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A More Abroad-Minded Draft

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In our annual salute to the NCAA tournament, here’s a mock draft of everyone, although, after last season’s horrors, we’re no longer going younger than 18.

The top six are no scoop, because everyone is in general agreement, but after that everyone is on their own.

This will be a big draft for international players, a record six of whom were first-round picks last spring. The colleges have been picked clean of big men and the pros are leery of 6-foot-8 widebodies such as Mississippi State’s Mario Austin and Georgetown’s Mike Sweetney. As a general manager said, “With those guys, it’s pick your poison.”

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Without early entry, of course, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Amare Stoudemire, Jonathan Bender, Eddie Griffin, DeSagana Diop, Steven Hunter, Zach Randolph, Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox, Jared Jeffries, Chris Borchardt, Carlos Boozer, Jamal Sampson and D’Angelo Collins would be in college and it would be a different story.

Even with general managers now going abroad personally, after years of trusting local bird dogs, it’s hard to project foreign players, who typically make big moves on the pre-draft circuit.

In other words, I probably didn’t get it right this year either, but it gave me something to do. Thanks to the six pro guys who helped me.

1. LeBron James, 6-7, 231, St. Vincent-St. Mary High, Akron, Ohio. His senior year was off the hook (kid talk), but he’s no hype. Athleticism, skills, a grown man’s body and poise make him the most advanced prep ever.

2. Darko Milicic, 7-0, 245, Hemofarm Vrsac, Serbia and Montenegro. Young, skilled, needs a year or two, but has a big upside.

3. Emeka Okafor, 6-9, 240, sophomore, Connecticut. Game-changing shot blocker (4.7 a game) who’s coming on offense (7.9 as a freshman to 15.5). Says he’ll stay for his junior year, after which he’d be the top pick in the draft.

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4. Carmelo Anthony, 6-8, 220, freshman, Syracuse. If freshmen got player-of-the-year consideration, he’d be it. Scores (23 a game), rebounds (10, a lot in college, especially for a small forward) and handles the ball. Could become Glenn Robinson or better.

5. Chris Bosh, 6-10, 210, freshman, Georgia Tech. Doesn’t have pro body, but he’s already a standout with the one he has.

6. Chris Kaman, 7-0, 255, junior, Central Michigan. We haven’t seen a late bloomer like this in a while. Think: a faster Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

7. T.J. Ford, 5-10, 165, sophomore, Texas. Mind-blower. The pros scorn tiny point guards who can’t shoot but flat-out, to a man, love him. Think of a playmaker version of Allen Iverson. Says a general manager: “There are very few personalities who impact winning and losing like T.J.”

8. Mikael Pietrus 6-7, 201, Pau Orthez, France. Rangy, do-everything wing player.

9. Pavel Podkolzin, 7-4, 300, Varese, Italy. Old enough to make himself eligible for the draft, although he hasn’t said he will. Very young (just turned 18), very large prospect.

10. Kirk Hinrich, 6-3, 190, senior, Kansas. Efficient point guard who shot 42% on three-pointers.

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11. Travis Outlaw, 6-9, 195, Starkville (Miss.) High. Major athlete, thought to be coming out.

12. Dwyane Wade, 6-4, 210, junior, Marquette. Came from off the radar screen. Athlete who does everything except shoot (30% on three-pointers), although that’s worrisome for a shooting guard.

13. Luke Ridnour, 6-2, 175, junior, Oregon. Size and strength are concerns. Admirers see a coach’s-son version of Jason Williams, with swagger, good fundamentals and range (46% on three-pointers over his last 12 games).

14. Reece Gaines, 6-6, 205, senior, Louisville. Move to the point set up Cardinals’ season, and Coach Rick Pitino loves him. Pros are split between those who agree and those who think he’s just a nice player.

15. Jarvis Hayes, 6-7, 230, junior, Georgia. Shot 42% on three-pointers. Limited ballhandler, which is a problem, because he’ll probably be a guard.

16. Nick Collison, 6-9, 255, senior, Kansas. Limited but had great season. All-around game and, unlike your laid-back, Raef LaFrentz-type Jayhawk, throws himself all over the court.

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17. Brian Cook, 6-10, 240, senior, Illinois. Toughness is a question after three deferential seasons and breakout senior year. Legit size and skills.

18. Boris Diaw, 6-6, 200, Pau Orthez, France. That’s some backcourt because the other guard, Pietrus, is projected as a first-rounder too. Diaw is supposed to be a Jason Richardson-level athlete.

19. Anderson Varejao, 6-10, 230, FC Barcelona. Young Brazilian power forward. Opinions vary on skill level. Says a European scout: “When he works out, he’s going to stun people.”

20. Kendrick Perkins, 6-10, 285, Beaumont (Texas) Ozen High. Pros are flocking to next week’s McDonald’s All-Star game to see how all the “Baby Shaqs” compare.

