This Draft Not One for the Ages

This season’s salute to the NCAA tournament has a new theme: Be true to your school, at least for a year.

With the NBA’s new age rule, I’ll confine this mock draft to eligible players. This will also prevent miscalculations such as in 2004, when, in a burst of internationalism, or just to be different, I had two 16-year-olds, 7-foot Yi Jianli and 6-11 Nemanja Aleksandrov, at Nos. 3 and 4.

If you’re wondering what happened to them, so am I. Actually, no one is sure whether Yi is a first-rounder now, and Aleksandrov is coming off knee surgery.

The new rules take effect just in time to keep high school players from ruling this draft, with 7-0 Greg Oden of Indianapolis as the undisputed No. 1 pick and three others who could have been lottery picks: 6-11 Spencer Hawes, 6-9 Kevin Durant and 6-9 Brandan Wright.

Instead, Oden is going to Ohio State, Hawes to Washington, Durant to Texas and Wright to North Carolina. If they’re in the 2007 draft, it’ll be one of the best in recent years.

In the meantime, this is what we have, with none of these players projected as a superstar.

Thanks to the five NBA people and to Frank Burlison of the Long Beach Press-Telegram, who helped me put it together. As usual, these are listed heights, so you can take an inch off.

1. Adam Morrison, 6-8, 220, Jr., Gonzaga. Top two selections come down to whether a team needs a scorer or a big man. Morrison was No. 6 on this list a year ago when he averaged 19 points and shot 31% on three-pointers, and is now at 28 and 44%. He’s not Larry Bird, but he’s way better than recent players who have been compared to Bird.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge, 6-11, 245, Soph., Texas. Doesn’t look like same player who entered draft out of high school before withdrawing in smartest move of his life. Athletic, but doesn’t look as imposing as listed weight.

3. Andrea Bargnani, 6-11, 240, Benetton Treviso. Skilled power forward. Unlike recent Euro-busts, not just a teen prospect who had barely played on the pro level.

4. Brandon Roy, 6-5, 195, Sr., Washington. Does it all. Can play or guard three positions. Attacks basket, good with either hand, stays under control. Improving shooter, went from 10% on three-pointers as freshman to 39.5%.

5. J.J. Redick, 6-4, 190, Sr., Duke. Marked down on size and athleticism, but he came in as stand-still shooter, now can play off dribble and is leaving as a star. Brash, hated around the Atlantic Coast Conference and loved it. As a pure shooter, release and touch remind old-timers of Rick Mount. Will be a complementary player but could be a great one like Jeff Hornacek.

6. Rudy Gay, 6-8, 220, Soph., Connecticut. Rated even as a freshman with last season’s No. 2 pick Marvin Williams but averaged only 15 as sophomore. People jumped back on bandwagon when he warmed up at midseason, but he faded again. If he’s going pro, has this tourney to show who he is.

7. Tyrus Thomas, 6-9, 229, Fr., Louisiana State. Came from nowhere, redshirting last season before wowing scouts with tremendous athleticism.

8. Randy Foye, 6-3, 205, Sr., Villanova. Strong combo guard who can score inside and out. Stock is taking off.

9. Josh McRoberts, 6-10, 240, Fr., Duke. Role player this season, he has to show what he can do when he’s the guy, but would have been drafted in teens a year ago.

10. Tyler Hansbrough, 6-9, 240, Fr., North Carolina. Poor man’s Elton Brand, but may not even be 6-8 and needs medium-range game. In a Sports Illustrated poll, fellow players rated him ACC’s best pro prospect -- over three Dookies projected as lottery picks.

11. Shelden Williams, 6-9, 240, Sr., Duke. Pros were never enthusiastic because he’s not huge or explosive, but ferocity and four years of anchoring the middle for a top program mean a lot.

12. Ronnie Brewer, 6-7, 217, Jr., Arkansas. Son of former pro Ron, a great shooter, but strangely, that’s the only hole in Ronnie’s game. Otherwise, he’s a do-everything, play-everywhere guy.

13. Rodney Carney, 6-7, 205, Sr., Memphis. Head-turning athlete who went from 32% on three-pointers as a junior to 40%. Wide spectrum of opinion with critics insisting he doesn’t know how to play.

14. Joakim Noah, 6-11, 227, Soph., Florida. Previously better known as son of tennis star Yannick Noah. Has to get stronger, but he’s long and active. Some see Boris Diaw, others Anderson Varejao.

