Field of 65--Version 2

1) Connecticut (18-1); Pittsburgh (18-1); Duke (18-1); Oklahoma (19-1)
What's really amazing is that Jim Calhoun's Huskies are the best team in the country right now, and they're not even close to reaching their full potential.
2) North Carolina (17-2); Wake Forest (16-1); Marquette (17-2); Louisville (15-3)
Marquette is playing excellent basketball, but the only tourney-bound Big East squads they've beaten en route to their 6-0 conference record are Villanova and West Virginia. The Golden Eagles will be tested this week with a trip to Notre Dame followed by a home game against Georgetown.
3) Texas (14-4); Michigan State (16-3); Clemson (17-2); Xavier (17-2)
Michigan State is the class of a deep Big Ten. Seven teams could be dancing in March, and even long-time conference doormats Penn State and Northwestern are playing well. Penn State is 5-3 in league play, and Northwestern won in East Lansing earlier this week.
4) Syracuse (17-4); Butler (18-1); Arizona State (16-3); UCLA (15-4)
UCLA is a lot like Duke. Great perimeter defense, strong guard play, and lacking a back-to-the-basket scorer.
5) Purdue (15-4); Illinois (17-3); Memphis (16-3); St. Mary's (18-1)
So, why am I so smitten with the Gaels of St. Mary's? Well, for starters, Patrick Mills is quite possibly the best point guard in the country. And this isn't just a one-man team. Center Omar Samhan (13.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and power forward Diamon Simpson (12.8 ppg, 10.9 rpg) are extremely good college basketball players. The Gaels picked up non-conference wins against Fresno State, Providence, Kent State, San Diego State, Oregon, and Southern Illinois, but their biggest test comes on Thursday against conference rival Gonzaga.
6) California (16-4); Baylor (15-4); Kansas (15-4); Kentucky (16-4)
The defending National Champions bounced back quite nicely from their 13-point loss at Michigan State, beating Kansas State by 16, Colorado by 17, Texas A&M by 20, and Iowa State by 15. The surging Jayhawks should pick up two more wins this week at Nebraska and then home against Colorado.
7) Washington (15-4); Minnesota (17-3); Georgetown (12-6); Missouri (17-3)
After I raved about the Hoyas in the last version of the Field of 65, Georgetown went 0-2 for the week. First, the Bob Huggins-coached Mountaineers left the nation's capital with a 17-point win, and then the Pirates of Seton Hall picked up their first conference win against the Hoyas. We'll see if JT3 can get his squad back on the right track, as Georgetown plays road games at Cincinnati and Marquette this week.
8) Florida State (16-4); Florida (17-3); Gonzaga (14-4); Dayton (18-2)
While I'm still not sold on them, Billy Donovan has to pleased that his young Gators bounced back from a tough, last second loss at South Carolina with a win in Nashville. Vanderbilt is never an easy place to play, and Florida won decisively (94-69).
9) Notre Dame (12-6); Miami (14-5); West Virginia (14-5); Davidson (16-3)
The Notre Dame free-fall watch continues. Two weeks ago, Notre Dame dropped road games against Louisville and Syracuse. They lost at home to UConn this past week. A home game against Marquette and a road trip to Pitt are on tap for the coming week.
10) Ohio State (13-5); Michigan (14-6); Villanova (15-4); Utah State (19-1)
Villanova looks like a tournament team, but, at some point, they have to pick up a marquee win. As it stands, the Wildcats best win is against St. Joseph's, Temple, Seton Hall, or St. John's.
11) Oklahoma State (13-5); Virginia Tech (14-5); Tennessee (12-6); UNLV (16-4)
Virginia Tech storms into the Field of 65 with impressive road wins against Wake Forest and Miami. After a date with Clemson this Thursday, the Hokies enter a favorable stretch with consecutive games against the five non-tourney ACC teams -- Boston College, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, and Virginia.
12) Wisconsin (12-7); Texas A&M (15-5); VCU (15-5); Northern Iowa (14-6)
With its 1-4 conference record, Texas A&M has no business being in the Field of 65. Then again, no one else does, either. So, why include the Aggies over the other also-rans? With the exception of an early season loss to Tulsa, A&M's other four losses have come at the hands of tourney-bound teams. Furthermore, the Aggies have had the misfortune of leading off their Big 12 schedule with games against five of the top six teams in the conference. They also have nice non-conference wins against Arizona, Alabama, and fellow bubble-dweller LSU. So, for now, the Aggies enjoy the field's final at-large bid.
13) Siena (15-5); TCU (13-7); Western Kentucky (13-7); Buffalo (12-5)
The Moutain West is kind of down this year. UNLV may have an at-large bid, but, to put things in perspective, conference leader TCU loss to Indiana earlier in the year.
14) VMI (16-3); North Dakota State (14-5); Weber State (12-8); Vermont (14-6)
With a three-way tie atop the America East, Vermont takes the automatic bid over Binghamton and Boston University by virtue of their superior overall record.
15) Cornell (12-6); Long Beach State (10-8); Austin Peay (12-7); Robert Morris (13-7)
Ohio Valley Conference leader Austin Peay travels to Morehead State to take on the conference number two on Saturday.
16) Jacksonville (11-8); Morgan State (10-9); Texas A&M-Corpus Christie (11-9); Alabama State (9-7); Holy Cross (9-11)
On Friday, Jacksonville tries to avenge its sole conference loss against East Tennessee State. At stake for both teams -- control of the Atlantic Sun.

