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NBA Draft Watch: Okafor, Kaman getting the buzz

by Chad Ford

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Also Below: Mavs, Lakers, Sixers saddled with questions | In and out of the NBA Draft? | Peep Show

NBA Scouting Report: Better late than never

Inside the NBA Draft: March Madness

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There was a lot of college hoops drama to talk about Thursday, but scouts can't keep from gushing over Emeka Okafor, Chris Kaman, Josh Childress, Ike Diogu and Gonzaga's Ronny Turiaf.

Here's a brief look at what NBA scouts were buzzing about after Thursday's game.

UConn's Emeka Okafor dunks over BYU's Rafael Araujo

Emeka Okafor passed a big test in scouts' minds when he dominated BYU big man Rafael Araujo on both ends of the floor Thursday. Okafor finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks. Araujo, an emerging prospect at 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds, was held to just six points on 2 of 11 shooting. Araujo also traveled four times trying to avoid Okafor.

"He interrupted us a little bit when we would drive and have to pull up and arch that thing over the big guy," BYU's Travis Hansen said. "He got our big guys kind of confused, and they traveled a lot. He definitely had a force in there."

"He's magnificent," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. "He is the best player in the country, in my opinion. They (BYU) had five turnovers today that we counted because of Emeka. He does change games, there is no question in my mind."

Afterward, one NBA scout in Spokane couldn't give Okafor enough praise. "That's what we needed to see," the scout told Insider. "How he can handle real physical players that are bigger and stronger than him. Okafor absolutely dominated that game in the paint."

While Okafor can't go much higher -- he's already projected as a top-five pick in the draft if he comes out -- another scout was ready to handicap the field for 2004.

"If he stays in school one more year and keeps this up, he'll be the guy to beat for the top spot in next year's draft."

Central Michigan's Chris Kaman didn't have the best night of his career against Creighton. Triple teams and foul trouble left him with 12 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes Thursday.

Kaman said fatigue played the biggest role. "I don't know if it was the altitude, but I think it was," Kaman told the Detroit News.

What scouts are really waiting for is Saturday's showdown against Duke. The biggest criticism against Kaman this season has been the quality of the opponents he faces. That should all end if Kaman helps the Chippewas slide past Duke.

"There will be a lot scouts in the building," one NBA scout said. "If he can handle the triple teams and put in a solid performance against Duke, he'll be set. There aren't any real good big men in this draft. If he works out well and has a good tournament, he's got the potential to be a top seven pick."

Right now Kaman isn't worrying about the NBA. Coach Jay Smith said he'd sit down and talk with Kaman about the NBA after their run tournament run is over. "We're going to have a talk (about what's best for him)," Smith said. "Chris has done a great job putting that behind him. He's concentrated on school and trying to improve as a player."

Josh Childress and Stanford blocked San Diego's upset bid.

Stanford's Josh Childress put on a show for scouts Thursday. His 22 points, 11 boards, five assists and four blocks almost single handedly propelled the Cardinal into the second round.

"He was the best player I've faced all year, the most athletic," USD's Cory Belser told the Oakland Tribune after the game. Belser guarded Childress most of the evening.

Childress' ability to multi-task on the floor has scouts drooling. He recorded 10 double-doubles this season. He's long (6-foot-11 wingspan), athletic, a fantastic playmaker and at 6-foot-8, he's one of the best rebounding swingmen in the nation (he led the Pac 10 in rebounding this season).

"It's not only his arms," Stanford guard Julius Barnes told the Mecury News. "His fingers are long, too, and it seems like he has eight toes. ... Everybody teases him because he's so lanky, and there are things he's able to do that take you by surprise."

"The ability to penetrate and score, and to create for others, is crucial," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "Josh ... surprises people with his ability to finish. He doesn't look like he's close to the basket, and then he's there."

While scouts would love to see him add more muscle to his wiry, 200-pound frame and a more consistent long range jumper, they're still in love with his game.

"He saved Stanford in that game," one scout said. "He does everything well. He's got a soft mid-range jumper, can run the offense as a point forward and does an unbelievable job on the glass. I know some guys are worried about his frame a little bit, but I don't think lifting weights will help him that much. He's just wiry. I love him."

While most scouts expect Childress to stay in school for his junior season, they say he has the potential to be a lottery pick if he came out of school after this season.

Diogu

Arizona State freshman Ike Diogu's dominating performance against Memphis has put him firmly on the radar screen. His quickness, leaping ability and explosiveness around the basket have teams excited about his long-term potential.

