Here is the article by Steve Kerr before the draft.
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Looking for the sure thing
by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
June 22, 2004
Unlike last year, when the NBA draft basically was the "LeBron Sweepstakes," there is not one sure superstar in this year's crop. There are plenty of good players available and probably some future all-stars. But it will be much tougher to discern who will become those stars. There will be projects, solid pros and potential future studs. And with that in mind, I've come up with a few categories for grouping this year's crop.
Carmelos – Instant-impact guys
Not many people predicted that Carmelo Anthony would instantly star, but everyone knew he would contribute immediately. His success came because of his size, shooting ability and physical nature of play. These days, with so many young players coming into the league, it's rare for a draftee to be truly ready to play in the NBA against grown men.
Most have to adjust, grow and mature before they are prepared to play. But a handful of players in the draft are ready to contribute right away. One is Ben Gordon. The combo guard from Connecticut is an explosive athlete, a good shooter, extremely strong for his size and has great ball-handling skills. He can create his own shot and is extremely talented with the ball.
Another Carmelo could be Luke Jackson from Oregon. His stock has risen after a series of strong workouts in front of NBA scouts and personnel men. He has good size, is an excellent shooter and is a better athlete than people realize. He'll be a good two-guard in the league.
And finally, Emeka Okafor should be an impact player immediately. He has a ways to go offensively, but his speed, strength and ability to block shots will make him an instant starter. Couple those physical skills with the fact that he was a 3.8 student and won a national championship at UConn, and you have someone who will be an instant contributor.
Darkos: Loaded with potential
Like Darko Milicic, these players may not enjoy much success early in their careers, but they have the look of future all-stars. The first in this category would be Dwight Howard. The high school star from Atlanta will go either first or second, and he's been compared to Kevin Garnett by some scouts. He's long, lean, runs like a deer and scores around the hoop with both hands. His jumper is suspect, but he's an amazing athlete and a fine person with a solid background.
The next Darko is Shaun Livingston. The 6-foot-7-inch point guard from Peoria, Ill., is rail thin and won't be ready to play next season. But once he develops, he has a chance to be really good. He's a wonderful passer and has a knack for the game. However, until he builds a stronger frame, he won't be able to hold up.
Russian center Pavel Podkolzine is another Darko. Not as gifted physically as Milicic, but he still has enough talent to make teams take a chance. He's 7-foot-4, runs well, shoots the perimeter shot with ease and has good hands. He played in Italy this season and averaged just 12 minutes a game, so there's obviously something missing. But then again, there aren't many guys around with his size.
Wallaces: Don't forget the sleepers
These are the guys who might not be drafted (or maybe picked in the second round) who have a chance to make it in the NBA, like the undrafted Ben Wallace. These are the tough ones to predict, because if they were that good, they'd be in the first round. But sometimes players' hearts aren't easily seen, and a guy like Wallace can pop up and make an impact.
This year's Wallace could be Romain Sato from Xavier, a swing man who is tough physically, plays hard every possession and loves to compete. He could be a Bruce Bowen or Trenton Hassell type.
Another Wallace could be Jackson Vroman. The athletic 6-foot-10-inch big man from Iowa State hustles and rebounds very well. He could make a team's roster on effort alone. He impressed scouts at the NBA predraft camp in Chicago with his play. Also impressive in Chicago was Andre Brown, an undersized four-man from DePaul. Brown is the type of player who coaches love, a true competitor, and with the right situation he could excel.
With so few sure things and so many possibilities and question marks, look for plenty of draft-day trades. As always, there will be good picks and bad ones. But this year, with so many high school kids and European entries, there appear to be many more Darkos than Carmelos.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=sk-surething&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
