Updated: March 14, 2006, 12:42 PM ET
Best NBA prospects in the Oakland Region
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
ESPN Insider talked to multiple NBA scouts and GMs to give you a look at the top five NBA prospects (and a few more) they'll be watching in each NCAA region.
Oakland Region
1. Memphis' Rodney Carney (SF, Sr.), Shawne Williams (SF, Fr.) and Darius Washington (PG, So.)
The Good: Carney might be the best athlete in the draft. Combine that with his sweet shooting touch from the perimeter and four years of college experience under a former NBA coach, and he has the makings of a lottery pick.
Williams doesn't have the experience, but he has all the physical tools you look for in a small forward. He's long, athletic and a solid shooter, and he has the ability to run the team as a point forward.
Washington is a dynamic scorer who uses his quickness and strength to finish around the basket.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
Will Rodney Carney's stock soar during the Tournament?
The Bad: Carney has unbelievable tools, but what about his heart? He can disappear for stretches and doesn't have the killer instinct you look for in a top pick.
Williams suffers from similar issues. Consistency is a huge issue for him, though he can at least point to age as a possible mitigating factor.
Many scouts believe Washington isn't a real point guard. His assist-to-turnover ratio doesn't really show much evidence that he is, and his shooting touch seems to have disappeared this season.
The Upside: Carney is already a lottery pick, but if he were to have a dominating performance at the Big Dance, he could be a top-five pick. All that scouts are waiting for at this point is for him to show that he can come up big when the stakes are this high.
Williams is in a similar position. He's a mid-first-rounder at the moment based on his upside, but a big performance here would push him into the lottery.
Washington needs to return to Memphis for another year. His numbers this season are down across the board, and most scouts think he's a player without a position in the pros.
2. Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (SF, Jr.)
The Good: Some scouts believe he is the best basketball player in the country. He has an unbelievable feel for the game and combines that with a passion for winning that's nearly unrivaled in college basketball. Morrison also has good size for his position, has improved his long-range shooting and is a leader on the court.
The Bad: Athleticism is the biggest issue. Morrison is not a bad athlete, but he's far from an elite one. That means he has to work very hard to get his own shot. He's developed a number of tricks to make it happen on the college level, but will they work in the NBA? On the defensive end, it's just ugly. He can barely guard anyone in college. The fact that he has diabetes also creates a question mark.
The Upside: Morrison is getting serious consideration as a potential No. 1 pick in the draft. It's almost inconceivable at this point that he'll fall out of the top five. If he and the Zags have a huge tournament, he could become a lock for No. 1 in the eyes of some lottery teams.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
This Razorback can do it all ... except shoot with beauty.
3. Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer (PG/SG, Jr.)
The Good: Brewer has all the physical tools to be a great guard in the pros. He's long, athletic and a skilled ballhandler who can play either the point or the two-guard position. He's also a fierce competitor and a good defender when he wants to be.
The Bad: He may have the ugliest shot in college basketball. A childhood injury to his elbow means that his mechanics might be unfixable.
The Upside: If Brewer could shoot, he'd be a lock for the top five, but because of his shooting woes, his stock is a little more fluid. A great tournament could help overcome the detractors who wonder if he's really that much better than Washington's Brandon Roy.
4. Kansas' Julian Wright (PF, Fr.), Brandon Rush (SG, Fr.) and Mario Chalmers (PG, Fr.)
The Good: Kansas has three big-time freshmen who could be first-round prospects. Wright has the most upside of the group. He's long, super-athletic and an excellent ballhandler for his size.
Rush is the most polished of the group and looks like a prototypical NBA swingman. He's not all that flashy, but he does just about everything well, including shooting the ball at a 49 percent clip from 3-point land this year.
Chalmers is a steady point guard who can shoot the ball with range and get all over opposing point guards defensively.
The Bad: Wright doesn't really have a go-to offensive game yet. He collects most of his buckets in transition or off offensive rebounds. He could also stand to add a little more muscle to that wiry frame.
Rush has been in a small slump lately, but the biggest complaint is that he doesn't have one particular elite skill.
Chalmers is still young and inexperienced and prone to turnovers.
The Upside: Ideally, this Kansas team will stick together one more season. But realistically, you can bet that at least one of them will bolt. Wright has really improved during the second half of the season. Scouts seriously considered him a first-round prospect coming out of high school and now have him on the lottery bubble. A good performance for Kansas could make him one and done.
Rush is also itching to make the jump to the pros. Right now he's on the first-round bubble, but a strong performance under pressure could push his stock firmly into the first round.
Chalmers gets the least attention, but he's been the best player on the floor for KU the last month of the season, and he was the biggest reason the Jayhawks won the Big 12 tournament. In a draft without standout point guards, Chalmers is interesting.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Jordan Farmar is the key to UCLA's offense.