15. Al Horford, 6-9, 235, Soph., Florida. Son of former pro Tito, he’s a raw talent who’s been compared to (yeah, right) Amare Stoudemire. Athletic, has long arms and blocks shots.

16. Rajon Rondo, 6-1, 171, Soph., Kentucky. Flashy ballhandler, great nose for ball. In top 10 early when he looked as if he’d learned to shoot, but after first five games, made only 22% of three-pointers. With team’s struggles, scouts trying to figure out whether it was him or teammates.

17. Josh Boone, 6-10, 237, Jr., Connecticut. Good size and athleticism, projected near lottery as sophomore but still only a role player as junior. Fortunately, Andrew Bynum didn’t come or his role would have been even more humble.

18. Tiago Splitter, 6-11, 240, Tau Vittoria. Brazilian who has been in the mix the last two springs. Good body but mechanical. Someone would have to buy out his contract, so unless he’s impressive in tryouts, may not come this year either.

19. Ronald Steele, 6-3, 185, Jr., Alabama. Made 40% of three-pointers, almost 90% of free throws and moved ahead of more celebrated point guards.

20. Hilton Armstrong, 6-11, 235, Sr., Connecticut. Happened after three nothing years. Not a scorer, but has legitimate size and blocks shots. Some think he has passed teammate Boone, who’s bigger and the better shot blocker.

21. Jermareo Davidson, 6-10, 220, Jr., Alabama. Athletic young power forward making late-season move, but he’s slight for the next level.

22. Shawne Williams, 6-9, 225, Fr., Memphis. Started fast, dropping 26 on UCLA. Looks like most talented player on a talented roster, but has yet to play like it.

23. Nick Fazekas, 6-11, 235, Jr., Nevada. Willowy but has great touch. Averaged 20 points last two seasons and made 85% of free throws this season.

24. Jason Smith, 7-0, 230, Soph., Colorado State. Not as far along as Fazekas, but some see more upside.

25. Paul Davis, 6-10, 250, Sr., Michigan State. Never lived up to expectations, looks as if he gets down on himself, but he’s big and skilled.

26. Dominic James, 5-11, 190, Fr., Marquette. Big East rookie of year, big-time prospect if he improves outside shot (30% on three-pointers). Good playmaker who gets anywhere he wants to go and finishes.

27. Daniel Gibson, 6-2, 190, Soph., Texas. Scoring point guard who was moved to shooting guard this season, making him a ‘tweener.

28. Brandon Rush, 6-6, 202, Fr., Kansas. JaRon and Kareem’s little brother and the most talented of them. Withdrew from draft last spring after lackluster tryouts, but played harder for Bill Self than he had previously.

29. Julian Wright, 6-8, 218, Fr., Kansas. Such a great athlete, pros overlook modest numbers (8.6 points, 4.6 rebounds) and shooting range now limited to paint.

30. Shannon Brown, 6-3, 200, Jr., Michigan State. Short for pro shooting guard but a great athlete who learned to shoot.

Right there: Maurice Ager, Michigan State; Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia; Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech; Dee Brown and James Augustine, Illinois; Kyle Lowry and Allan Ray, Villanova; Steve Smith, La Salle; Aaron Gray, Pitt; Hassan Adams, Arizona.

Locally, this may be the deepest pool of talent since UCLA’s heyday, but none is now a lock for the first round, where contracts are guaranteed.

Nevertheless, their time is coming:

Bobby Brown, 6-1, 180, Jr., Cal State Fullerton. Rising point guard. You hear his name from scouts even more than Jordan Farmar’s.

Farmar, 6-2, 180, Soph., UCLA. Real point guard with leadership skills who could be in the teens in a year. For now, still turns ball over way too much and needs to go from an OK shooter (33% on three-pointers) to a good one.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, 6-7, 215, Fr., UCLA. Big game in NCAA opener means secret is out. Pros love his rare ability to guard and to get the ball. Could be an Eduardo Najera-type energy player now. Skill level needs to go way up, but he’s super-coachable and made a quantum leap this season.

Arron Afflalo, 6-5, 210 Soph., UCLA. Big guard whose range is expanding. Without one-for-20 slump in January, would have been above 40% on three-pointers.

Gabe Pruitt, 6-4, 170, Soph., USC. Good-looking combo guard but backed up this season, dropping from 48.6% to 40.5% overall and 45% to 38% on three-pointers.

Nick Young, 6-6, 195, Soph. USC. Great athlete, but consistency is an issue. Needs to be good outside shooter at next level, and this season’s 33% is entry-level.