ESPN draft update...

["Jaims" <jaims@philonline.com>]

Top five players by position

  By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

With a few weeks left before the Chicago pre-draft camp (June 6-9), ESPN.com
checked with NBA scouts for a sneak peek at the top five at each position.
But just because a player is in the top five doesn't mean he's a lock to be
picked in the first round. Teams late in the draft may feel they need to go
with a foreign project, a high school player or maybe the team has to fill a
specific need.

The strongest position in the draft is power forward -- any one of the top
three at that position could be taken No. 1 overall in the draft. The draft
camp and subsequent workouts with teams could change these rankings.

Point guard
1. Mateen Cleaves, 6-2, Sr., Michigan State: Cleaves' leadership and guts
keep him atop the point guard list. He's still shying away from competition
in draft camps while he nurses his sore foot. But he still has the moxie for
the position that his competitors lack.

2. Erick Barkley, 6-1, So., St. John's: Barkley doesn't have the size, but
he does have the quickness and court vision that NBA teams love at the
point. Barkley should stay in the lottery because of his ballhandling and
pestering defense.


Craig "Speedy" Claxton has moved up the list of point guards.

3. Craig Claxton, 5-11, Sr., Hofstra: Next to Cleaves, Claxton is the
strongest pure point guard in the draft. He can hold his own defensively and
seems to be maturing at the position each day. If he plays well in Chicago,
he could move up into the lottery -- and in front of longtime friend
Barkley.

4. Keyon Dooling, 6-3, So., Missouri: Even though he could have gone higher
next season had he stayed, Dooling is a legit playmaker with the upside to
be a first-round draft pick. He has a scorer's mentality at the point, which
falls right in line with this group.

5. A.J. Guyton, 6-1, Sr., Indiana: Guyton gets the nod over Ohio State's
Scoonie Penn because of his scoring ability. Guyton is still convincing
scouts he can play the point, but the good news for him is he doesn't have
to make them believers on his shooting -- he won them over in Phoenix.
Guyton may not play in Chicago, which will leave the scouts guessing as to
where to pick him.

Shooting guard
1. Courtney Alexander, 6-5, Sr., Fresno State: Still the top shooting guard
available because of his ability to create his own shot. His defense needs
to pick up, but that won't stop him from being a top-seven pick. Alexander
is letting his regular season speak for him by missing all of the draft
camps.

2. DerMarr Johnson, 6-9, Fr., Cincinnati: His Lamar Odom-like skills make
Johnson a top-seven pick and a tantalizing shooting guard. Johnson has been
hanging out in Los Angeles trying to hone his game. Like Alexander, he won't
be going anywhere near the Chicago pre-draft camp court.

3. Morris Peterson, 6-6, Sr., Michigan State: Scouts love his size, jump
shot and work ethic. Peterson made himself a lottery pick through hard work
and commitment. He still needs to work on his ballhandling but that won't
take him out of the lottery.

4. DeShawn Stevenson, 6-5, HS, Washington Union (Fresno, Calif.): Scouts
have a love-hate relationship with Stevenson. His athleticism gets some
scouts juiced, while his erratic shooting leaves others wondering what can
he actually do at the NBA level. He's enough of a talent to go in the middle
of the first round.

5. Quentin Richardson, 6-6, So., DePaul: Richardson could have gone higher
had he stayed in school for another year. But his best asset might be his
ability to get to the basket and finish plays. Too many guards find
themselves watching their shot instead of following it for a rebound.
Richardson makes coaches proud by finishing everything he starts.

Small forward
1. Darius Miles, 6-9, HS, East St. Louis (Ill.): Miles' stock keeps climbing
and he's likely to go in the top seven. His versatility as an inside-out
forward will make him the first small forward taken in the draft. He needs
to get stronger but he'll get a honeymoon period for a year or two.

2. Mike Miller, 6-8, So., Florida: Miller's feet are deceptively quick for a
player who looks like he lumbers down court. He can shoot 3-pointers, get to
the basket and make the mid-range shot (see win over Butler in the first
round of the NCAA Tournament). He came out because his advisers told him
he'd be picked be in the lottery. They're right.