Diogu is a strong rebounder, knows how to get to the line (he led the Pac-10 in free throws made and attempted this season) and can really score in the paint. His face-the-basket game is also progressing nicely. Diogu was 2-for-2 from behind the 3-point arc Thursday night. "That's a shot (the 3-pointer) I can make," Diogu told the Arizona Republic. "I'm not really sure they (the Tigers) thought I could shoot from out there."

"For the people that don't know, he is the second-best 3-point shooter on the team," coach Rob Evans said.

While some scouts wonder if he's a bit undersized to play power forward in the pros, they love his upside.

"He's a kid who really shocked a lot of people," one scout said. "He wasn't a top prospect coming out of high school To do what he's doing in the Pac-10 right now is amazing. He's already got an NBA body and NBA athleticism. If he continues to develop like that next season, he's got the potential to be a very high draft pick."

Don't expect Diogu to bolt Arizona State just yet. He's determined to lead his team to a national championship.

"I'm here to put Arizona State on the map," said Diogu. "We've got a national championship to claim." Don't be surprised to see the Sun Devils give Kansas a run in the second round. Without Wayne Simien, the Jayhawks don't have much bulk in the middle to stop Diogu.

While Gonzaga's Ronny Turiaf shot just 3-for-10 from the field on Thursday, it was his 16 free-throw attempts that impressed NBA scouts.

"I've said this before," one scout said, "he knows how to get to the line better than any player in college basketball. When you combine his ability to score in the post with his ability to get to the line, you've got the makings of a star."

UConn's Okafor makes difference

Ray Ratto / San Francisco Chronicle

CMU looks ahead to Duke

Jim Spadafore / Detroit News

Childress helps Cardinal keep its head and win

Tony Kuttner / Oakland Tribune

Long on talent

Jon Wilner / San Jose Mercury News

Shoe fits, and ASU shows off

Dan Bickley / Arizona Republic

Mavs, Lakers, Sixers saddled with questions

In case you didn't notice, three major games were played in the NBA Thursday night. The stakes haven't been higher all season, and after the games, the Mavs, Lakers and Sixers all had major questions still left unanswered.

Michael Finley

Guard-Forward

Dallas Mavericks

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

67 19.7 5.9 3.0 .426 .861

Can the Mavs win a big game? Despite a recent win over the Kings at Arco Arena, the Mavs are still having trouble getting respect from the rest of the NBA.

"It was made out to be a big game, and it had all the ingredients of a great game," coach Don Nelson told the Dallas Morning News after the Mavs lost to the Spurs 112-110 in overtime. "Unfortunately, we didn't win."

How many times have we heard that this year?

In fairness, the Mavs were playing without Michael Finley. Of course, the Spurs were playing without David Robinson. The loss means that the Mavericks' lead over the Spurs in the Midwest Division has dwindled to 2½ games.

While you certainly can't fault the Mavs' effort -- the game was extremely close -- championship contenders do seem to find a way to pull out those close games at the end.

"I think we had a lot of opportunities," Dirk Nowitzki said. "We played well down the stretch. It just wasn't enough. We've got to recover from this. We're still ahead of them. We've just got to make sure we win all the games from now on."

Are the Kings finally getting in the Lakers' heads? A 107-99 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night helped buoy spirits in Sacramento, but after the game it still sounded like it was the Kings who were looking over their shoulders, not the Lakers.

Chris Webber

Power Forward

Sacramento Kings

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

54 23.0 10.7 5.6 .463 .583

"I feel honored to be in a real rivalry, where you really dislike the team, as if it was college," Chris Webber told the L.A. Times after the game. " ... My whole approach is to know who I am -- but to let their words sink in, because they are the champions. All I want is what they have, so ...

"I respect the fact they can say we have a Pacific championship (last season) but they have a ring. Because that's what it's all about. That's what I want. So I respect that, and I take that to heart and I think about that before we play them.

"And if we play them in the playoffs, I'll think about that. I'll let that be my incentive. I won't try to block it with words and say, 'So what?' They said it because they can. They do have the rings. I don't fear them. I know we can beat them, but they said that because it's true. They have the rings.

"You don't feel sorry for yourself. You kind of man up and say, 'OK, that's what you've got and I want it.' Let's go take it."

Now contrast that with the Lakers' response to the loss.

"We gave 'em that one," Shaquille O'Neal told the O.C. Register. "We made a lot of mistakes; I had two (key fourth-quarter) turnovers. We didn't really play great defense. But we'll be fine. I'm not worried at all."

"I don't think they're really comfortable with the win," Kobe Bryant said, pointing to the Lakers' terrible defense. "It has to be a little unsettling."

