NBA DRAFT : Picks Are Wide Open After No. 5

The Big Dog and the big ducks are lined up at the top of today’s NBA draft but after five picks, it gets treacherous.

There is no mystery about the top pick, with which Milwaukee will take Purdue’s Glenn Robinson.

Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Donyell Marshall and Juwan Howard are expected to go next, to the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Bullets, respectively. Even if there’s a surprise, the big five should go to the top five drafting teams.

After that, the players come in all shapes, sizes, ages and have games of all descriptions.

Most of them, however, have about the same chances of becoming NBA stars so the situation is fluid.

The key positions are No. 7, where the Clippers were believed to be locked in a late debate over California’s Lamond Murray and Michigan’s Jalen Rose, and No. 8, where the Sacramento Kings are deciding between Brian Grant, a little-known power forward from Xavier, and Eric Montross, a more celebrated center from North Carolina.

Mock Draft

Here’s how Times staff writer Mark Heisler believes the first round of today’s NBA draft will shape up:

No Team Player Hgt Wgt 1. Milwaukee Glenn Robinson 6-7 240 2. Dallas Jason Kidd 6-3 215 3. Detroit Grant Hill 6-8 230 4. Minnesota Donyell Marshall 6-8 1/2 218 5. Washington Juwan Howard 6-8 1/2 253 6. Philadelphia Sharone Wright 6-10 279 7. Clippers Jalen Rose 6-6 231 8. Sacramento Brian Grant 6-8 1/2 247 9. Boston Eric Montross 7-0 1/2 275 10. Lakers Lamond Murray 6-6 1/2 236 11. Seattle Eddie Jones 6-6 190 12. Miami Khalid Reeves 6-1 1/2 205 13. Denver Wesley Person 6-5 192 14. New Jersey Eric Piatkowski 6-6 214 15. Indiana Yinka Dare 6-10 1/2 265 16. Golden State Eric Mobley 6-10 1/2 259 17. Portland Aaron McKie 6-4 1/2 216 18. Milwaukee Jim McIlvaine 7-1 244 19. Dallas Carlos Rogers 6-10 214 20. Philadelphia B.J. Tyler 6-0 173 21. Chicago Greg Minor 6-6 228 22. San Antonio Howard Eisley 6-1 174 23. Phoenix Tony Dumas 6-4 178 24. New York Monty Williams 6-7 1/2 225 25. Clippers Voshon Lenard 6-4 205 26. New York Dontonio Wingfield 6-7 1/2 246 27. Orlando Charlie Ward 6-0 184

No School 1. Purdue 2. Cal 3. Duke 4. Connecticut 5. Michigan 6. Clemson 7. Michigan 8. Xavier 9. North Carolina 10. Cal 11. Temple 12. Arizona 13. Auburn 14. Nebraska 15. George Washington 16. Pittsburgh 17. Temple 18. Marquette 19. Tennessee State 20. Texas 21. Louisville 22. Boston College 23. Missouri-K.C. 24. Notre Dame 25. Minnesota 26. Cincinnati 27. Florida State

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Player Comment Glenn Robinson The closest thing to Bird since Bird? Jason Kidd The best guard prospect. Grant Hill Can play guard or small forward. Donyell Marshall Forget his shaky NCAA tournament. Juwan Howard They love his attitude. Sharone Wright Completes their front line. Jalen Rose Surges at the wire to nip Lamond Murray. Brian Grant A close decision over Eric Montross. Eric Montross Not merely another Greg Dreiling. Lamond Murray The shooter they have been looking for. Eddie Jones They wanted to trade the pick to Detroit for Sean Elliott. Khalid Reeves Heat undecided about signing Brian Shaw. Wesley Person They wanted a point guard but will settle for outside shooter. Eric Piatkowski He made a big-time showing at the Phoenix camp. Yinka Dare Might have a chance in future of standing upto Shaq. Eric Mobley Big man drops in Don Nelson’s lap. Aaron McKie Might be better than college teammate Jones. Jim McIlvaine A shot-blocker with no offense. Carlos Rogers Unpolished but athletic. B.J. Tyler Attended Coach-GM John Lucas’ clinic for a drinking problem. Greg Minor An all-star at draft camps. Howard Eisley They take him over Charlie Ward. Tony Dumas No relation to Richard, they hope. Monty Williams If heart is OK, he’s a steal here. Voshon Lenard Another shooter? Dontonio Wingfield A “What have we got to lose?” selection. Charlie Ward They need a grown-up backup point guard.

On the bubble: Cliff Rozier, Louisville, an athletic 6-10 260-pounder who was in the lottery until he moped through the NCAA tournament; Dickie Simpkins and Michael Smith, Providence, and Gaylon Nickerson, Northwestern Oklahoma State, who is either this spring’s Latrell Sprewell or Lamont Strothers.