Daily Bruin File Photo Earl Watson leaps
above a Washington State defender during a game at Pauley Pavilion
in January.
By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
With the crowning of a champion not more than a week ago, all
eyes in professional basketball turn their gaze from the present to
the future with the upcoming NBA Draft in New York.
Wednesday’s annual event is sure to have an effect on the
Southern California’s college and pro teams.
In Westwood, the focus is on graduating senior Earl Watson. The
6-foot-1-inch point guard was the constant for a Bruin squad that
advanced to three Sweet Sixteens under the iron-man Watson’s
direction.
The prognosis on the draft status of the Kansas City native has
much to do with his exceptional play at the two major pre-draft
camps in Phoenix and Chicago. The reputation of the small, yet
physical floor leader, remained intact after both showings. Watson
led his squads to the tournament championship games in Phoenix and
Chicago with his consistent court instincts and impressive ability
to get other players involved. Complemented with a shooter’s
touch from the outside, he is slated to go anywhere from late first
to mid-second round according to NBA scouts.
At USC, two of the Trojans’ stars from last year’s
Elite Eight squad are turning heads on the draft boards. USC
forwards Brian Scalabrine and Jeff Trepagnier, who is arguably the
best athlete in the entire draft, can expect to hear their names
called in the late first round or early second round at worst.
USC senior forward Sam Clancy, who was an early entrant
projected to be drafted late in the first round, decided to
withdraw his name from the draft and return for his senior
season.
In the Pac-10 Conference, the loss of so many superstars from
the top teams clouds the picture for next year’s title run.
However, since UCLA didn’t lose a single underclassman, they
will be the likely front-runners.
Grand theft was declared in Tucson, where the Arizona Wildcats
were set to lose their entire starting five to the NBA before guard
Jason Gardner wisely pulled his name from the list of early
entrants. But the Wildcats will lose the remainder of their
starters to the professional ranks.
As for the rest of the Pac-10’s draft entrants, Stanford
forward Jason Collins is the only player with a good chance of
being drafted. At 6-11, Collins can play the post and has
three-point range.
The remaining players, who include Oregon forward Bryan Bracey,
Cal forward Sean Lampley and Collins’ twin brother, Stanford
forward Jarron Collins, will be lucky if they get drafted at
all.
Two SoCal high schoolers also entered the draft. Although both
of them are over 7 feet tall, only one of them is likely to get
drafted: Tyson Chandler of Compton, who might have to move to small
forward in the NBA.
His decision to go pro was made long ago, but had he chose to
attend college, UCLA was at the very top of that list. Chandler is
a very fluid player who has good range on his jump shot. He defends
the post well but lacks the size and strength to do the same in the
NBA. More of an open-court player than a half-court player, he
needs to work on his intensity and work ethic. Chandler will likely
be a top five pick due to his size and potential.
Compton’s Tony Key however is another story. Although he
was a great high school player at Centennial High, he is definitely
not ready for NBA-caliber competition. Even with his made-for- NBA
size, it is unlikely he will be drafted.
Since the Lakers hold no picks in Wednesday’s draft, the
Clippers are L.A.’s draft-day story with the second pick
overall and an early second round pick, No. 37 overall.
They need a point guard or a dominating center. If they keep
their first round pick, look for a big man like high schoolers
Kwame Brown or Eddy Curry to wear the red, white and blue. If they
deal the pick, look for Elgin Baylor, the Clippers’ general
manager, to trade down in the lottery and add a veteran point guard
like Mike Bibby to help lead a youth movement that is ready to make
a run toward the playoffs next year.
Overall, this year’s draft has no sure bets, but it could
eventually go down in NBA history as one of its greatest drafts
ever. However, with four high schoolers and four freshmen likely to
be lottery picks, no one will know how this draft pans out for
close to a decade.