45. Chicago Bulls (via Suns)
Jason Kapono
Small Forward | 6-8, 215 | Draft Player Card
Senior | UCLA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Bulls were looking for that sweet-shooting small forward. Did one just fall into their laps? Kapono is right when he claims he would've been a first-round pick had he declared after his freshman season. All the turmoil at UCLA rubbed off on him. That doesn't change the fact that he has one of the sweetest shots in the draft. He'll have a great chance to make this team.
46. Denver Nuggets (via Celtics)
Sani Becirovic
Guard | 6-4, 194 | Draft Player Card
Slovenia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: Two years ago, Becirovic was a sure-fire lottery pick At the age of 20 he was averaging over 20 ppg in the Euroleague, and many were calling him the best Euro two guard since Drazen Petrovic. He's an explosive scorer who also can play the point. But major knee surgery put his career on hold for two years. He had the patellas in both of his knees realigned in September and is now looking to make a comeback. He worked out for several teams, including the Nuggets, in Treviso, Italy, two weeks ago. They walked away impressed. There's no guarantee anyone takes the risk on him. But if anyone does, it will be Denver.
47. Utah Jazz
Theron Smith
Forward | 6-8, 234 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Ball State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: A second-round pick isn't ever going to replace the likes of Karl Malone. But Smith has that lethal combination of strength and shooting touch that had many people excited after a top performance in Chicago. Where will he play in the NBA? Some claim he's three, others a four. But he's got a knack for rebounding, is one of the strongest players in the draft (he benched the 185-pound bar 26 times in Chicago) and he's an explosive athlete. Combine that with an emerging perimeter game, and you have a nice sleeper for the Jazz at No. 47.
48. New Orleans Hornets
Josh Powell
Forward | 6-9, 227 | Draft Player Card
Sophomore | North Carolina State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Hornets aren't going to replace P.J. Brown with a second-round pick, but Powell may have too much upside to pass on here. He's one of the draft's best athletes. He's an explosive leaper (38.5 inch vertical), has a great wingspan and his game seems to be emerging. Had he stayed in school, he would've been a lock for the first round next year. Hornets get in on the game a bit early.
49. Indiana Pacers
Jermaine Boyette
Guard | 6-2, 187 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Weber State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: Boyette is a big time scorer who can play the one or the two. The Pacers have missed a little scoring guard since they shipped off Travis Best. Boyette is a good defender, is very strong and shoots a high percentage from the floor. He's a nice change of pace from Jamaal Tinsley.
50. Philadelphia 76ers
Marquis Estill
Power Forward | 6-9, 260 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Kentucky
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Sixers need size, and Estill may be the best left on the board. He's got a great wing span, is a solid rebounder and shoots a high percentage from the field. There's nothing flashy about this pick, but he's solid.
51. New Jersey Nets
Kyle Korver
Small Forward | 6-8, 211 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Creighton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Nets need perimeter shooting in the worst way, and Korver is the best shooter left on the board. He knows how to score, and despite a disappointing Chicago, he has worked out well everywhere he's gone. While teams worry about his lack of lateral quickness defensively, he's a nice role player to bring off the bench.
52. Toronto Raptors (via Lakers)
James Lang
Power Forward | 6-9, 316 | Draft Player Card
Central Park Christian High | Alabama
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The big fella impressed everyone with his play in Chicago. He's very skilled for a big man, but the weight issue really hurt his stock. Will he be able to keep the pounds off? Or will he be the next Oliver Miller? He's worth a gamble in Round 2.
53. Miami Heat (via Pistons)
Rick Rickert
Power Forward | 6-11, 216 | Draft Player Card
Sophomore | Minnesota
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: This is awfully low for Rickert to go. However, his workouts left everyone feeling a bit limp. He's not tough enough to play in the post, and he's not athletic enough to play small forward. He'll get stronger -- eventually. But someone's going to have to wait a while. Not a bad pick-up for Miami here. This is one kid who should've stayed in school.