5. UCLA's Jordan Farmar (PG, So.) and Arron Afflalo (SG, So.)
The Good: Farmar is one of the best pure point guards in the country. He sees the floor as well as any guard in college hoops.
Afflalo is one of the best scorers in the country. He has a beautiful mid-range game and has developed his 3-point shot. He also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and take it to the basket.
The Bad: Farmar's improvement from his freshman to sophomore year has been minimal. He still struggles shooting the ball from long distance and his turnovers are still too high.
Afflalo is an average athlete, at best -- neither very quick nor an explosive leaper. Scouts say he's probably closer to 6-4, which makes him a little undersized for a two-guard.
The Upside: Teams are always looking for point guards, and despite Farmar's up-and-down year, most scouts believe he's a solid prospect. He's probably a late first-rounder at this point, but a great tournament would really boost his stock.
Afflalo is firmly mired in the second round at this point, though a big-time performance could conceivably boost him into the first round.
SLEEPERS: Bradley's Patrick O'Bryant (C, So.) and Pittsburgh's Aaron Gray (C, Jr.)
The Good: The NBA is always looking for big guys, and O'Bryant and Gray are relative newcomers who have piqued scouts' interest. They also happen to be totally different players. O'Bryant is a long, lanky, athletic big man who thrives at blocking shots and rebounding. Gray is a husky, plodding big man who has shown a soft touch in the paint and the ability to use his girth to pull down rebounds.
The Bad: O'Bryant is still very unproven. He hasn't had to play against top competition. He also needs to add some muscle and toughness. While he's not soft, he's also not much of a warrior. Gray is a below-average athlete and has struggled with conditioning issues in the past.
The Upside: They're both big, and in a draft short in big men, they're both very much on the radar screen. Gray is probably a late first-round pick right now, but he could move up to the mid-first round with a great tournament. O'Bryant is currently projected as a second-rounder, but with his athletic upside, a big tournament could send his stock into the stratosphere.
Others to watch: C.J. Giles, C, Kansas; Sasha Kaun, C, Kansas; Carl Krauser, PG, Pittsburgh; Steve Novak, F, Marquette; Jermareo Davidson, F/C, Alabama; Ronald Steele, PG, Alabama; Richard Hendrix, PF, Alabama; J.P. Batista, F/C, Gonzaga; Marco Killingsworth, PF, Indiana; Marcus Slaughter, PF, San Diego State.
Best NBA prospects in the Oakland Region
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
ESPN Insider talked to multiple NBA scouts and GMs to give you a look at the top five NBA prospects (and a few more) they'll be watching in each NCAA region.
Oakland Region
1. Memphis' Rodney Carney (SF, Sr.), Shawne Williams (SF, Fr.) and Darius Washington (PG, So.)
The Good: Carney might be the best athlete in the draft. Combine that with his sweet shooting touch from the perimeter and four years of college experience under a former NBA coach, and he has the makings of a lottery pick.
Williams doesn't have the experience, but he has all the physical tools you look for in a small forward. He's long, athletic and a solid shooter, and he has the ability to run the team as a point forward.
Washington is a dynamic scorer who uses his quickness and strength to finish around the basket.
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Nick Laham/Getty Images
Will Rodney Carney's stock soar during the Tournament?
The Bad: Carney has unbelievable tools, but what about his heart? He can disappear for stretches and doesn't have the killer instinct you look for in a top pick.
Williams suffers from similar issues. Consistency is a huge issue for him, though he can at least point to age as a possible mitigating factor.
Many scouts believe Washington isn't a real point guard. His assist-to-turnover ratio doesn't really show much evidence that he is, and his shooting touch seems to have disappeared this season.
The Upside: Carney is already a lottery pick, but if he were to have a dominating performance at the Big Dance, he could be a top-five pick. All that scouts are waiting for at this point is for him to show that he can come up big when the stakes are this high.
Williams is in a similar position. He's a mid-first-rounder at the moment based on his upside, but a big performance here would push him into the lottery.
Washington needs to return to Memphis for another year. His numbers this season are down across the board, and most scouts think he's a player without a position in the pros.
2. Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (SF, Jr.)
The Good: Some scouts believe he is the best basketball player in the country. He has an unbelievable feel for the game and combines that with a passion for winning that's nearly unrivaled in college basketball. Morrison also has good size for his position, has improved his long-range shooting and is a leader on the court.
The Bad: Athleticism is the biggest issue. Morrison is not a bad athlete, but he's far from an elite one. That means he has to work very hard to get his own shot. He's developed a number of tricks to make it happen on the college level, but will they work in the NBA? On the defensive end, it's just ugly. He can barely guard anyone in college. The fact that he has diabetes also creates a question mark.