The Lakers said they'd love to meet up with the Kings in the opening round of the playoffs.

"It's too much pressure for a team that is expected to win it all this year -- and rightfully so -- facing the champions in the first round," Bryant said. "I told them that."

"We match up excellent with this team," O'Neal said. "They will have to play perfect basketball to beat us. ... We look forward to seeing them in the playoffs."

Are the Pistons really the team to beat in the East? Philadelphia had a lot of confidence coming into Thursday's game against the Pistons. A 113-85 spanking on national TV appears to have cooled the red hot Sixers a bit.

"It hurt because of the loss," Allen Iverson told the Philadelphia Daily News after the drubbing. "We just want to get wins, we don't care who we get them against. It was just a frustrating night. I think it was one of the worst basketball experiences I ever had, especially from a personal standpoint, just how I played. It's just one I'm ready to get out of my system, just be glad I get the opportunity to try it all over again tomorrow."

"We didn't match their energy, their execution," coach Larry Brown said. ""We weren't very good. I thought maybe we'd come out in the second half and give them a run, but they didn't let up and we didn't respond very well. It was about everybody; it wasn't one guy. These things happen. I don't know if you ever sense a game like this, but I know this happens in the pros. Based on the way we've been playing, I didn't anticipate this."

While the Sixers won't start panicking, the Pistons' big win leads us to one more question ...

Ben Wallace

Forward-Center

Detroit Pistons

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

64 6.7 15.2 1.6 .494 .429

Is it time to start giving Detroit a little respect? The Pistons have won six of their last seven, including a huge home win against the Lakers. With nine of their last 15 games at home and all the momentum going their direction, are they the team to beat in the East?

"The knock on us is that we don't have a superstar," coach Rick Carlisle told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "But that's what makes our team unique. When you have to do it with balance, effort, intensity and unselfishness, it makes you a more complete team. You don't know who's going to do what on any given night."

Are you sure about that Rick? Ben Wallace has been averaging 18.9 rpg (including 5.1 offensive board per game) and 3.9 bpg in the month of March. Chauncey Billups is averaging 26.4 ppg on 54 percent shooting from the field and 47 percent shooting from behind the arc in March. And Richard Hamilton is still averaging more than 20 ppg.

Maybe the Pistons have more than even they know.

"Everybody is looking not to give us any credit," Cliff Robinson told the Detroit News after the game. "We played a good game. We took them out of what they wanted to do. This is the stretch run now and every game is important. You have to be ready to play, and we were ready to play."

Parker lifts Spurs over Mavs in OT

Eddie Sefko / Dallas Morning News

On the Other Hand, They Just Might Be in Real Trouble

Mark Heisler / Los Angeles Times

Lakers shrugoff setback to Kings

Kevin Ding / Orange County Register

Pistons show why they stand atop the East

Stephen A. Smith / Philadelphia Inquirer

Players say blowout of 76ers is no illusion

Chris McCosky / Detroit News

In and out of the NBA Draft?

Insider takes a look at who's in or out of the upcoming draft.

Korea may have the next Yao Ming in 7-foot-4 center Ha Seung-jin. However, despite reports to the contrary, Ha won't be eligible to declare until the 2004 draft. Ha doesn't turn 18 until August. Per the new agreement between the NBA and the Players Association, a player must turn 18 by draft night.

Ha spent last week in Los Angeles working out with SFX officials (led by agent Arn Tellem).

"It was fun to have such an experience. I was a little surprised to get such a good estimation (from SFX). I can feel that the NBA is not just a pipe dream," Ha told the Korean Times.

Only a small handful of scouts have actually seen Ha play. They were unable to attend his workouts in L.A. per league rules that ban teams from watching underclassmen in workouts until they declare for the draft.

One scout, who has seen him play twice, said he's no Yao Ming. At least not yet anyway.

"He's got a lot of size, and he's pretty agile, but he's nowhere near where Yao was in terms of fundamental development. He just needs to play more basketball and keep working on his strength."

While Ha's father anticipates he'll declare for the 2004 draft, a potential 20-year-old age limit could theoretically keep him out of the draft until 2006.

Florida freshman point guard Anthony Roberson promised reporters on Thursday he won't follow in the footsteps of Donnell Harvey, Mike Miller and Kwame Brown. He promised this Gator team was staying together for the next four years.

"Me and Matt (Walsh, a freshman forward) both will be here next year, everybody that's an underclassman, that's not a senior, will be here next year," Roberson told Florida Today. "Believe it and believe I told you. I'm speaking for them too. Every underclassman will be here next year. If one of them leaves, you come to me. I'll make sure. ... I'm going to stay here four years."

