Early 2001 NBA Draft Report

By Gene Huh

Talent scouts are pretty excited about the potential pool of players for the upcoming NBA draft. Unlike the previous two drafts, the 2001 draft may feature a lot of players with great size, but not a lot of players with point guard skills. However, since most of the top prospects are underclassmen, we won't know for sure just how good the pool of draft-eligible players will be until this spring.

(Note: Underclassmen are denoted with an asterisk ("*"). Some of these players may end up not declaring for the draft)

1. *Eddy Curry (6-11 290 C, Thornwood HS (IL))
Curry has been compared to Shaquille O'Neal because of his freakish combination of massive size and great agility. Unfortunately, his free throw shooting is also Shaqesque. If he can prevent himself from getting too beefy, Curry has the tools to develop into a franchise player.

2. Yao Ming (7-6 265 C, China)
Ming is an unknown quantity because he plays against inferior competition in China. However, there has never been a big man with his combination of size, skill and athleticism. Ming can shoot from the perimeter and also shut down the paint with his imposing shotblocking. Ming appears to have the frame to put on weight, unlike Shawn Bradley, and has a passion for the game that Bradley definitely lacks. In time, Ming could develop into a taller version of a young Arvydas Sabonis.

3. *Jason Williams (6-2 190 PG, Duke)
Williams plays like a bigger, more explosive Tim Hardaway. He is a money shooter in crunch time and can blow past defenders using a devastating crossover dribble. Unfortunately, at times Williams looks a step slow defensively and does not quite have the playmaking skills to run an NBA team right now. However, he has the ballhandling ability, passing skill and brainpower to eventually develop into a fine lead guard.

4. *Eddie Griffin (6-9 205 SF, Seton Hall)
Although it is true that Griffin racked up his most impressive statistics against inferior competition, he has shown even against Big East competition, that he has the tools to be a franchise player. His expansive wingspan and great leaping ability permit him to play like a 7-footer, dominating opponents with his shotblocking and rebounding. Offensively, he relies too much on his perimeter game, taking far too many tough, contested turnaround jumpers. He does however have a good post game when he chooses to use it. The one glaring negative is the anger management problem that he has yet to conquer.

5. *Jason Richardson (6-6 220 F/G, Michigan St.)
Perhaps the best pure athlete in college basketball, Richardson can out-dunk any of the pretenders that were in this year's NBA Slam Dunk Contest. His athleticism makes him unstoppable in transition and impossible to keep off the offensive glass. If he can keep developing his much-improved jump shot, Richardson could become a fine off guard in the NBA.

6. *DaJuan Wagner (6-2 180 PG, Camden HS (NJ))
Wagner may actually become the best player out of all of the players I have listed when all is said and done. He is a great athlete with every skill that an NBA guard could ever need. He can dominant a game with his scoring much as Stephon Marbury or Allen Iverson can. Some experts feel that Wagner's jump shot lacks backspin, but it definitely goes in most of the time. However, since his father is now an assistant with the University of Memphis, the chances are good that he will honor his commitment to attend Memphis for at least one season.

7. *Tyson Chandler (7-1 230 SF, Compton Dominguez HS (CA))
Chandler has small forward skills to go along with a center's height. Basically, he has the physical ability to become a player in the mold of a Kevin Garnett, combining perimeter shooting with shotblocking. However, he is a spoiled kid who has been living off of Nike shoe money for many years now. Chandler does not play hard and floats around the perimeter too much, but it will be very difficult for an NBA GM to pass on this potential franchise player, especially in light of how well Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady have done in the NBA.

8. *Zach Randolph (6-9 270 F/C, Michigan St.)
Randolph is not an above-the-rim performer, but he has very nimble feet for a widebody and a good understanding of post play. His ability to stay in shape could become an issue down the road, but he definitely has the potential to develop into a major force in the post.

9. *Richard Jefferson (6-7 220 G/F, Arizona)
If Richardson is the best pure athlete in the nation, then Jefferson is the second best. Not just a high-flying dunker, Jefferson also has a smooth jumper with three-point range. His ballhandling and passing skills are very underrated and will allow him to make the smooth transition from college forward to NBA shooting guard. As the fourth option on a very talented Arizona squad, Jefferson has yet to tap into his virtually unlimited potential.

10. *Caron Butler (6-7 230 SF, Connecticut)
Butler is complete player who can play in the post or shoot jumpers from the perimeter. He also has a very smooth handle and passes the ball extremely well. His quickness and leaping ability serve him very well on defense and in transition. UConn coach Jim Calhoun raves about Butler's leadership ablity, but he may not benefit from it for much longer.

