Chicago Pre-Draft names I'm watching

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was looking at the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp rosters and these are some names
that intrigue me for the Celts' second-round pick, in no particular order:

Robert Archibald: A 6-11 forward/center with good hands and touch in the low
post. He's solidly built, very strong.

Maurice Baker: I've had a feeling about this guy and the Celts since before
the season. He's a 6-1 point guard out of the Keyon Dooling mode-very
athletic. He was projected as a first-round pick before the season, but he
struggled this season with an injury. If he's healthy, he might be a
second-round steal.

Lee Benson: We've all heard the story of this ex-con. Might be a good
second-round risk.

Brian Brown: He's a combo guard from Ohio State. I've seen him a lot. He
doesn't do any one thing that jumps out at you, but he's solid at
everything. Very heady. A winner. Reminds me of Eric Snow at the same stage.

Lenny Cooke: A 6-6 high school star with plenty of question marks but lots
of upside.

Reggie Evans: I love this guy. A rebounding machine. Very physical. The only
reason he's not a first-rounder is his size. He's 6-8 (and that's generous).
But he has a big rear end and he knows how to use it. Reminds me of Popeye
Jones, right down to the Nosferatu-like facial features and ears.

Ryan Humphrey: An undersized power forward from Notre Dame, but he knows how
to play. Etan Thomas was a mid-first round pick in the Moiso draft, and I
like Humphrey better than Thomas. He's pretty athletic and at 6-8, has
respectable size. A real battler.

Jason Jennings and Freddie Jones: I'm throwing them in here because they're
good prospects, but they're also unlikely to be around for the Celts.

Kris Lang: A 6-11 PF/C from North Carolina. He underachieved at Carolina,
but may have the best post moves in the draft. I like this guy a lot.

Steve Logan/Tito Maddox: A couple of big-name college guards. Logan really
doesn't seem like an NBA player to me. Haven't seen enough of Maddox.

Kei Madison: A 6-9 small forward from Kedrick Brown's school. We know all
about the connection between the JC coach and Chris Wallace. Could they cook
up another draft-day deal?

Aaron McGhee: Another undersized power forward, but a battler in the
Humphrey mold.

Uche Okafor: An athletic center who played at Missouri. He's 6-11. Could be
a Jerome James-like find for someone.

Smush Parker: 6-4 point guard from Fordham. Don't know anything about him
other than what I've read-that good workouts could push him into the first
round.

Luke Recker: A 6-6 swingman who really can shoot it. If you can hide him on
defense, he can help.

John Salmons: A 6-7 point guard from Miami. Why would the Celts be
interested? He's a 6-7 point guard. Actually, this guy is interesting. He's
a natural point guard, not a converted 2-guard. He's not someone who blows
you away, but he does a lot of good things.

Darius Songaila: A 6-9 power forward from Wake Forest who had a great
collegiate career. Not sure why he isn't getting more attention. Performed
big against big-time competition. Pretty good post player.

Marcus Taylor: A solid 6-3 point guard from Michigan State. I can't believe
this guy is being ignored. He has the body and the skills. Maybe I saw the
best game he ever played, but he single-handedly beat Ohio State late this
season. He made every right decision and ran the pick-and-roll better than
any Celtic other than Kenny.

These are some names that caught my attention before the camp started. We
should start hearing about camp performances today.

Celtic fans should pay attention this year since our only pick is in the
second round and the guys in Chicago will make up much of the second round.
Like Josh, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Celtics select a
foreign player.

One more thing: Josh, next time you talk to Wallace, ask him about Sesar. He
had a great season in Europe, and with the open roster spots, it seems like
the time might be right to bring him over. He might be a guy who could
contribute, and he'd be making second-round money. I think his contract is
up, so there wouldn't be a buyout. Let us know what you hear.

Mark