ACC Review

Boston College: As usual, Al Skinner will maximize his team's talents. Unfortunately, there's not much talent on the roster beyond Tyrese Rice and Rakim Sanders. Unless Sanders realizes more of his potential on the offensive end, a trip to the NIT is likely in store for the Eagles.

Clemson: Oliver Purnell can flat-out coach. His teams are greater than the sum of their parts, and selfless play is their defining characteristic. When (and if) the talent catches up to the coaching, the Tigers could be really scary. I'm expecting around a 5 or 6 seed for a Clemson team that's going to pick up a few more losses in a deep ACC. Still, look for the hard-nosed Tigers to make some noise in March.

Duke: Same story as last year for the Blue Devils. Excellent perimeter defenders. Patient offensively and even more dangerous with Nolan Smith speeding up the pace in place of put out to pasture Greg Paulus. As usual, though, Duke has absolutely no post presence, and that does not bode well for Duke's prospects come March.

Florida State: As I stated in a previous post Florida State is my sleeper team. I don't necessarily think the Seminoles are going to make a deep tourney run, but I do think they're going to continue to rack up wins in a tough ACC.

Georgia Tech: This program has become something of a joke. The Yellowjackets have finished with a losing record in two of the past three years, and it looks like it will be three of four after this campaign. Outside of Tech's surprising run to the National Championship game in 2004, there hasn't been much to be excited about during Paul Hewitt's tenure. Then again, Tech has become a popular stop for one-and-done superstars. Chris Bosh, Thaddeus Young, and Javaris Crittenton all spent two semesters at One-and-Done U. With the signing of high school star Derrick Favors, Yellowjackets fans can take solace in a trip to the NIT next March.

Maryland: The Terrapins will not be relevant on the national stage until they replace Gary Williams. They simply lack the talent possessed by their ACC foes, and I can't blame any high school athlete for not wanting to play for Williams. While the game may not have passed him by, the culture of today's athlete has. There won't be any dancing for the Terps in March.

Miami: The media probably liked Miami a little too much given the Canes' preseason ranking, but this is a tourney team. Miami's losses against Connecticut, Ohio State, Clemson, and North Carolina are nothing to be ashamed of. The only thing missing from Miami's resume is a marquee win, though the Kentucky win is looking more and more impressive. Things are looking up for the Frank Haith-piloted Hurricanes program.

North Carolina: The two surprising losses may be a blessing in disguise going forward. I think they're still the team to beat.

North Carolina State: Brandon Costner, Ben McCauley, and Courtney Fells are solid players, though I was wrong to think this would be the talented Fells' breakout season. In short, Sidney Lowe's squad has too much talent to be a non-factor in the ACC. Yet, that is exactly where we find the Wolf Pack.

