Paul, Taft could dominate the West
chad

Head west, young men! Thar's gold in them thar hills!

Readers may think ESPN has an East Coast bias, but when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, we think that for the fourth straight year the NCAA has packed much of the potential NBA talent in the elusive West region, or, as they're calling it this year, the Albuquerque bracket.

This year you can check out the only consensus anything in the draft, Chris Paul, or see a pretty impressive group of small forwards and guards whom NBA scouts are in love with. Even the lower seeds have players NBA scouts are keeping their eyes on.

ESPN Insider talked to multiple NBA scouts and GMs to give you a look at the top five NBA prospects they'll be watching in each NCAA region.

Today, Insider will wrap up its preview of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the West's Albuquerque Regional bracket.

For the inside scoop on every team in the tournament, check out Insider's in-depth Tournament Guide.

West: Albuquerque Region NBA Prospects

1. Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest
The Skinny: 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Sophomore. 14.8 ppg, 4.9, apg, 50 percent shooting.

The Good: Paul 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 also top notch. If his hometown Bobcats get the first pick in the draft and let him know he's their choice, he might have a tough time saying no.

The Bad: Size does matter in the NBA and Paul just barely cracks 6 feet, the bare minimum for point guards in the league. Allen Iverson is the last player under 6-foot-8 to go No. 1. Teams wish Paul was stronger, but given his age they believe that will come. Paul continues to claim that he's returning to Wake for his junior season regardless of what the draft buzz is surrounding him.

The Upside: Paul is a consensus top-three pick in the draft. Scouts believe he is the best point-guard prospect since Jason Kidd. If the Bobcats, Hawks or Jazz get the No. 1 pick in the draft, there's a very good likelihood he'll go No. 1.

2. Chris Taft, PF, Pittsburgh
The Skinny: 6-foot-10, 260 pounds, Sophomore. 13.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 57 percent shooting.

The Good: 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.

The Bad: He has struggled 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.

The Upside: Despite the hand wringing, everyone still concedes that the chances of Taft's falling out of the top 10, if he declares, are slim. There's a dearth of athletic big men in college basketball. When one comes along, very few teams are willing to pass him up. If he has a huge tournament, he'll be right back in the mix for the top two or three picks in the draft.

3. Adam Morrison, SF, Gonzaga
The Skinny: 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, Sophomore. 18.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 49 percent shooting.

The Good: Morrison is a clutch scorer who consistently makes tough shots with a hand in his face. His knowledge of the game, passing ability, silky smooth jumper and fierce competitiveness all are Bird-esque.

The Bad: 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.

The Upside: Like every white player who 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. 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. 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 and with a big tournament, he might get the momentum he needs to catapult himself into the lottery.

4. Francisco Garcia, SG, Louisville
The Skinny: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds, Junior. 15.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 44 percent shooting.

The Good: Garcia's a gifted scorer with a feathery shooting touch. He's long, versatile and has a good feel for the basketball. He's a fabulous shot blocker for a swingman and also is a dead-eye from the free-throw line. Could be a point-forward type in the pros thanks to a solid handle and nice court vision.

The Bad: Garcia started the season off fantastically, but has hit a few potholes the past month and a half. Scouts believe his natural position is the three, but his unwillingness to mix it up at all in the paint means he probably plays the two in the pros. He still needs to get stronger and work on shooting off the dribble. He's just an average athlete and struggles against stronger or more athletic competition. He's 23, which is pretty old for a junior.

The Upside: There were times that Garcia looked like he might slip into the late lottery or mid-first round. His stock has taken a major hit in the second half of the season with scouts questioning why he struggles so much against top defenders. A big tournament would help his cause tremendously. Right now he'll land anywhere between 20 and 40 on draft night.

5. Jarrett Jack, PG, Georgia Tech
The Skinny: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Junior. 15.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.4 apg, 51 percent shooting.

The Good: Jack really knows how to run a team. He has good size and nice court vision, as well as an NBA body and athleticism. He's an excellent rebounder for a point guard. He's also a good defender who collects a decent number of steals. He's a leader on the floor and rarely takes a bad shot. Plays with great competitive fire.

The Bad: Jack is having another up-and-down year. That's not really the image you want to project if you're a point guard. Scouts worry that he plays a little out of control at times. His 3.5 turnovers per game are fairly high for such a natural point. His 3-point shooting has improved, but scouts question whether he has the range to hit the shot in the pros. He struggles shooting off the dribble.

The Upside: Jack is all over the board as far as his draft stock goes. Some have him as a mid-first-round selection. Most, however, have him ranked in the mid-to-high 20s. A good tournament would help his cause. If he struggles, he might have to return to college for his senior season.

Sleeper: Nate Robinson, G, Washington
The Skinny: 5-foot-9, 181 pounds, Junior. 16.7 ppg, 4.6 apg, 46 percent shooting.

The Good: Robinson is one of the most, if not the most, exciting and athletic basketball players in the country. With a 43½-inch vertical, blazing speed and an improved outside jumper, he's been terrific this year for Washington. He's even improved his passing skills to the point that he could play a little point in the pros.

The Bad: So why isn't he ranked higher? Size matters in the NBA, and Robinson stands 5-9 in shoes (according to official measurements at the 2004 Chicago pre-draft camp). The fact that he's much closer to a two g

boy when they say earl boyins and nate robinson, they are missing the boat a tad. Robinson weighs 185-190, Boykins weighs 135. Robinson is 5-9 and can jump 4 feet in the air and boykins if 5-7 and I doubt he could touch the bottom of the net.

the problem with chris taft is they don't play him enough, they dont get him the ball enough--the coaching of this kid the last year in terms of getting his bosy in peak condition and hard work on fundamentals was poor.

Taft is still a big time prospect that needs to get his body trained and his skills honed. hes only 19

I mean most teams, if you put up 13 pts 12 reb 2 blocks in 25 minutes, thats a good game, but not for Taft.

Taft will probably be a top 5 pick and if he gets on the right team with the right program for him, will be well-rewarded

hes a tougher dude than Kwame Brown if i can compare him to that type--around the same size. I think that taft is a better long range prospect than Kwame. Kwame, there just something missing there. When most kids are flipping burgers, he was driving a lexus truck, and I thinjk it would have been better for him to go to some classes and work a job for a couple of years to appreciate hard work.