11. Joseph Forte (6-4 185 SG, UNC)
Forte does not have the physical tools of the players listed above, but he has been a dominant player for UNC. Forte has a beautiful shooting stroke from long range, but he is not just a shooter. He can also drive and pull up for medium range jumper or get into the lane and hang in the air to convert difficult plays. His leaping ability also allows him to help out on the boards. The only major knock on Forte is his lack of ideal NBA size.

12. Loren Woods (7-1 245 C, Arizona)
Woods is a gifted shotblocker with the agility and athleticism of a much smaller man. On offense, he displays a smooth midrange shooting stroke and has some nice post moves. Unfortunately, Woods lacks the strength and toughness to hold his own against more physical players in the paint. It is this softness that Woods must overcome in order to reach his full potential.

13. Shane Battier (6-8 230 SF, Duke)
Battier may end up going much lower in the draft because of the perception is that he is an overachiver who has already "maxed out" his physical tools. However, Battier is already a player who can help many NBA teams. His defensive prowess has become legendary due primarily to his willingness to draw charges. However, his shotblocking and ball thievery are equally as brilliant. Offensively, he can drill the three-pointer, post up or put the ball on the floor. The only major hole in his game is his mediocre rebounding. Battier's intelligence, intangibles and outstanding character will make him a fine complimentary player in the NBA from day one.

14. *Michael Bradley (6-10 245 F/C, Villanova)
This former Kentucky Wildcat has resurfaced at Villanova, complete with a vastly improved all-around game. Bradley has an inside-outside offensive game reminiscent of Christian Laettner's. He has good moves in the low post and can step outside to drill the long-range jumper. A much better athlete than people realize, a lack of mass and strength is the only thing holding him back.

15. Brendan Haywood (7-0 265 C, UNC)
Haywood has been one of the most maligned players in college basketball during his UNC career. Despite his immense frame and good athletic ability, Haywood has yet to develop into a consistently dominating performer. He has soft hands, excellent power and surprising agility in the post, but he does not have much range as a shooter. His propensity for bringing the ball down low while in the paint is a fundamental flaw that needs to be corrected and he definitely needs to gain more stamina. However, Haywood is younger than most college seniors so he definitely has time to develop.

16. *Drew Gooden (6-9 230 PF, Kansas)
Gooden is one of the most underrated players in the country. He has good explosiveness off the floor, which serves him well as a rebounder. Gooden also has a very good shooting touch, both as a face-up shooter and as a low post performer. As he gets bigger and stronger, Gooden could develop into a Brian Grant style player at the NBA level.

17. *Troy Murphy (6-10 240 PF, Notre Dame)
Murphy is a dominant player at the college level, but he appears to lack the athletic ability to continue his dominance in the NBA. A tough player with very good shooting touch, Murphy scores on turnaround jumpers and on midrange face-ups. However, Murphy lacks the quickness and leaping ability to match up with most NBA power forwards.

18. *Casey Jacobson (6-6 210 SG, Stanford)
Jacobson is a stone-cold gunner who has been compared to Paul Westphal as a player. He has excellent size and tremendous pure-shooting ability. Although he does not have great quickness, he has the size to be a factor defensively. However, as a Stanford player, Jacobson will probably stay in school for a couple of more years.

19. *Mike Dunleavy, Jr. (6-8 200, Duke)
Dunleavy is a wing guard with the height of a power forward. A surprising athlete with superb body control, Dunleavy is a lethal driver and a pretty good perimeter shooter. He also has pretty good playmaking skills. Dunleavy should definitely stay in school in order to fill out his frame, as he is currently not physically ready to play in the NBA. By his senior year, he could become a top 5 pick.

20. *LaVell Blanchard (6-7 205 G/F, Michigan)
Blanchard has become lost in the mess that is the Michigan basketball program. On a team like Kansas or Duke, where he could run off of a complex array of screens, Blanchard would be absolutely lethal. He has a beautiful shooting stroke and the ability to create his own shot off the dribble. Pluse, his spectacular leaping ability allows him to rebound like a player 5 or 6 inches taller. Currently, Blanchard is not a good defender and needs to work on his ballhandling skill, but his overall game is very comparable to that of current Clippers rookie Quentin Richardson.

Other Prospects:
21. Terence Morris (6-9 205 SF, Maryland)
22. *Dan Gadzuric (6-11 245 C, UCLA)
23. *Brian Cook (6-10 240 F, Illinois)
24. *Kelly Wise (6-10 215 F, Memphis)
25. Jamal Tinsley (6-3 195 PG, Iowa State)
26. *Carlos Boozer (6-8 270 PF, Duke)
27. *Omar Cook (6-1 190 PG, St. John's)
28. *Vincent Yarborough (6-7 210 SF, Tennessee)
29. Jarron Collins (6-10 250 PF, Stanford)
30. Ken Johnson (6-11 245 C, Ohio State)