They May Not Be Available, But These Are Best Players

In salute to the NCAA tournament, our annual pro perspective on the top 29 players in college, regardless of their year in school and plans to stay or leave.

Aside from the players, their relatives and agents, no one thinks there’s anything good about leaving early. Few enough were ready when they stayed four years. All you get with younger ones is enhanced cluelessness.

Nevertheless, the way it works, if a college player even hints he may come out, the chances are about 99% he will.

In other words, sorry, UCLA fans.

1. Steve Francis, 6 feet 3, 194 pounds, junior, Maryland--Made to play the point in the pros, where he’ll toast defenders with his Allen Iverson crossover. Great body, major hops.

2. Corey Maggette, 6-6, 210, freshman, Duke--Doesn’t start and isn’t leaving but is considered next in the line of Kobe Bryant and Larry Hughes--and closer to Kobe than Hughes. Among Dukies, only Grant Hill was as gifted.

3. Wally Szczerbiak, 6-8, 240, senior, Miami of Ohio--Not a great athlete but has game and will shoot the three-pointer in your face. Pros reassessing doubts after that 43 spot.

4. Lamar Odom, 6-9, 220, sophomore, Rhode Island--He’s not Magic or Scottie or even Toni, but he can really handle.

5. Elton Brand, 6-8, 260, sophomore, Duke--It’s a different era if Dukies are talking about leaving early--but he is. Pros fear he’s 6-7 or (shudder) 6-6. He’s not earth-bound, but he’s not Charles Barkley. “I think he’ll make it,” says a general manager. “He’s a determined guy and he probably has more skills than he shows with whatever Duke’s doing.”

6. Terence Morris, 6-9, 205, sophomore, Maryland--Often called Terps’ best prospect, which is saying something.

7. William Avery, 6-2, 180, sophomore, Duke--He could leave too. Great athlete, plays point well, especially for a converted shooting guard, shot 41% on three-pointers.

8. Baron Davis, 6-2 1/2, 190, sophomore, UCLA. Looks like he’s gone. A physical prodigy--and this was coming off knee surgery. Some wonder about playmaking; on a three-on-two once, he passed to himself, banking the ball off the board.

9. Andre Miller, 6-2, 200, senior, Utah--The Verbum Dei grad lacks some things--quickness, range--but is well-schooled and takes the ball anywhere he wants.

10. Brendan Haywood, 7-0, 265, sophomore, North Carolina--No indication he’s leaving but would be first center taken. “I saw one game,” says a general manager, “in the first three minutes he had every guy on the other team afraid to shoot the ball.”

11. Quentin Richardson, 6-6, 220, freshman, DePaul--Might leave. Averaged 11 rebounds and shot 34% on three-pointer.

12. Jason Terry, 6-2, 169, senior, Arizona--From third guard to Pac-10 player of year. Skinny point but takes it to the hoop, shoots 40% on threes.

13. Ron Artest, 6-6, 233, sophomore, St. John’s--Averaged 4.6 assists and shot 41% on three-pointers. “He’s a real determined guy,” says a general manager. “He’s like Brand that way.”

14. Shawn Marion, 6-7, 215, junior, Nevada Las Vegas--All-around player but not a great shooter yet.

15. Tim James, 6-7, 221, senior, Miami--Fine athlete who can sky, improved every season.

16. Hanno Mottola, 6-10, 230, junior, Utah--Big youngster with perimeter skills. Should be in lottery next spring.

17. Richard Hamilton, 6-6, 180, junior, Connecticut--”He’s as skinny as Reggie Miller,” says a general manager. “If he’s as tough as Reggie, then he’ll be OK.”

18. Evan Eschmeyer, 6-11, 244, senior, Northwestern--Not overpowering but has touch and many wiles.

19. Kenny Thomas, 6-8, 255, senior, New Mexico--Good skills. Finally lost some weight and played a good game in NCAA tournament.

20. James Posey, 6-8, 210, senior, Xavier--Late bloomer who didn’t become full-time starter until this season.

21. Mateen Cleaves, 6-2, 190, junior, Michigan State--Good point but range only 15-18 feet.

22. Jumaine Jones, 6-7, 210, sophomore, Georgia--Athletic, raw.

23. Michael Redd, 6-6, 205, sophomore, Ohio State--Averaged 20 for two seasons, needs only consistency from the arc to tie a ribbon on the package.

24. Shane Battier, 6-8, 230, sophomore, Duke--Looks like he spent two years in weight room. Fine defender, shot 57%, 38% on three-pointers. Expected to stay and improve more.

