The Orlando Magic have a problem. But what a problem to have.
The Magic possess the No. 1 pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft, and barring any last-minute trade shenanigans by the likes of Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson, they'll probably select either Michigan's Chris Webber or Shawn Bradley of BYU.So what's Orlando's problem? They must decide which of the two should they take? It might not matter; both may turn out to be perennial All-Stars. But what if it does matter? Which guy will be better?
Ask Webber and he says, "I'm the best player in the draft." Not being one to argue with a 6-foot-9, 245 pound low-post bruiser, you'd say, "Yeah, but isn't Bradley seven-foot-six inches tall?"
Yes, seven-foot-six. Therein lies the real dilemma. How can any NBA team pass on a intimidating, agile, shot-blocking 21-year-old center who happens to be almost a head taller than Hakeem Olajuwon?
Nelson, whose Warriors own the No. 3 pick overall, has never seen Bradley play in person, but likes what he's seen on tape enough to covet the former Cougar.
"He's not just a shot-blocker," Nelson told the Associated Press. "He has great hands, he can pass, he can score from the outside or on the low box. He makes free throws. He's truly an amazing tall person. I don't think we've ever seen a guy like him in the league. He'll be an impact player with a huge upside."
Still, Orlando seems poised to take Webber with the top pick. Picking the flamboyant Wolverine is likely a safe move and would be a popular one. Webber was reportedly the landslide choice of Magic faithful in a recent newspaper poll.
Sacramento Kings general manager Jerry Reynolds would agree that Webber is definitely the safer pick.
"Webber is pretty much a sure thing," Reynolds said. And "sure things" are hard to come by in the NBA these days. Besides, Orlando doesn't need to gamble on a skinny 7-foot-6 kid from rural Castle Dale, Utah. They'll have Shaquille O'Neal firmly entrenched in the low post for the next 10 to 15 years.
And while Bradley may have a huge upside, he has a downside as well.
You see, Bradley's been on a mission for the LDS Church for the past two years and as a result hasn't played a lick of competitive basketball in that time. Also, he didn't attend the pre-draft camp in Chicago (not even to be measured and weighed). Finally, Bradley only weighed a bit over 200 pounds when he played at BYU, and while he has supposedly put on around 40 pounds since his Cougar playing days, scouts wonder how much of that is just flab.
Combine these questions with the fact that the Magic already have one of the world's best centers, and picking Bradley suddenly doesn't look very realistic.
Bradley detractors say that no NBA center taller than 7-2 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height - has turned into a world-beater. That list includes 7-7 Manute Bol, 7-5 Chuck Nevitt, 7-4 Rik Smits, 7-4 Mark Eaton and 7-3 Randy Breuer. Of those players, only Nevitt has a championship ring, and he played just 37 of a possible 912 minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1985 playoffs.
Even so, Bradley's potential is staggering.
What if Bradley fills out and eventually plays at 300 pounds? What if he ends up leading the league in shot-blocking and rebounding for the next 10 years? What if he revolutionizes the game?
It could be like University of Utah basketball coach Rick Majerus has been quoted as saying, "Not taking (Bradley) first would be like not taking Michael Jordan first."
Hardly anyone in the basketball world agrees on who should be the No. 1 pick. Los Angeles Lakers general manager Jerry West likes Webber all the way.
"To me, there's no question who the No. 1 pick is, and that's Chris Webber," he told Ric Bucher of Knight-Ridder newspapers. "The thing you can't teach is the innate ability he has to play this game. Also, he's so darn big. He's certainly not going to get knocked around the way (Bradley) might. He's not going to be intimidated. I like the guy's strength and that body will play every night in this league."
Yep, the Orlando Magic have a dilemma. They need a power forward, but the allure of the 7-foot-6 Bradley is still there. Sure, it's a problem, but it's one Orlando is willing to deal with.
So is the NBA Draft cupboard bare once Webber and Bradley are gone? Not entirely.
Draft gurus generally agree who the next best players are after the two biggies, and just like Webber and Bradley, they are underclassmen. Kentucky's Jamal Mashburn, a forward projected to play inside and outside; and Anfernee Hardaway of Memphis State, a multi-talented swingman, will likely be the next players drafted.
Hardaway is particularly intriguing to a lot of clubs because he is a 6-7 guy who can probably play the point as well as shooting guard and small forward. Hardaway has been compared to Magic Johnson ever since he was in high school.