3. Desmond Mason, 6-6, Sr., Oklahoma State: Mason's athleticism will keep
him high in the first round. He can dunk, run the floor and finish around
the basket but his perimeter skills need to improve before he can be an
impact player. His defense is above average and he could be this draft's
James Posey.

4. Chris Carrawell, 6-6, Sr., Duke: He has the love-hate thing going just
like Stevenson, where some scouts don't understand how others can have him
in the lottery or just outside the top 13. But Duke players rarely slip too
far in the first round. Carrawell has a nose for the ball and will get in
good with a coaching staff because of his tenacity in practice.

5. Hanno Möttölä, 6-9, Sr., Utah: Möttölä's camp has been quiet this spring
but he's still a shooting forward who has the skills to be a decent scorer
in the NBA. He's not as quick as Keith Van Horn, or as consistent a 3-point
threat. But Möttölä is active and moves well without the ball. He won't slip
out of the first.

Power forward
1. Kenyon Martin, 6-8, Sr., Cincinnati: Forget about the broken leg. Martin
is still the most complete and dominant player in the draft. He can surpass
Elton Brand's effectiveness in the NBA because of his size and defense. If
Martin stays as the top power forward prospect, he'll likely be the top pick
overall.

2. Stromile Swift, 6-9, So., LSU: Although Swift didn't sign with an agent,
he probably won't be coming back to school. Swift is a top-five pick because
of his versatility as an inside-outside scorer, his quick first-step to the
basket and his tenacity on the boards. He could get stronger but he's not
that far away from being an impact player in the NBA.

3. Marcus Fizer, 6-8, Jr., Iowa State: Fizer's bully mentality in the lane
makes him a strong pick to leap ahead of Martin or Swift. But his size could
push him behind the two. He's not as effective away from the basket and his
defense isn't as consistent as that of Martin and Swift. But there's still a
chance someone could like Fizer enough to take him No. 1.

4. Jerome Moiso, 6-10, So., UCLA: Moiso makes power forward the strongest
position in the draft. All four players could go in the top 10, with Moiso
being the most intriguing. He has the raw skills to tantalize the scouts but
can still build his upper body. His legs are like springs, and despite
still-developing post moves, Moiso will be a find for whichever team picks
him.

5. Etan Thomas, 6-9, Sr., Syracuse: Thomas is a hard one to figure for
scouts. He doesn't have the offensive skills as the previous four, but may
be a better shot blocker and defender than any of them. He's stronger than
Swift and Moiso but doesn't have the wow factor when scouts watch him play.
He could still sneak into the lottery.

Center
1. Chris Mihm, 7-0, Jr., Texas: He came out for a reason -- to be the No. 1
draft pick. But Mihm will only be the top pick if the team that drafts first
is in need of a center. But even if he's not the top pick, he won't last
past No. 5. He has the nimble feet, soft hands and the mindset to have a
long-lasting career in the NBA.

2. Joel Przybilla, 7-0, So., Minnesota: He was a shot blocker as a freshman
and more of a scorer in the few games he played in during his sophomore
season. He's shedding body fat and adding muscle while working out this
spring. Don't be shocked to see him go in the top five.

3. Iakovos Tsakalidis, 7-1, Greece: The Greek national who earned his
stripes playing in Russia could be the next foreign center to be starting on
a NBA roster near you. Tsakalidis hasn't worked out in the U.S. but is
expected to be a high first-round pick because of his size and potential
around the basket.

4. Mamadou N'diaye, 7-0, Sr., Auburn: Injuries have kept the buzz down on
N'diaye. When he didn't show up in Phoenix, scouts were wondering about how
high he should be taken in the draft. If he's not in Chicago, they'll have
to go on what they saw this season -- N'daiye as a defensive presence but
inconsistent offensively.

5. Jamaal Magloire, 6-11, Sr., Kentucky: Magloire and Georgia Tech's Jason
Collier could be battling for the last center spot in the first round.
Magloire proved he could be more of a scorer this season instead of simply
being a big body inside. He has stayed away from the camps and might not
show in Chicago. Magloire made the right call in pulling out of last year's
draft -- he's ready now, but still needs an assurance that he can go in the
first round.

Jaims