54. Portland Trail Blazers
Jason Keep
Center | 6-11, 270 | Draft Player Card
Senior | San Diego
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He looks like a biker on steroids. That alone would justify the Blazers taking him here. But he also proved to be tough enough to provide a quality defensive presence in the paint. Keep won't be a star in the league, but he'll give you five very hard fouls every night.
55. Minnesota Timberwolves
Tommy Smith
Forward | 6-10, 200 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Arizona State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He's a freak athlete who never developed a consistent game. One night he looked like the best player on the floor. The next he would completely disappear. Teams love his length, explosiveness and shot blocking. But he's going to have to get much stronger to compete at a high level.
56. Boston Celtics (via Kings)
Brandon Hunter
Power Forward | 6-8, 266 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Ohio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He's a monster. He's undersized to play the four, but his 7-foot-3 wingspan will help compensate for things. He may be the strongest player in the draft. He aslo has a nice vertical and is pretty quick for someone his size. He can score in the post, is a tenacious rebounder and runs the floor well. If he was two inches taller, he'd be a lottery pick, but as it is, the Celtics get a nice player late in the second.
57. Dallas Mavericks
Zoltan Bencze
Center | 7-0, 240 | Draft Player Card
Hungary
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Mavs don't have room on their roster for a second round pick, but Bencze is an interesting addition. He's a classic European center. He can handle the ball, is an excellent passer, runs the floor well, and he can face the basket. He lacks strength, defensive intensity and a low-post game. But in the long run, he's not a bad prospect this late in the draft.
58. Detroit Pistons (via Spurs)
Boyko Mladenov
Center | 7-0, 260 | Draft Player Card
Bulgaria
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: You know the Pistons will pull out a surprise late in the draft. It could be Bulgarian big man Boyko Mladenov, once ranked as one of the best young prospects in Europe. But then he returned to Bulgaria and disappeared from the scouting scene. He's got really soft hands and nice jumper. He plays defense better than most prospects, runs the floor well and plays pretty aggressively. I saw him play against Darko in Serbia last winter, and he was very impressive, though he got into foul trouble pretty early. He's a sleeper pick, but worth the risk.
Jason Kapono
Small Forward | 6-8, 215 | Draft Player Card
Senior | UCLA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Bulls were looking for that sweet-shooting small forward. Did one just fall into their laps? Kapono is right when he claims he would've been a first-round pick had he declared after his freshman season. All the turmoil at UCLA rubbed off on him. That doesn't change the fact that he has one of the sweetest shots in the draft. He'll have a great chance to make this team.
46. Denver Nuggets (via Celtics)
Sani Becirovic
Guard | 6-4, 194 | Draft Player Card
Slovenia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: Two years ago, Becirovic was a sure-fire lottery pick At the age of 20 he was averaging over 20 ppg in the Euroleague, and many were calling him the best Euro two guard since Drazen Petrovic. He's an explosive scorer who also can play the point. But major knee surgery put his career on hold for two years. He had the patellas in both of his knees realigned in September and is now looking to make a comeback. He worked out for several teams, including the Nuggets, in Treviso, Italy, two weeks ago. They walked away impressed. There's no guarantee anyone takes the risk on him. But if anyone does, it will be Denver.
47. Utah Jazz
Theron Smith
Forward | 6-8, 234 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Ball State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: A second-round pick isn't ever going to replace the likes of Karl Malone. But Smith has that lethal combination of strength and shooting touch that had many people excited after a top performance in Chicago. Where will he play in the NBA? Some claim he's three, others a four. But he's got a knack for rebounding, is one of the strongest players in the draft (he benched the 185-pound bar 26 times in Chicago) and he's an explosive athlete. Combine that with an emerging perimeter game, and you have a nice sleeper for the Jazz at No. 47.
48. New Orleans Hornets
Josh Powell
Forward | 6-9, 227 | Draft Player Card
Sophomore | North Carolina State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Hornets aren't going to replace P.J. Brown with a second-round pick, but Powell may have too much upside to pass on here. He's one of the draft's best athletes. He's an explosive leaper (38.5 inch vertical), has a great wingspan and his game seems to be emerging. Had he stayed in school, he would've been a lock for the first round next year. Hornets get in on the game a bit early.