Virgina: Freshman Sylven Landesburg has been a bright spot, but this is the least talented team in the ACC.

Virginia Tech: Another year and another scrappy Hokies squad. Seth Greenberg is one of the country's most underrated coaches. His teams can beat anybody on any given night, and that's becoming something of a constant in Blacksburg. With the exception of a trouncing at the hands of the Blue Devils and a 1-point loss at lowly Georgia, the Hokies' other losses have been respectable, despite the fact they occurred on their home court (1-point OT loss to Xavier, 4-point loss to a decent Seton Hall club, 2-point loss to Wisconsin). Since the Duke debacle, however, Virginia Tech has reeled off 4 wins, including a 7-point win at Wake Forest. Expect the Hokies to slip into the tournament.

Wake Forest: The young Demon Deacons have outplayed anyone's reasonable expectations. In fact, rather than hitting the proverbial wall, I predict Wake finishes the season solidly, does no worse than a 3 seed, and is a team no one wants to play heading into the tourney.

Player of the Year: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Runner-up: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Hard not to pick the reigning National Player of the Year here, but Teague is more valuable to his team (and his play has been off the charts). The fiery Teague has gone from a relatively unknown talent to looking like the second coming of Gilbert Arenas.

Coach of the Year: Dino Guadio, Wake Forest
Runner-up: Oliver Purnell, Clemson
Everyone knew Wake had talent, but no one thought they'd be this good so soon. Guadio has done an extremely good job managing a diverse assortment of talent, and the Demon Deacons execute in the half-court. Despite the Tigers last two losses, I can't say enough about Purnell's job over the last few season's for formerly moribund Clemson.

Freshman of the Year: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Runner-up: Sylven Landesburg, Virginia
Landesburg puts up splashier numbers on a weak Cavaliers squad, but Aminu has been an integral part of Wake's resurgence. Plus, the versatile frosh is putting up some pretty good numbers in his own right (12.6 points and 8.6 boards per contest). Florida State's Chris Singleton also deserves a shout out for his play and incredible potential. Sadly, Leonard Hamilton's "coaching" ensures that Singleton will only experience marginal improvement during his stay in Tallahassee.

Defensive Player of the Year: Gerald Henderson, Duke
Runner-up: Trevor Booker, Clemson
I really toyed with the idea of giving this one to Booker. He's the steadier defender of the two. The Clemson junior plays great position defense, hits the boards, and averages an impressive 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Henderson has more lapses on the defensive end. However, he's a lockdown defender and has a penchant for making the game-changing play.

1st Team All-ACC
Tywon Lawson, North Carolina
Tyrese Rice, Boston College
Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Trevor Booker, Clemson
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Teague and Hansbrough are getting the majority of the headlines, but Lawson has been masterful. His assist-to-turnover ratio in the Tar Heels' high octane secondary break offense is an impressive 3.7-to-1. He's also displayed an outside shooting touch that he did not possess earlier in his career.

2nd Team All-ACC
Jack McClinton, Miami
Toney Douglas, Florida State
Gerald Henderson, Duke
A.D. Vassallo, Virginia Tech
Kyle Singler, Duke
The most glaring omissions from the list are Gani Lawal, Greivis Vasquez, and Danny Green. Lawal is averaging a double-double on yet another disappointing Paul Hewitt-coached Yellowjackets team. Vasquez, Maryland's mercurial point guard, is putting up impressive numbers across the board, but he's too inconsistent as a floor general to merit a spot on the second team. Green's had a fine year thus far. He plays excellent defense and has moved ahead of Wayne Ellington to become UNC's third most indispensable player. But I guess that's the problem -- how does any team's third most important player make all-conference in a league with as much individual talent as the ACC?

All-ACC Defensive Team
Gerald Henderson, Duke
Danny Green, North Carolina
Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech
Trevor Booker, Clemson
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
UNC's weakness is its defense, but Tar Heels occupy two spots on the all-conference defensive team. Tar Heel Tywon Lawson and Dukies Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith narrowly miss the cut. Lawson averages 2.4 steals per game, but he was utterly dominated by Jeff Teague. I imagine scouts were cringing at Lawson's inability to handle an athlete with Teague's length. As for Singler, he plays solid defense, but I'm not sure he likes to bang in the post. Sophomore Smith does a great job of pressuring the ball but needs to work on his upper body strength.