21. Josh Howard, 6-6, 203, senior, Wake Forest. Made a big move as a senior.

22. Zarko Cabarkapa, 6-11, 220, Buducnost, Serbia and Montenegro. Compared to Denver’s Nikoloz Tskitishvili, last season’s No. 5 pick who wasn’t ready.

23. Wayne Simien, 6-9, 255, sophomore, Kansas. Despite all his injuries, a general manager says: “He’s a major talent. If he came out, you’d have to check him out, but if he was OK, he’d go in the first round.”

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24. Ronny Turiaf, 6-9, 228, sophomore, Gonzaga. Played in France with Tony Parker, regarded as comer in his own right.

25. Sofoklis Schortsianitis, 6-9, 253, Iraklis Salonica, Greece. He was “the Greek Baby Shaq,” until scouts saw he wasn’t 6-11. Now they want to know if he’s 6-9.

26. David West, 6-9, 232, senior, Xavier. Sentimental favorite who stayed and was productive. Will play at the next level, just not as productively.

27. Ricky Paulding, 6-5, 212, junior, Missouri. Big, athletic guard who broke out last spring, had so-so season and went off again in this tournament.

28. Chris Thomas, 6-1, 180, sophomore, Notre Dame. Averaged 19 during the season, 22 in the first two games of tournament.

29. J.J. Redick, 6-4, 200, freshman, Duke. This is fast company for a spot-up shooter, but what a shooter! One scout compares him to ‘60s hoop icon Rick Mount.

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Right There

Aleksandar Pavlovic, 6-7, 207, Buducnost, Serbia and Montenegro. Plays alongside Cabarkapa so that’s some frontcourt.

James Lang, 6-11, 305, Birmingham (Ala.) Central Park Christian High. See: Perkins.

Jerome Beasley, 6-10, 240, senior, North Dakota State. Late bloomer.

Steve Blake, 6-3, 190, Maryland, senior. Hard-nosed, can shoot.

Robert Whaley, 6-9, 270, Barton County (Kan.) College. Trying to overcome troubled past.

Zaur Pachulia, 6-11, 240, Ulker Spor, Istanbul. A Georgian who moved up on last spring’s pre-draft circuit before pulling out.

Victor Khryapa, 6-9, 210, Red Army Moscow. Compared to countryman Andrei Kirilenko (notice a pattern?) but may not be quite that good.

Matt Bonner, 6-10, 237, senior, Florida. Finesse guy but good. Shot 49% on three-pointers.

Mike Sweetney, 6-8, 260, junior, Georgetown. Has wide body, but is he tall enough?

Hollis Price, 6-1, 170, senior, Oklahoma. B.J. Armstrong clone. A waif with a big heart and jumper, he’s behind the Sooner resurgence.

Troy Bell, 6-1, 183, senior, Boston College. Point guard who climbed back into picture, averaging an attention-grabbing 26.

Luke Walton, 6-8, 245, senior, Arizona. Marginal prospect except for his exceptional floor game.

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Jason Kapono, 6-7, 200, senior, UCLA. Shooting ability and feel for the game may still make him a good fit for the right team, like the Lakers.

Comers

Channing Fry, 6-10, 235, sophomore, Arizona. Young project who’s working out.

Shelden Williams, 6-9, 255, freshman, Duke. Athletic and young enough to grow. Averaged 12 and 8 over his last nine games.

Rick Rickert, 6-11, 216, sophomore, Minnesota. Has skills, needs weight.

Josh Childress, 6-8, 200, sophomore, Stanford. Led Pacific 10 in rebounding with that reedy body and has some perimeter game too.

Ike Diogu, 6-8, 242, freshman, Arizona State. Strong, high-energy, athletic post player who might grow, or develop enough game to step out and face the basket.

Rashad McCants, 6-4, 201, freshman, North Carolina. Athletic guard who averaged 17, made 42% of his threes.

Romain Sato, 6-4, 195, junior, Xavier. Central African Republic native. Major athlete who can shoot.

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Jameer Nelson, 6-0, 190, junior, St. Joseph’s. Powerhouse little point guard who exploded late.

Goers

Chris Marcus, 7-0, 270, senior, Western Kentucky. Two years ago he looked like a lottery pick before foot injuries hit. Played 38 minutes this season.

James White, 6-3, 180, sophomore, Cincinnati. He was No. 27 on this list last season on sheer athleticism, mused about going pro, left Florida and sat out the season.

Chris Duhon, 6-1, 190, junior, Duke. Right there last year, but there were questions about how he’d shoot after Jay Williams moved on. Answer: 25% on threes.

Antwain Barbour, 6-5, 180, junior, Kentucky. Hot ticket coming out of junior college but played 13 minutes a game. Still, that was five more minutes than freshman teammate Kelenna Azubuike, who mused about entering the draft a year ago.

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