49. Indiana Pacers
Jermaine Boyette
Guard | 6-2, 187 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Weber State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: Boyette is a big time scorer who can play the one or the two. The Pacers have missed a little scoring guard since they shipped off Travis Best. Boyette is a good defender, is very strong and shoots a high percentage from the floor. He's a nice change of pace from Jamaal Tinsley.
50. Philadelphia 76ers
Marquis Estill
Power Forward | 6-9, 260 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Kentucky
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Sixers need size, and Estill may be the best left on the board. He's got a great wing span, is a solid rebounder and shoots a high percentage from the field. There's nothing flashy about this pick, but he's solid.
51. New Jersey Nets
Kyle Korver
Small Forward | 6-8, 211 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Creighton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Nets need perimeter shooting in the worst way, and Korver is the best shooter left on the board. He knows how to score, and despite a disappointing Chicago, he has worked out well everywhere he's gone. While teams worry about his lack of lateral quickness defensively, he's a nice role player to bring off the bench.
52. Toronto Raptors (via Lakers)
James Lang
Power Forward | 6-9, 316 | Draft Player Card
Central Park Christian High | Alabama
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The big fella impressed everyone with his play in Chicago. He's very skilled for a big man, but the weight issue really hurt his stock. Will he be able to keep the pounds off? Or will he be the next Oliver Miller? He's worth a gamble in Round 2.
53. Miami Heat (via Pistons)
Rick Rickert
Power Forward | 6-11, 216 | Draft Player Card
Sophomore | Minnesota
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: This is awfully low for Rickert to go. However, his workouts left everyone feeling a bit limp. He's not tough enough to play in the post, and he's not athletic enough to play small forward. He'll get stronger -- eventually. But someone's going to have to wait a while. Not a bad pick-up for Miami here. This is one kid who should've stayed in school.
54. Portland Trail Blazers
Jason Keep
Center | 6-11, 270 | Draft Player Card
Senior | San Diego
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He looks like a biker on steroids. That alone would justify the Blazers taking him here. But he also proved to be tough enough to provide a quality defensive presence in the paint. Keep won't be a star in the league, but he'll give you five very hard fouls every night.
55. Minnesota Timberwolves
Tommy Smith
Forward | 6-10, 200 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Arizona State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He's a freak athlete who never developed a consistent game. One night he looked like the best player on the floor. The next he would completely disappear. Teams love his length, explosiveness and shot blocking. But he's going to have to get much stronger to compete at a high level.
56. Boston Celtics (via Kings)
Brandon Hunter
Power Forward | 6-8, 266 | Draft Player Card
Senior | Ohio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: He's a monster. He's undersized to play the four, but his 7-foot-3 wingspan will help compensate for things. He may be the strongest player in the draft. He aslo has a nice vertical and is pretty quick for someone his size. He can score in the post, is a tenacious rebounder and runs the floor well. If he was two inches taller, he'd be a lottery pick, but as it is, the Celtics get a nice player late in the second.
57. Dallas Mavericks
Zoltan Bencze
Center | 7-0, 240 | Draft Player Card
Hungary
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: The Mavs don't have room on their roster for a second round pick, but Bencze is an interesting addition. He's a classic European center. He can handle the ball, is an excellent passer, runs the floor well, and he can face the basket. He lacks strength, defensive intensity and a low-post game. But in the long run, he's not a bad prospect this late in the draft.
58. Detroit Pistons (via Spurs)
Boyko Mladenov
Center | 7-0, 260 | Draft Player Card
Bulgaria
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insider's Pick: You know the Pistons will pull out a surprise late in the draft. It could be Bulgarian big man Boyko Mladenov, once ranked as one of the best young prospects in Europe. But then he returned to Bulgaria and disappeared from the scouting scene. He's got really soft hands and nice jumper. He plays defense better than most prospects, runs the floor well and plays pretty aggressively. I saw him play against Darko in Serbia last winter, and he was very impressive, though he got into foul trouble pretty early. He's a sleeper pick, but worth the risk.