Field of 65--Version 1

This is the first installment in what will be a series of posts projecting the tournament field. The team with the best conference record in each conference receives an automatic bid, regardless of their overall record. Without further ado, the field of 65...

1) Wake Forest (16-0); Connecticut (16-1); Pittsburgh (16-1); Oklahoma (17-1)
I knew Wake was talented but had no idea the Demon Deacons would be contending for a national title this year. Dino Gaudio has to be in the Coach of the Year discussion at this point.
2) Duke (16-1); North Carolina (16-2); Michigan State (15-2); Marquette (16-2)
Like last year's version, this Duke squad defends the perimeter as well as anyone in the country. However, the Blue Devils still lack anything resembling a post threat on the offensive end of the floor.
3) Clemson (16-1); Syracuse (17-2); UCLA (14-3); Texas (13-4)
While UCLA has impressive overall talent, they lack explosive athleticism and a go-to post scorer -- which may mean that a fourth straight trip to the Final 4 is not in the cards. Still, I'm not going to be the one to count out a Ben Howland-coached team.
4) Louisville (13-3); Georgetown (12-4); Xavier (15-2); California (15-3)
I thought Georgetown might be a year away from contending for a Final 4 berth, but the Hoyas are even better than their record suggests. Greg Monroe is as talented as advertised, and, with the Hoyas starting to develop a bench, the sky is the limit.
5) Arizona State (15-3); Baylor (14-3); Butler (16-1); Minnesota (16-2)
If Louisville and Kentucky fans were frustrated with their respective programs for missing out on Chris Lofton's services, then they might not want to watch any Butler games for the next four years. Lexington native Shelvin Mack's game is nasty.
6) Memphis (14-3); Saint Mary's (17-1); Florida State (15-3); Florida (16-2)
Florida State is my sleeper team at this point in the season, despite being coached by Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles are flying under the radar and compiling an impressive resume in the process (out of conference wins against Cincinnati, California, and Florida and a 2-1 record so far in conference). Their only losses have come against Pitt, Duke, and a competitive Northwestern team. Toney Douglas may be the Seminoles' big offensive threat, but I'm more impressed with (or perhaps intrigued by) freshman Chris Singleton.
7) Kansas (13-4); Notre Dame (12-5); Purdue (14-4); Illinois (15-3)
This past week was not a good one for the Fighting Irish, as they lost at Louisville and then at Syracuse, leaving them with a 12-5 record. The Irish's next 3 games -- UConn, Marquette, and Pitt. That's followed by trips to Cincinnati and UCLA, and then they get Louisville at home.
8) Ohio State (13-3); Gonzaga (12-4); Kentucky (14-4); Villanova (14-3)
Villanova is the 8th best team in the Big East and would likely win the SEC. Still, I don't think the Big East is quite as good as they are getting credit for (about 3 bad teams at the bottom of that conference with a few so-so ones), and I don't think the SEC is as bad as some pundits have suggested (Georgia, Auburn, and injury-riddled Ole Miss are the only push-overs).
9) Washington (13-4); Missouri (15-3); Dayton (16-2); Davidson (14-3)
Hard to find a better post combo than Mizzou's DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons. The Tigers just need some scoring help from the perimeter.
10) Michigan (13-5); Texas A&M (15-3); Miami (13-4); Wisconsin (12-5)
Pretty incredible that Jim Beilein has made the Wolverines respectable again in just his second season at the helm. Perhaps the most underrated one-two punch in the nation -- Michigan point guard Manny Harris (18.8 points, 7.6 boards, and 4.8 assists per game), and power forward DeShawn Sims (15.6 points and 7.9 boards per outing).
11) Tennessee (11-5); BYU (14-3); West Virginia (13-4); Oklahoma State (12-4)
Travis Ford has done an excellent job with an Oklahoma State program that still seems undermanned in terms of numbers. The Cowboys just don't have a bench, and that's why I really doubt Oklahoma State will be able to sustain its current success.
12) Utah State (17-1); Stanford (12-3); George Mason (14-3); Utah (12-6)
Due to its strength of schedule, Utah State has little room for error, but here's hoping the selection committee pays attention to what the Aggies are doing.
13) Northern Iowa (12-6); Siena (14-5); Western Kentucky (12-6); Stephen F. Austin (11-4)
Western Kentucky and Arkansas-Little Rock have identical conference records, and UALR actually has a better overall record, but the Hilltoppers get the bid by virtue of their head-to-head victory over Derek Fisher's alma mater.
14) Portland State (14-5); VMI (14-3); North Dakota State (12-5); Long Beach State (10-7)
Portland State went to Spokane and beat Gonzaga on its home floor. Now if only they could find a way to topple mighty Weber State.
15) Cornell (11-6); American University (11-6); Robert Morris (12-7); Austin Peay (10-7)
Cornell looks like the team to beat in the Ivy League, but the media has to be keeping their fingers crossed for Harvard and all of their intriguing storylines to unseat the Big Red. After all, their best player is Asian-American point guard Jeremy Lin, and their head coach is Tommy Amaker, Michigan's former skipper -- whose recruiting tactics, by the way, have been called into question as not being up to Ivy League standards.
16) Alabama State (8-7); Hampton (9-8); Jacksonville (8-8); New Hampshire (7-8); Western Michigan (6-10)
Hampton gets the bid from the MEAC, but Morgan State owns the conference's most impressive victory -- a 1-point win on Maryland's home court.

