LUKE RIDNOUR

Position: PG Class: Early Entry School: Oregon High School: Blaine (WA) Conference: Pac-10 Ht., Wt.: 6'2, 175 Selected by Seattle SuperSonics Round 1, pick 14 (14 overall)

BIO: Ridnour spent three years at Oregon, helping the Ducks to a Pac-10 tournament title this past year and a pair of NCAA Tournament berths. Last season, Ridnour was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year after averaging 19.7 points and setting a school record with 218 assists. As a sophomore, Ridnour scored 20 points when matched up with Texas' T.J. Ford in Oregon's victory in a "Sweet 16" contest. Ridnour is a career 38 percent 3-point shooter, which is considered one of the strengths of his game. He is considered to have great agility on defense, perhaps a result of his tennis background in high school. A coach's son, Ridnour shot 86 percent at the line in his career. ANALYSIS: Ridnour is a true point guard who has all the skills to be among the best at his position. He's a leader, exceptional ball-handler and imaginative passer who has molded his game after his idol, Pete Maravich. Ridnour can throw some of the same kind of passes the Pistol threw, which could be a minor nit-pick in his game in that he sometimes makes turnovers trying to be flashy. But he errs on the side of aggression, which most coaches love. He's not big or athletic, but neither was John Stockton, who retired this season as the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals. POSITIVES: Ridnour may not have the best size or athleticism in the world, but his quick release and terrific outside shooting makes it a safe bet that he will be able to get off his shot at the next level. When he is not is scoring mode, Ridnour can find shots for others as well; he has a terrific cognitive abilities in running an offense and routinely will find open men. NEGATIVES: The question is not whether Ridnour will have an NBA career, the question is how good will it be. In the past, a number of successful college point guards have found themselves limited to backup roles in the NBA, largely because they could not take their man off the dribble. If Ridnour cannot find a way to get in the lane and break down a defense, he will struggle to crack the starting lineup. PROJECTION: Mid First Round 2002 - 2003 Season Stats Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images