25. Dan Gadzuric, 6-11, 240, freshman, UCLA--Unpolished but a high-energy big man, which is rare enough. No suggestion he’s leaving, which is good because if he doesn’t improve, he’s just the next Jelani McCoy.

26. Trajan Langdon, 6-3, 195, senior, Duke--Small for NBA shooting guard, but admirers see Dell Curry.

27. Mike Miller, 6-8, 210, freshman, Florida--North Dakota import who could make lottery some day.

28. Ed Cota, 6-1, 185, junior, North Carolina--Moved up from 31% to 42% on three-pointers this season.

29. Khalid El-Amin, 5-10, 200, sophomore, Connecticut--Last year, I got all excited, mistaking him for a playmaker. In one five-game span this season, had five assists. Fireplug body but makes lots of big plays.

*

Others: Roberto Bergersen, Boise State; Lee Nailon, Texas Christian; Laron Profit, Maryland; Luke Recker, Indiana; A.J. Guyton, Indiana; Etan Thomas, Syracuse; Todd MacCulloch, Washington; Mark Madsen, Stanford; Chris Porter, Auburn; Quincy Lewis, Minnesota, Chris Herren, Fresno State.

FACES AND FIGURES

There you go again: Nick Van Exel was ripped by Denver teammates for being late to a practice. Said Antonio McDyess, whom Van Exel personally recruited: “We can’t come to practice late and stay out all night and party.” Problem: Coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t want Van Exel back, but did the Nuggets promise agent Tony Dutt they’d re-sign him if he delivered McDyess? . . . There you go again, part two: David Falk, who’s dedicated to the proposition each of his clients should make $10 million a year in a major market, did one of his numbers on the Minnesota Timberwolves, promising Stephon Marbury would leave, forcing the trade to the Nets, now a veritable Team Falk with clients Keith Van Horn and Kerry Kittles. For their sake, let’s hope it turns out better than that exhibition Falk put on.

Miami Coach Pat Riley, on the Glen Rice deal: “That’s a great trade for the Lakers. Not only do they get Rice but they get what I thought was Charlotte’s best player this year in J.R. Reid. Rice gives them the premier shooter in the NBA.” Riley tried to bid but “Charlotte wouldn’t even talk to us. They were not interested in moving him anywhere in the Eastern Conference, and more importantly, not to us.” . . . Lost minds: The Knicks gave Marcus Camby, who, even with Patrick Ewing out, is their backup power forward, a six-year, $30-million contract, messing up their hopeless cap even more. . . . Minnesota’s Flip Saunders, on the tumbling Seattle SuperSonics: “I’m sure they look at it as their window of opportunity closing. Three of their top seven players, their best years are behind them. They’ve tried to change the way they play in order to win the whole thing. They’re going with [Olden] Polynice and [Billy] Owens for a couple of veteran guys and bigger bodies in the post.” It isn’t working. New Coach Paul Westphal benched Detlef Schrempf and Hersey Hawkins in favor of Owens, who came in overweight and never could shoot, and 19-year-old Rashard Lewis. Everyone is down on Vin Baker, who complained about being yanked, prompting Dale Ellis to snarl: “Get over it. I think it’s selfish. It’s about winning. Do the job.”

Milwaukee’s George Karl, after beating the SuperSonics: “I’m not against the players. I’m against [General Manager] Wally Walker. If Wally could lose every game and the Sonics could win, I’d be happy.” . . . Milwaukee’s Glenn Robinson, after a face-off with Gary Payton: “I’m not going to be afraid of him. What is he, 100 pounds?” . . . Oops: Boston’s Rick Pitino notes big forwards are bouncing Antoine Walker around. “Antoine has to be able to go against the [Brian] Grants, against the [Charles] Oakleys,” Pitino said. “He’s got to come back like an Oakley. Our chances are much better of Antoine developing an Oakley body and developing that inside presence than it is of getting a center in a trade or through the draft.” Yeah, they’re 0% in the draft, and maybe 33% of convincing the temperamental Walker to turn himself into a thug.

Houston’s Barkley, on the West: “Utah is the best team and Portland is right behind them. And we’ll be right there with them when we get everybody healthy and on the same page.” Maybe he thinks they can go into a time machine and come back five years ago. . . . Former Clipper Brent Barry, after missing a free throw and making the second, giving the Bulls 100 points and fans a free taco: “I’ve never felt so much pressure trying to make a free throw and feed 20,000 people. Now I know how Jesus felt with the loaves and fishes. I’ve never gotten booed when we were up 17 for missing a free throw. I’m used to L.A., where if we scored 70 points every fan got a free car. Of course, there were only six cars given away all year.”