2009 NBA Draft Prospectus

The following projections represent not who the NBA teams will likely pick but, rather, who they should select. Draft order is based on NBA records as of Jan 16. This exercise assumes all players are eligible to be drafted, regardless of intent to enter the draft.

1 Thunder: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Soph 6-10 240 PF
The Oklahoma City native is a perfect fit for the newly-minted Thunder. An explosive, crowd-pleasing big man who is a beast on the glass and plays physical defense, Griffin has an NBA body and possesses elite athleticism. His post presence would open things up for superstar-in-the-making Kevin Durant.

2 Wizards: James Harden, Arizona State
Soph 6-4 220 OG
Harden possesses an extremely mature offensive repertoire. Reminds me of a more powerful but not as smooth Brandon Roy. Plays longer than his height suggests. Would be an excellent fit with the Wizards regardless of what they do with Gilbert Arenas.

3 Clippers: Ricky Rubio, International
N/A 6-3 180 PG
Chris Paul sings his praises, and that's just about good enough for me. Has excelled playing against more mature European players for years. Would give the Clippers a marquee attraction and help the fanbase move past the heartbreak of Shaun Livingston's unfulfilled potential. Plus, a backcourt of Rubio and Gordon looks quite nice moving forward. The Baron Davis experiment has been a failure thus far, and, while B-Diddy may find success elsewhere, there's no point in delaying the parties' inevitable separation.

4 Kings: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Soph 6-2 175 PG
An absolute competitor. Equally adept at driving to the hoop and scoring from long-range. Reminds me of Gilbert Arenas and not just because he wears number zero in Agent Zero's honor. Beno Udrih's not going to cut it as a starting point guard in the Association, and Teague's the type of player that raises the level of play of those around him.

5 Warriors: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Sr 6-8 245 PF
Surprised? While his vertical might be lacking, Pyscho T runs the floor well, is extremely strong, and has better lateral quickness than he gets credit for. Plus, if you haven't noticed, he has quite the motor. The all-time leading scorer in Tar Heels history may not be an All-Star caliber talent, but he's going to be effective. As Nellie-ball is more often than not small ball, Hansbrough would be an interesting fit in the Golden State system.

6 Grizzlies: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Fr 6-8 210 SF
Long-armed and uber-talented, Aminu also has an extremely high basketball I.Q. and a natural feel for the game. There's some Lamar Odom to Aminu's game.