Roberson, Walsh, sophomore David Lee and freshman Christian Drejer are all considered top NBA draft prospects.

With UCLA's future in shambles, forward T.J. Cummings said he will consider skipping his senior season and making himself eligible for the NBA draft.

"If I go out, it's really a win-win situation," Cummings told the O.C. Register. "I can always just come back."

Cummings likely will test draft waters by attending the Chicago camp without hiring an agent. That would allow him to return to school if he didn't get positive feedback from scouts.

Scouts aren't overly enamored with Cummings. Insider talked with three NBA scouts on Thursday. All of them said Cummings would be a borderline second-round pick. Still, Cummings thinks he can open some eyes.

"I think there are a lot of things I can do that I haven't shown yet," Cummings said.

Big Man Ha Targets 2004 NBA Draft

Park Song-wu / Korea Times

Roberson will stay at Florida

David Jones / Florida Today

Cummings might go

Lee Jenkins and Todd Harmonson / Orange County Register

Peep Show

Indiana Pacers: Ron Artest will be suspended for another two games after getting another flagrant foul on Wednesday. Has he learned his lesson? "As long as I don't hurt anybody, I'm happy," he told the Indianapolis Star. "... Grabbing, smacking, elbows to the face. That's how it is in the NBA."

Seattle SuperSonics: Brent Barry is looking for an extension from the Sonics. His contract ends after next season. "It is not something I am thinking about now," Barry told the Tacoma News Tribune, "but with one month left in the season, in the offseason, with one year left on my contract, if talks were initiated, I would be very interested in signing some sort of extension." Barry said he won't demand a huge amount of money. "I think it is just a situation where I will look for something that is fair, and something I feel happy with," Barry said. "Playing here the last few years and knowing the potential is pretty good, it would be nice to be around and help those guys along. Sometimes there aren't a lot of organizations that want to pay to have a guy around like that. But there are GMs who are looking for guys who can maybe come in and be professional about their job. I understand my position in the league."

Los Angeles Clippers: Michael Olowokandi still won't rule out re-signing with the Clippers this summer. "All my options are open," Olowokandi told the L.A. Times. "I've never, ever been one to close doors. I'm open to whatever might be out there. The summer is right around the corner and there are so many things to consider. The team we have is the most talented I've ever been on and one of the most talented teams in the NBA."

Memphis Grizzlies: Coach Hubie Brown says Shane Battier's role with the team is much like Kevin McHale's was with the Celtics. "Sixth man with us is like the sixth man for the old Celtics, or sixth man for the Lakers of the 1980s," Brown told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "Somebody's out today, you're in. Somebody's in foul trouble, you're in. That's what (Battier) will be. He's always going to be the guy. ... He understands his role, and he's going to be in this game for as long as he wants to be in this game. Everybody will see his value and everybody will try to get him. We're fortunate here. He maximizes his potential most nights, because he plays with his heart."

Golden State Warriors: Maybe Mike Dunleavy isn't a draft bust after all. Dunleavy is starting to earn his minutes and is playing an important role in the Warriors' final playoff push. "It's been a perfect situation how this thing has developed," coach Eric Musselman told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He wasn't handed minutes early. He earned them. He earned the respect of his teammates and the opposition. That's the way it should be in this league. You don't want to put a player out there because he was drafted at a certain spot, just like you don't give a player playing time based on how much money he makes. A player earns his minutes. Mike has earned his minutes. He's going to be a great player in this league -- not a good player, but a great player."

Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers: Eddy Curry laughed off Shaquille O'Neal's explanation for his poor game against Curry and the Bulls last week. Shaq claimed that he met Curry's parents before the game and didn't have the heart to embarrass Curry in front of the youngster's mom. There's only one problem with Shaq's story. "He didn't meet my parents until after the game," Curry told the Chicago Sun Times. "It's funny. I don't think he took it easy on me. But if he thinks so, keep doing it. I don't mind. I'll keep bringing my parents to games and hope he keeps taking it easy on us."

Artest gets 2-game suspension for flagrant foul against Celtics

Sekou Smith / Indianapolis Star

Barry seeks extension

Frank Hughes / Tacoma News Tribune

Olowokandi Won't Rule Anything Out

Elliott Teaford / Los Angeles Times

Bargain Battier

Ronald Tillery / Memphis Commercial Appeal

Warriors' Dunleavy overcomes bad start

Brad Weinstein / San Francisco Chronicle

Eddy isn't buying son-shine story

Roman Modrowski / Chicago Sun-Times