Best Mock Draft 5 Correct Version

[wayray at ix.netcom.com]

Welcome to the fifth of these Best Mock Draft Previews of the
upcoming
NBA Draft. Tracy McGrady's name is in play as he's opting out, and
many
more trade rumors will surface before the draft. Will McGrady end up
in
Memphis for Pau Gasol? Will the Celtics pull a surprise and draft
Johan Petro?
~THE DRAFT~

1. Orlando - Emeka Okafor - PF/C - Connecticut
Lots of interest in this pick, but Orlando seems to want
to keep it, especially with McGrady on the move.

2. Chicago Bulls - Dwight Howard - PF- HS
They're hoping for the Top Spot or Deng.

3. Washington Wizards - Luol Deng - SF - Duke
Three years down the road, will he be the best player from this draft?

4. Charlotte Bobcats - Shaun Livingston - PG - HS
The Cats are sending out mixed signals, but an impact PG is
a good way to start.

5. LA Clippers - Sebastian Telfair - PG - HS
A first in NBA Draft history, two high school point guards in a row.

6. Atlanta Hawks - Martynas Andrieuskevicius- C - Lithuania
The man with the long name won't last much further than the Hawks
pick.

7. Phoenix Suns - Pavel Podkolzine - C - Siberia
Suns wanted Marty A., but let Lampe and Podkolzine battle it out.

8. Toronto Raptors - Andris Biedrins - PF - Latvia
They want help for Bosh as soon as they figure out
who's doing their drafting

9. Philadelphia 76ers - Josh Childress - SG/SF - Stanford
Coach Jim says, "I love Cardinals."

10. Cleveland - Ben Gordon - PG/SG - Connecticut
Dynamic Duo with Lebron.

11. Golden State Warriors - Peter Jon Ramos
They need Center or PF help and Ramos' stock is on the rise.

12. Seattle Sonics - Josh Smith - SF - HS
They have Smith higher rated than Jefferson.

13. Portland Trailblazers - LaMarcus Aldridge - PF - HS
Surprisingly the Bosh-like Aldridge is in the draft, so he has a deal
with one of the teams from 13 to 25.

14. Utah Jazz - Devon Harris - PG/SG - Wisconsin
A bit of a swerve from the Jazz, as most expected them to take
Samardziski, but Harris BPA.

15. Boston - Predrag Samardziski - C - Macedonia
Ainge gets his Divac passing up Jefferson and Iguodela.

16. Utah Jazz - Al Jefferson - PF - HS
Ainge besieges the Jazz with trade offers for this pick,
but the Jazz hold firm.

17. Atlanta Hawks - Andre Iguodela - PG/SG - Arizona
Point Guard and Center, but Lottery they will enter.

18. New Orleans Hornets - Earl "JR" Smith - SG - HS
Earl the Pearl Smith. 'Nuff said.

19. Miami Heat - Tiago Splitter - PF - Brazil
Splitter a steal this late in the Draft.

20. Denver Nuggets - Dorell Wright - SG/SF - HS
The promising Wright gains some altitude.

21. Utah Jazz - Johan Petro - C - France
How do you say "We Surrender" in Mormon.

22. New Jersey Nets - Luke Jackson - SG - Oregon
Nice pick with the terrific Jackson.

23. Portland Trailblazers - Jameer Nelson - PG - St. Joeseph
Good citizen and player for the reformed Jailblazers.

24. Boston - Zbigniew Bialek - SF/PF - Poland
Ainge lights up one of Auerbach's cigars over this smashing surprise
of a pick.
Zbigniew is a 6-8 combo forward and one of the best Polish prospects.
Unlike many of the young Euros, he's putting up some decent numbers
for
Czarni Slupsk in Poland's first division. Ever see that movie:
Stripes?
When I see some of these names, I think of those two border guards.

25. Boston Celtics - Jaber Rouzbahani - C - Iran
"Big Mullah", a 7-5 shaved-headed shotblocking phenom from Iran
promises
to go on a Jihad against the other Eastern Conference centers.