7 Timberwolves: Greg Monroe, Georgetown
Fr 6-10 230 PF
Like Aminu, there is a preternatural ease to Monroe's game. And while Monroe isn't as athletic as Aminu, he's bigger and even more cerebral. One would be hard-pressed to find a post player more adept at handling the rock and finding the open man. Would provide Minnesota with a nice alternative to their present behemoths of the post, Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.

8 Pacers: Jordan Hill, Arizona
Jr 6-9 235 PF
Hill's game is still developing, but scout's can't deny his potential. A long athlete, who's not afraid to bang, Hill is a rotation post player at worst.

9 Bobcats: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Jr 7-3 260 C
Should be higher but has a tendency to dominate against the weak and disappear against the talented. Still, his shot-blocking abilities warrant a Top 10 pick. At times, Thabeet looks very quick to the hoop but has yet to exhibit any semblance of consistency on the offensive end of the floor. With Thabeet and Okafor patrolling the paint, the lane would be a perilous place to venture for Charlotte opponents.

10 Raptors: Tyreke Evans, Memphis
Fr 6-6 220 OG
Yes, Evans has shot selection issues, and he can come across as a gunner. Still, despite his detractors, it is difficult to deny his ability to impose his will on the game. A top-shelf athlete who is quick with the ball in his hands, Evans would add much needed athleticism to a Raptors club full of shooters.

11 Knicks: Chase Budinger, Arizona
Jr 6-7 220 SF
After the Gallinari disaster, New York fans may not be thrilled with the selection of another white small forward -- particularly one who doesn't play defense and doesn't seem to be able to will his team to victory. But Budinger can score buckets in bunches (in a variety of ways), and it's this talent that will allow him to thrive in D'Antoni's Seven Seconds or Less system.

12 Bulls: Damion James, Texas
Jr 6-7 225 SF
The rugged small forward would be a nice fit on any team. Solid but not spectacular in every facet of the game. There are much flashier players but not many that are as effective or as versatile.

13 Bucks: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Soph 6-8 235 PF
Speaking of rugged, Patterson is that rare post player who is gifted athletically (though 2PAT is not a top-tier athlete) and yet has a blue-collar approach to the game. Patterson in Milwaukee just makes sense. At worst, a rotation post-player but potentially an excellent fit on a small-forward heavy and soft Bucks team.

14 Mavericks: DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
Jr 6-8 225 SF
An adequate defender and rebounder, Summers really excels on the offensive end of the floor as a versatile scorer. Coming out of the Hoyas' Princeton offense, it's difficult to predict what Summers' ultimate output will be. Still, the guy's a winner, and his presence would allow Dallas to move Josh Howard.

15 76ers: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Jr 6-3 180 PG
Not entirely sure Curry is a sure-thing at the next level, but the kid keeps proving his detractors wrong. Quick release and extreme range will minimize the ability of defenders to take advantage of his small stature. Would be a nice fit with a Sixers team in need of outside shooting.

16 Nets: Derrick Brown, Xavier
Jr 6-8 225 SF
Extremely athletic and talented small forward with room for growth. Yet another in a long line of underrated Xavier forwards (Tyrone Hill, Aaron Williams, Brian Grant, James Posey, David West). The only knock on Brown is a question concerning his focus.

17 Timberwolves: Patrick Mills, St. Mary's
Soph 5-11 180 PG
If you haven't seen Mills play, you're missing out. Shades of Tony Parker. Waterbug quick and great at scoring in the paint despite his lack of size. Has proven himself on the international level playing for the Australian national team so it's not as if Mills has just been beating up on WCC foes.

18 Jazz: Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
Soph 6-9 235 PF
Long and active big man cleans the glass and has a developing post game. With the impending departure of Carlos Boozer, Lawal would be a nice fit as Paul Milsap's backup.

19 Pistons: Willie Warren, Oklahoma
Fr 6-4 210 PG
A physically imposing guard, Warren already has a polished game. Still, if Warren learns to use his body in a Deron Williams-type fashion, the sky is the limit. Joe Dumars likes big combo guards who know how to win, and Warren fits the bill.