The Upside: Morrison is getting serious consideration as a potential No. 1 pick in the draft. It's almost inconceivable at this point that he'll fall out of the top five. If he and the Zags have a huge tournament, he could become a lock for No. 1 in the eyes of some lottery teams.
You must be registered for see images
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
This Razorback can do it all ... except shoot with beauty.
3. Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer (PG/SG, Jr.)
The Good: Brewer has all the physical tools to be a great guard in the pros. He's long, athletic and a skilled ballhandler who can play either the point or the two-guard position. He's also a fierce competitor and a good defender when he wants to be.
The Bad: He may have the ugliest shot in college basketball. A childhood injury to his elbow means that his mechanics might be unfixable.
The Upside: If Brewer could shoot, he'd be a lock for the top five, but because of his shooting woes, his stock is a little more fluid. A great tournament could help overcome the detractors who wonder if he's really that much better than Washington's Brandon Roy.
4. Kansas' Julian Wright (PF, Fr.), Brandon Rush (SG, Fr.) and Mario Chalmers (PG, Fr.)
The Good: Kansas has three big-time freshmen who could be first-round prospects. Wright has the most upside of the group. He's long, super-athletic and an excellent ballhandler for his size.
Rush is the most polished of the group and looks like a prototypical NBA swingman. He's not all that flashy, but he does just about everything well, including shooting the ball at a 49 percent clip from 3-point land this year.
Chalmers is a steady point guard who can shoot the ball with range and get all over opposing point guards defensively.
The Bad: Wright doesn't really have a go-to offensive game yet. He collects most of his buckets in transition or off offensive rebounds. He could also stand to add a little more muscle to that wiry frame.
Rush has been in a small slump lately, but the biggest complaint is that he doesn't have one particular elite skill.
Chalmers is still young and inexperienced and prone to turnovers.
The Upside: Ideally, this Kansas team will stick together one more season. But realistically, you can bet that at least one of them will bolt. Wright has really improved during the second half of the season. Scouts seriously considered him a first-round prospect coming out of high school and now have him on the lottery bubble. A good performance for Kansas could make him one and done.
Rush is also itching to make the jump to the pros. Right now he's on the first-round bubble, but a strong performance under pressure could push his stock firmly into the first round.
Chalmers gets the least attention, but he's been the best player on the floor for KU the last month of the season, and he was the biggest reason the Jayhawks won the Big 12 tournament. In a draft without standout point guards, Chalmers is interesting.
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Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Jordan Farmar is the key to UCLA's offense.
5. UCLA's Jordan Farmar (PG, So.) and Arron Afflalo (SG, So.)
The Good: Farmar is one of the best pure point guards in the country. He sees the floor as well as any guard in college hoops.
Afflalo is one of the best scorers in the country. He has a beautiful mid-range game and has developed his 3-point shot. He also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and take it to the basket.
The Bad: Farmar's improvement from his freshman to sophomore year has been minimal. He still struggles shooting the ball from long distance and his turnovers are still too high.
Afflalo is an average athlete, at best -- neither very quick nor an explosive leaper. Scouts say he's probably closer to 6-4, which makes him a little undersized for a two-guard.
The Upside: Teams are always looking for point guards, and despite Farmar's up-and-down year, most scouts believe he's a solid prospect. He's probably a late first-rounder at this point, but a great tournament would really boost his stock.
Afflalo is firmly mired in the second round at this point, though a big-time performance could conceivably boost him into the first round.
SLEEPERS: Bradley's Patrick O'Bryant (C, So.) and Pittsburgh's Aaron Gray (C, Jr.)
The Good: The NBA is always looking for big guys, and O'Bryant and Gray are relative newcomers who have piqued scouts' interest. They also happen to be totally different players. O'Bryant is a long, lanky, athletic big man who thrives at blocking shots and rebounding. Gray is a husky, plodding big man who has shown a soft touch in the paint and the ability to use his girth to pull down rebounds.
The Bad: O'Bryant is still very unproven. He hasn't had to play against top competition. He also needs to add some muscle and toughness. While he's not soft, he's also not much of a warrior. Gray is a below-average athlete and has struggled with conditioning issues in the past.
The Upside: They're both big, and in a draft short in big men, they're both very much on the radar screen. Gray is probably a late first-round pick right now, but he could move up to the mid-first round with a great tournament. O'Bryant is currently projected as a second-rounder, but with his athletic upside, a big tournament could send his stock into the stratosphere.
Others to watch: C.J. Giles, C, Kansas; Sasha Kaun, C, Kansas; Carl Krauser, PG, Pittsburgh; Steve Novak, F, Marquette; Jermareo Davidson, F/C, Alabama; Ronald Steele, PG, Alabama; Richard Hendrix, PF, Alabama; J.P. Batista, F/C, Gonzaga; Marco Killingsworth, PF, Indiana; Marcus Slaughter, PF, San Diego State.
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