26. Sacramento Kings - Mile Illic - PF - Croatia
His play could make some teams illin'.

27. L.A. Lakers - Robert Swift - C - HS
Best Drifter Available

28. San Antonio Spurs - Damir Omerhodzik - PF - Croatia
Not a chance of this happening on draft day.

29. Minnesota - Invisible Man

30. Indiana Pacers - Kris Humphries - PF - Minnesota
GM Walsh pleasantly surprised that Humphries dropped
this far.

31. Orlando Magic - Han Seung jin - C - Korea
He puts the "B" in Big.

32. Chicago Bulls - Kirk Snyder - SG - Nevada
He's a good one.

33. Washington Wizards - Roko Leni Ukic - PG - Croatia
A surprising slip to the Second.

34. Charlotte Bobcats - Sasha Vujacic - PG/SG - Slovenia
Sasha surprises with a sashay into the second.

35. Atlanta Hawks - Lien Tien - SF - Taiwan
Best prospect ever out of Taiwan. Compared to Garnett and Pippen.

36. Seattle Sonics - Anderson Varejao - PF - Brazil
Stocking up on power forwards they be.

37. Atlanta Hawks - David Harrison - C - Colorado
Headcase bop, but moving up real soon.

38. Atlanta Hawks - Delonte West - PG/SG - St. Bernard
He's a legitimate NBA player, whatever position.

39. Chicago Bulls - Romeo Augustine - SF - Bryant College
Chad's latest Sleeper in the Pippenish mold.

40. Toronto Raptors - Victor Khyrapa - SF - Ukraine
Select and stay with CSKA.

41. Boston Celtics - Elad Inbar - SG/SF - UMass Lowell
Like Charles Oakley, he's the Div. II Player Of The Year.

42. Seattle Sonics - Tony Allen - SG - Oklahoma State
Too good to pass up.

43. Orlando Magic - Chris Duhon - PG - Duke
Underrated pure PG.

44. New York Knicks - Uros Slokar - PF - Slovenia
Smooth shooting Slovenian catches Isiah's third eye blind.

45. New Orleans Hornets - Luka Bogdanovic - SF - Serbia
Luka could be moving up as the draft approaches.

46. Milwaukee Bucks - Jaime Lloreda - PF - LSU
Solid second unit PF.

47. Portland Trailblazers - Christian Drejer - PG/SG/SF - Denmark
A bit too contained but a great talent.

48. Miami Heat - Ivan Koljevic - PG - Serbia
He can score but can he pass?

49. Sacramento Kings - Erazem Lorbek - SF/PF - Slovenia
They love foreigners who can pass and shoot.

50. Memphis Grizzlies - Sergei Lishouk - PF - Ukraine
Jerry knows what he's doing.

51. Dallas Mavericks - Drago Pasalic - PF - Croatia
They'll need another PF after Walker is dealt to whomever.

52. New Jersey Nets - Ales Chan - C - Seton Hill
Chan's stock is all over the map.

53. San Antonio Spurs - Marcello Huertas - PG - Brazil
They've had good luck with foreign PGs, but he's likely to move up.

54. Miami Heat - Cleighton Sebastiao - C - Brazil
They go best available South American.

55. Detroit Pistons - Luis Flores - PG - Manhattan
Could be a keeper.

56. Houston Rockets - Darius Rice - SF - Miami
He's big for a SF and he can shoot.

57. L.A. Lakers - Lionel Chalmers - PG - Xavier
Might be a sleeper; somewhat underrated.

58. San Antonio Spurs - Christos Tapoutos - SG/SF - Greece
Another late round steal with the Greek Tapoutos.

59. Minnesota Timberwolves - Chris Garnett - C - Indiana Southeast
Center shopping.

60. Indiana Pacers - Andre Brown - PF - Depaul
Poor Man's Kenyon Martin.

Ray