Great Draft Stuff From Andy Katz

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

If the Celtics were smart, they'd come out of the upcoming draft
with a PG like Ridnour or Leadrinho Barbosa; and then a Euro Big
Man such as Perovic, Pachulia, Shortsianitis, Podkolzin, or a Foreign
SF/SG like Delfino, Planinic, or Pavlovic.

Ridnour/Aleksandar Pavlovic; Ridnour/Zaur Pachulia; Ridnour/Kosta
Perovic;
Ridnour/Delfino, etc. = fine draft.


And both Wallace and the C's scouts are currently in Europe......

Katz ESPN says:

The names that college players and NBA fans better brush up on:
1. Darko Milicic, 7-1, Yugoslavia (Ray says: Some think he'll be better
than
Nowitzki or Gasol)

2. Zoran Planinic, 6-6, Croatia (Ray says: He's a 6-6 combo guard who
can shoot.)

3. Boris Diaw, 6-8, France  (Ray says :Most talented of the Frenchies,
but Mosoitis present.)

4. Michael Pietrus, 6-6, France (Athletic non-shooter, think Kedrick
Brown with more
energy.)

5. Zarko Cabarkapa, 6-11, Yugoslavia (Ray says: Talented drifter,
toughness question.)

6. Victor Khryapa, 6-9, Russia (Ray says: Think Kirilenko, but not
quite.)

7. Anderson Varejao, 6-10, Brazil (Ray says: Very raw and athletic,
looks
to be top 7 in lottery.)

8. Sofoklis Schostanitis, 6-9, Greece (Ray says: Size determines draft
position,
brawny PF or possible lottery C if he's 6-10.)

9. Zaur Pachulia, 6-11, Turkey ( Ray says: Got some Dino Radja in him.)

10. Aleksander Pavolic, 6-7, Yugoslavia (Ray says: Mucho better than
Eric Williams.)

11. Kosta Perovic, 7-2, Yugoslavia (Ray says: Serbian draft sleeper.)

12. Pavel Podkolzin, 7-4, Russia (Ray says: Big Siberian, very raw like
Diop.)

13. Carlos Delfino, 6-7, Argentina ( Ray says: Talented and apprecites
the defensive part
of the game.)

14. Slavco Vranes, 7-6, Yugoslavia (Ray says: Not a twiggy boy like
Bradley.)

15. Edu Hernandez, 7-0, Spain (Ray says: Defensive minded big man.)


Milicic is likely the No. 2 or No. 3 pick. Varejao and Pietrus are
likely lottery picks. The rest of the that list could go at some point
in the first round.

The seniors that are locks for the first round:
16. Kirk Hinrich, G, Kansas
17. Nick Collison, F, Kansas
18. Reece Gaines, G, Louisville
19. Josh Howard, F, Wake Forest
20. Brian Cook, F, Illinois
21. David West, F, Xavier


The seniors who are likely first-round picks:
22. Ron Slay, F, Tennessee
23. Dahntay Jones, G, Duke


The seniors who are on the first-round bubble:
24. Kyle Korver, F, Creighton
25. Marcus Hatten, G, St. John's
26. Troy Bell, G, Boston College
27. Hollis Price, G, Oklahoma
28. Chris Marcus, C, Western Kentucky
29. Luke Walton, F, Arizona
30. Jason Kapono, F, UCLA
31. Marcus Banks, G, UNLV


The two seniors who came out of Portsmouth with a buzz that they could
be first-round picks:
32. Tommy Smith, F, Arizona State
33. Jerome Beasley, F, North Dakota


Underclassmen expected to declare or have declared who would be in the
first round:
34. Carmelo Anthony, Fr., F, Syracuse (undeclared)
35. T.J. Ford, So., G, Texas (undeclared)
36. Chris Bosh, Fr., F, Georgia Tech (undeclared)
37. Chris Kaman, Jr., C, Central Michigan (undeclared)
38. Mario Austin, Jr., F, Mississippi State (declared)
39. Dwyane Wade, Jr., G, Marquette (undeclared)
40. Luke Ridnour, Jr., G, Oregon (undeclared)
41. Michael Sweetney, Jr., F, Georgetown (declared)
42. Rick Rickert, So., F, Minnesota (declared)
43. Jarvis Hayes, Jr., F, Georgia (declared)


All but Ridnour and Rickert on this list would be in the lottery.

Undeclared underclassmen that would be on the bubble for the first
round:
44. Maurice Williams, So., G, Alabama
45. Jameer Nelson, Jr., G, Saint Joseph's
46. Chris Thomas, So., G, Notre Dame


Declared underclassman that would be on the bubble for the first round:
47. Carl English, Jr., G, Hawaii


Undeclared high school player who would be the No. 1 pick:
48. LeBron James, G, Akron, Ohio


High school player who would be in the first round if he declared:
49. Travis Outlaw, F, Starkville, Miss.


High school players who would be on the bubble for the first round if
they declared:
50. Kendrick Perkins, F, Beaumont, Texas
51. James Lang, F, Birmingham, Ala.
52. Ndudi Ebi, F, Houston, Texas