appeared to be forcing the
action almost every trip down the floor.
It's hard enough to find any good examples, with the exception of Iverson, of
6-2 and under shooting guards succeeding in the league. But when the player has
the tendency to force everything, what coach is going to turn his team over to a
player like that coming directly out of high school? Dajuan Wagner is the
closest example, and we all know how that turned out.
That said, scouts do claim that Williams has NBA talent. He's a top-tier
athlete, can jump out of the gym and his shooting touch extends all the way to
the NBA 3-point line. He is one of the most gifted scorers in high school hoops,
but scouts claim he needs to do it at Georgia (the school he committed to) for a
few years first.
Ironically, the City of Palms Classic was the coming out party for one high
school senior. Swingman Martell Webster wowed scouts with his smooth game,
dead-on jumper and fantastic rebounding. The Seattle prep star is committed to
playing at Washington next year, but he's also flirted with going to the NBA.
One scout called him the best shooter in high school basketball after watching
him dominate in the tournament. Webster hit a number of contested 3s and
long-range shots during the tournament. His constant motor and his basketball IQ
also impressed scouts. The fact that he is regarded as a grounded kid also helps
his chances.
While scouts unanimously felt like he should go to college, they all believed he
was a more legitimate lottery prospect than Williams right now.
Questions dog Diogu: A number of readers were miffed that Arizona State power
forward Ike Diogu did not make Insider's top 10 junior list two weeks ago. Diogu
is averaging 22.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.8 bpg and is shooting an amazing 63 percent
from the field this year.

Diogu's work ethic might make the difference for his NBA chances.
What gives? Scouts have been having a hard time with him ever since a disastrous
performance at the junior trials in Colorado Springs. While everyone loves his
motor, great hands and his ever-expanding offensive game (he now has an 18-foot
jumper and a fadeaway he hits with regularity), there are serious questions
about how his game will translate to the NBA.
Scouts believe Diogu stands just 6-7. He isn't particularly long and, even more
damning, doesn't have the explosive athleticism that can make up for such
deficiencies. Is Diogu the type of player who's smart enough to excel at the
college level but doesn't have the skill to make it in the pros?
"He really struggles when he has to play against someone with a lot of length,"
one scout told Insider. "He can't elevate to get his shot off. If you can't
create space to get your shot, I'm not sure how you create the space to get a
rebound."
However, a handful of scouts think people are missing the boat on Diogu. He's a
tough kid with a great body. He has the type of nasty blue-collar game that's
made players like Malik Rose, Danny Fortson and Reggie Evans successful in the
NBA.
One scout says that Diogu will be a success in the NBA – if he finds the right
fit. "If he goes to a team that can afford to develop him, he'll be terrific,"
the scout told Insider. "He won't produce right away. He'll have to figure it
out. But when he does, he could be really productive."
While most scouts still feel that he's second-round material, a few others have
him in the Nos. 21-30 range on their draft boards now.
Blue Demon on the rise: One more college vet to keep an eye on is DePaul's
Quemont Greer. The 6-7, 245-pound senior is having a breakout senior year,
averaging 22.4 ppg and 8.4 rpg for the Blue Demons.
Greer has been on NBA scout radar screens for a while, but scouts viewed his
first three seasons with a tinge of disappointment. He was ranked as one of the
top high school players in the country going into his freshman season, but never
really developed the perimeter game teams believed he needed to make the jump to
the pros. Before this season, the term "tweener" was the comment most commonly
attached to his name.
However, this season Greer's perimeter game has improved dramatically, making
him a serious inside-outside threat a la Providence's Ryan Gomes. He's shooting
47 percent from 3-point range this year.
Greer has all of the rest of the tools to make a good NBA player. He is an
exceptional athlete with an NBA-ready body. While scouts aren't ready to declare
him a lock for the first round (many still wonder about his feel for the game),
there's no question that his stock is on the rise at the moment.
Split opinions on Splitter: Finally, from across the pond, the latest craze is
actually an old one. Tiago Splitter, whom Insider subscribers have been reading
about for the past 2½ years, is finally getting serious playing time for Tau
Cermaica in Spain. Splitter's making the most of it.

Expect Splitter to reappear on NBA draft radar this summer.
The 6-10 Brazilian scored 16 points versus Pau Orthez and had eight points and
10 boards against Ulker. Overall, he's averaging 10.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg in 18 mpg
in Euroleague. Those are great numbers for a 19 year old on one of Europe's
deepest teams.
Splitter declared for the draft last season, but withdrew after a so-so group
workout for around 100 NBA scouts and GMs at the Chicago pre-draft camp.
Splitter has an NBA body that he has made stronger over the past few months.
Most scouts agree that his defense is ahead of his offense right now. He's an
excellent rebounder and shot blocker. He does have a nice handle and a good, but
not great jumper. He's very long and runs the floor well.
Apparently, scouts claim that his athleticism and coordination are also
improving. He's fearless and doesn't mind contact in the paint. Despite his
youth, scouts claim that Splitter always seems to fit in whenever he gets
minutes.
Insider caught up with his teammate, former Atlanta Hawks and BYU guard Travis
Hansen, on Thursday. Hansen raved about Splitter. claiming that he, along with
Fran Vasquez, was one of the top two NBA prospects he's faced in Europe.
"He's going to be really good," Hansen told Insider. "He's pretty athletic for a
big man. He can really run the floor. He's a very hard worker. I think some
teams made a mistake not taking him last year."
Scouts are still all over the board with Splitter. Some have him rated as high
as a mid-lottery pick. Others still have him in the 20s. If Splitter continues
to play and produce in Spain this year, expect him to be a sure thing for the
lottery this season.
Chad Ford writes a weekly NBA draft column for ESPN Insider.

It will be a few months before we really get a clear picture of what will happen on draft day. Ford dosen't seem to beleive Bogut is a consensus top 3 pick. Knicks might have a chance at him then if they can get into the 5-10 range. My favored scenario would be:

Knicks 1st Round pick: Bogut (if he falls to the 5-10 range) If Bogut doesn't fall here, take the best available player (preferably a PF, SF or C. If there's no one at this pick IT is willing to take this high, It can be used in a draft day trade along with expiring contracts for a Kwame, Swift, SAR, etc.

Buy or trade for a pick in the 20s and draft Warrick or Simien

Draft 2 Euro players in the second round to leave overseas for a few years. When the horrible contracts start falling off the books in 06/07, these guys can be the replacements

http://draftcity.com/viewprofile.php?p=25

[iAnother of his favourite situations on the offensive end is the pick and roll. He sets good picks and perfectly rolls towards the basket, trying then to take advantage of his size and soft touch, or dishing to a teammate whenever he sees a better option than his. Indeed, he sees the floor quite well, especially facing the basket, and makes good decisions, never panicking when double-teamed, although he could improve his passing execution. While not a superb handler, he can reliably put the ball on the floor if needed, and even penetrate, usually against centers, beating them with his quickness, being able to drive both left or right.
]

Sounds like a good fit in for Marbury.

Villanuva sounds like another player that would be a very good fit for the pick and roll and shotblocking.

http://draftcity.com/viewprofile.php?p=60

Villanueva is a good perimeter player with range out to the three point line. He is an excellent player to have in the high post because he is smart, can put the ball on the floor, hit the 18 footer, or find the open man with his above average passing skills. Cuts well himself to find the best angle to get open and receive the ball, works the pick and roll nicely.
[/i]

thats probably what it will take to get out of this mess

are u suggesting that he's a racist. He was doing fine passing to KVH last year