Ah, Chicago. The city that every year makes or breaks young NBA hopefuls was at it again last week with over 60 prospects of varied repute convening for the league's biggest pre-draft camp.
None of this, of course, makes it any easier to forecast the top of the draft, which will not include most of the second-tier prospects from Chicago. The combination of so many unproven high schoolers and the fact the mysterious Jordan holds the cards at No. 1 makes the top five or six picks a guessing game at this point.
| CNNSI.com Mock NBA Draft: First Round |
| Pick |
Team |
| 1 |  | Wizards -- Eddy Curry, C, South Holland (Ill.) HS |
| Indications are Jordan is shopping the pick for a veteran big man or point guard. If not, he could choose from among workout buddy Curry, Eddie Griffin or wild-card Tyson Chandler. |
2 |  | Clippers -- Eddie Griffin, PF, Seton Hall |
| If Griffin goes No. 1, L.A. could grab a similar player in Kwame Brown or finally throw in the towel on Michael Olowakandi and take Curry. |
3 |  | Hawks -- Shane Battier, SF, Duke |
| The young Hawks have said repeatedly they don't want another youngster. The mature Battier was one of the first players they worked out. |
4 |  | Bulls -- Tyson Chandler, PF/SF, Compton Calif. (HS)
|
| This pick will only come to be if Jerry Krause can't trade up to get Curry. Even at 7-1, athletic wonder Chandler would be more suited to play the "small" forward than Marcus Fizer. |
5 |  | Warriors -- Kwame Brown, PF, Brunswick, Ga. (HS) |
| Golden State is another team that would do well to give MJ a call about moving up. If not, they couldn't afford to pass on a potential superstar like Brown, even with Antawn Jamison around. |
6 |  | Grizzlies -- Rodney White, SF, Charlotte |
| The buzz around White is growing fast because -- who else? -- M.J. is rumored to covet the versatile frosh if he were to trade down. |
7 |  | Nets -- Jason Richardson, SG, Michigan State |
| The scoring-deprived Nets would be doing cartwheels if Richardson were to fall to them. |
8 |  | Cavaliers -- Joe Johnson, SF, Arkansas |
| Another guy whose stock is on the rise because of his versatility. Could potentially become Cleveland's go-to guy. |
9 |  | Pistons -- Loren Woods, C, Arizona |
| The Pistons need a center, and while Sagana Diop is an option, Joe Dumars can't afford to wait on a project. |
10 |  | Celtics -- Sagana Diop, C, Oak Hill, Va. (HS)
|
| The Celtics, on the other hand, are all about projects, especially a 7-footer who could easily go six picks higher. |
11 | | Celtics -- Jamaal Tinsley, PG, Iowa State |
| This pick is a no-brainer, with Boston in need of a floor leader and the best in the draft available here. |
12 |  | Sonics -- Pau Gasol, SF, Spain |
| The Sonics are rumored to be cleaning out the kitchen and starting from scratch this summer. Why not start with a 7-1 guy whose rep is the ability to do everything. One caveat: He may still withdraw from the draft. |
13 |  | Rockets -- Steven Hunter, C, DePaul |
| We told you his star was rising. Houston needs to replace Hakeem Olajuwon, and Hunter seems to have far more upside than the next-best center choice, Brendan Haywood. |
14 | | Warriors -- Omar Cook,, PG, St. John's
|
| Cook's ascension comes in handy because the Warriors need a point guard, and their other pick was too high to take Tinsley. |
15 |  | Magic -- Zach Randolph, PF, Michigan State |
| Orlando could use a center, either through trading up or using its later pick. Meanwhile, Randolph is a steal this low. |
16 |  | Hornets -- Brendan Haywood, C, North Carolina |
| This is the second straight mock draft we've had a Tar Heel going to nearby Charlotte. So don't be surprised to see someone from California.
|
17 |  | Raptors -- Michael Bradley, PF, Villanova |
| Toronto could use a scorer to complement Vince Carter, so shooting guard is an option here. But Bradley has offensive skills to go with his rebounding ability. |
18 | | Rockets -- Troy Murphy, PF, Notre Dame |
| Bradley and Murphy are both worthy lottery picks who might slip only because of differing team needs above. |
19 |  | Blazers -- Richard Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| Scottie Pippen won't be around forever, plus the defensive-minded Jefferson would be one less Blazer demanding the ball. |
20 | | Cavaliers -- Trenton Hassell, SG, Austin Peay |
| Validated his stock in Chicago, but says he's still "50-50" over whether to return to school for his senior year. |
21 | | Celtics -- Gilbert Arenas, SG, Arizona |
| Boston, lacking a true shooting guard, would be thrilled to have either Arenas or UNC's Joseph Forte here. |
22 | | Magic -- Jason Collins, C, Stanford |
| The hot-shot Hunter seems like a good fit for the young Magic, who will take a center at some point either way. Collins is the next best thing. |
23 | | Rockets -- Vladimir Radmanovic, SF, Yugoslavia |
| This is Houston's third first-round pick and it can afford to take a gamble. Radmanovic could either become a big scorer or a total bust. |
24 |  | Jazz -- Joseph Forte, SG, North Carolina |
| The always-exciting Forte has a chance to move up with individual workouts, but right now position counterparts Hassell and Arenas have the buzz factor. |
25 |  | Kings -- Sam Clancy, PF, USC |
| The bruising rebounder would be a nice stopgap if Chris Webber leaves, but Clancy says he wants an assurance he'll go top 17 (?) in order to stay in the draft. |
26 |  | Sixers -- Gerald Wallace, SF, Alabama |
| The Eastern Conference champs obviously don't have a lot of needs. Wallace is simply the best athlete available.
|
27 | | Grizzlies -- Alvin Jones, C, Georgia Tech |
| If Vancouver doesn't use its No. 6 pick on a big man, Jones is a safe choice who could push Bryant Reeves for a starting spot. |
28 |  | Spurs -- Rashad Phillips, PG, Detroit |
| Score one for the little guy (5-10). Size is the last thing San Antonio needs, and Phillips will provide a much-needed spark with his speed. |