20 Kings: Dionte Christmas, Temple
Sr 6-5 190 OG
Christmas reminds of a less athletic, less versatile Paul Pierce. However, he's a better shooter at this point in his career than Pierce was. Like Pierce, Christmas has mastered the jab step, the most underrated tool in the scorer's bag of tricks. The Kings could use a true power forward here, but there aren't any available that warrant this high a pick.

21 Hawks: Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin
Sr 6-2 190 PG
The 24-year old point guard knows how to fill up a stat sheet (only member of the D-I quadruple double club, although the feat occurred against a non-D-I opponent). An excellent rebounder and defender, Hudson needs to work on his decision-making. That being said, he's a scorer and plays longer than his measurements suggest. The Hawks need a true point guard (since Mike Bibby stopped playing the point during about his fourth NBA season), and Hudson would be a nice pickup.

22 Suns: Jodie Meeks, Kentucky
Jr 6-4 210 OG
A pure scorer, Meeks has incredible range and a natural stroke. While he's a little short-limbed for a two guard at the next level and lacks the lateral quickness needed to be a superior defender, Meeks has more athleticism than your average pure shooter, has a NBA-ready build, and is fast with the ball in his hands. Would probably be even more effective in D'Antoni's frenetic system as a sort of Quentin Richardson-type three-point specialist but would also provide a boost to Terry Porter's sometimes stagnant halfcourt set.

23 Trailblazers: Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Jr 6-0 195 PG
Will be interesting to see how Lawson adjusts outside of the Tar Heels secondary break pace. However, Lawson is used to facilitating a talented cast on the offensive end. He's virtually impossible to turn over and rarely makes poor decisions. An improved outside shot and excellent speed/quickness means he will be effective on the offensive end. Real question is his ability to guard larger guards (witness Jeff Teague's manhandling of Lawson this season).

24 Hornets: Gerald Henderson, Duke
Jr 6-4 210 OG
Top-level athlete that hasn't really clicked in the Duke system. That being said, he's had a really nice collegiate career, plays excellent defense, rebounds well, and is a solid passer. The NBA game will allow him to take advantage of his athleticism in one-on-one situations. Hornets have lacked athleticism at the two since the dawn of time, so Henderson is a nice fit. May never be anything more than a rotation player, but I think Henderson has upside.

25 Thunder: Tyler Smith, Tennessee
Jr 6-7 220 SF
See entry for Damion James.

26 Thunder: B.J. Mullens, Ohio State
Fr 7-0 275 C
Years away from being able to contribute in the Association (which means that historically he's exactly what the Supersonics/Thunder is/are looking for). Possibly even another year or two away from being a solid college player. Still, it's hard to ignore a 7-footer with athleticism and coordination. If the Thunder take Blake Griffin with the first pick and Tyler Smith at 25, they can reach with Mullens here.

27 Timberwolves: Jrue Holiday, UCLA
Fr 6-3 205 PG
Holiday should stay in school for another year, but, if he comes out, he'd be a nice pickup at this point in the draft. Has a nice feel to his game and plays longer than his measurements. Appears to have potential to be a lockdown defender. Just a matter of time before Holiday is able to contribute at the next level.

28 Magic: Brandon Jennings, International
N/A 6-1 170 PG
Jennings doesn't appear to have exactly wowed the European scene. However, the bouncy Jennings has excellent playmaking skills and is committed to being a pass-first point guard. The Magic have lingering doubts as to whether Jameer Nelson is the long-term answer at the point, so they'd love to see Jennings this late in the draft.

29 Cavaliers: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Jr 6-7 245 PF
Like Hansbrough, Harangody gets no respect from scouts. While he may not be a star at the next level, Harangody has great skills, plays hard, and has underrated athleticism. Lacking an impressive vertical, Harangody is a bowling ball in the paint and possesses a decent long-range game. Would be a nice fit with a Cavs team that always has a second power forward on the floor in Lebron James. Possible that Harangody will end up playing some three in the Association.

30 Lakers: DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
Soph 6-6 280 PF
A monster on the boards with a developing face-up game. One of those guys who is going to add wins to your team. Barkley-like without the bounce. Much like Jason Maxiell, his wingspan means he plays longer than 6-6.