FIVE high-school big men eyeing next year's draft...

"Tim Stevens: More top prospects eyeing NBA"


College basketball could suffer a significant blow this coming spring if the NBA attracts as many of the top high school players as recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons fears.
"In the past, there has never been more than two high school players each year to go to the NBA draft who had a legitimate chance to get into college," Gibbons said.
"But this year the top five big men are all possible draft picks."
Eddy Curry, who is 6 feet 11, signed with DePaul, but is expected to enter the draft. Tyson Chandler, who is 7-1, is almost sure to go to the NBA.
Florida recruit 6-11 Kwame Brown could enter the draft. So could 7-0 DeSagana Diop and 6-8 Ousmane Cisse, who are both uncommitted.
"If all five go, it would really have an effect on college basketball," Gibbons said.
The NBA may say it doesn't want the young players, but teams draft them and pay them millions of dollars because the teams believe the players will help them make more millions.
Charlotte Hornets coach Paul Silas told Lenox Rawlings of The Winston-Salem Journal, "If a kid gets to you after he's gone to school four years in today's market, something is probably wrong.
"Let's face it: Kids have about a two-year window right now. After two years, they're out of here."
Do you think the NBA is worried about hurting college basketball? Of course not. The NBA and the NCAA are rivals -- rivals for fan attention, newspaper space and television money.

Next year just keeps getting deeper...I think there are few teams that could live without drafting a big man next year, and we're one of them....we're looking for a SF, and a backup C....SO, with all these Centers next year, we have a great chance to pick up the best Small forward in next year's draft....THAT IS, unless Eddy Curry/Loren Woods is a possibility....




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