"Some people would say he's the most talented player in the draft," said Scott Layden, director of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz. "He has the complete package. At 6-7, he handles the ball real well and can play any one of three positions."
Hardaway has made it clear that he'd like to be selected by the Dallas Mavericks so he can play for Quinn Buckner alongside Jim Jackson.
"Quinn is a nice guy who played under a great coach, Bobby Knight," said Hardaway. "Playing with Jackson would be exciting. I played with him last summer in Columbus, Ohio. He's a fun guy to play with. I think we'd complement each other. We're both unselfish."
While not as versatile as Hardaway, Mashburn possesses a variety of skills that'd make him an attractive acquisition.
"I'll be an inside and an outside player, as opposed to just an inside player," Mashburn said during a conference call to announce his shoe contract with Fila.
While he might not have the sheer size of Webber, Mashburn enjoys one big advantage over him - an outside shot. He connected on 37 percent of his 3-point attempts as a junior, and almost 44 percent as a sophomore. Webber, like Shaq, is mostly a dunk specialist. Might the Orlando Magic be interested enough in Mashburn to trade the pick for Golden State's No. 3 and, say, Billy Owens?
Possible, but unlikely, says Orlando GM Pat Williams.
"Everyone else wants to put their oar in the water, but there really is little to talk about," Williams said. "With our salary cap problems, we can't take on another player in a trade. There really is nothing at this point. And I don't anticipate anything. I can't even picture a scenario under which we would trade the pick."
But if Orlando is really in the market for a big, powerful forward, Mashburn might not fit the bill. Listed at 6-8 and 240 pounds, Mashburn "isn't as big as you might think, seeing him on TV," Layden said.
Webber, Bradley, Mashburn and Hardaway. Just about anyway you look at it, they are the four best players available. And beyond those four, the talent level drops.
Here's a look at who else might be available to your favorite team:
Centers
Just like in past years, there's an impact player or two (Bradley) and then a bunch of projects who could wind up being total busts or starters someday.
At the head of the best-of-the-rest list are Iowa's Acie Earl, Seton Hall's Luther Wright and Ervin Johnson of New Orleans.
Earl, at 6-10, will likely see action at both the center and power forward positions in the pros.
"He's a great shot-blocker with extremely long arms," Layden said.
The biggest questions surrounding Earl are his slightly unorthodox, awkward style and his lack of speed.
Wright isn't a speed burner either, but what he lacks in that department, he makes up for in sheer size. The 7-2, 280-pounder can clog up the middle without even meaning to.
"He's an interesting project because of his size," said Layden. "He's got a big, wide body, and this time of year, everybody's looking for a big man."
Wright has had problems keeping his weight down in the past, tipping the scales at 320 pounds as a college freshman. His past weight struggles and the fact that he never really dominated in the college game, despite his size and skills, should ensure that Wright isn't picked before the middle of the first round.
If Wright can be considered intriguing, then Johnson's story is downright amazing. Not only does his name have a Magical ring, but the Privateer big man didn't exactly take the standard route to the NBA Draft prospect status.
Now a 25-year-old, 6-foot-11 center, Johnson graduated from high school measuring only about 6-3, then sprouted eight inches in 21/2 years while working at a grocery store.
It wasn't until then that he began his college basketball career. Johnson didn't even play high school basketball.
After Johnson, Earl and Wright, other center prospects are: Oregon State's Scott Haskin (described by one NBA GM as "a poor man's Kevin McHale. A very poor man's Kevin McHale."), Arizona's Ed Stokes, Delaware's Spencer Dunkley, Michigan's Eric Riley, LSU's Geert Hammink, Washington's Richard Manning, N.C. State's Kevin Thompson, Evansville's Sascha Hupmann and a 7-foot-7, 310-pound Romanian named Gheorghe Muresan, who played in the French league this past year.
Power forwards
Beyond Webber, there are only a couple of prospects who look like they might become real players in the NBA.
They are Malcolm Mackey, a 6-10, 250-pounder from Georgia Tech and Florida State's Doug Edwards (6-9, 230).
Mackey improved his stock with a good showing at the pre-draft Desert Classic in Phoenix. He possesses a pro body with a good shooting touch, prompting scouts to wonder why he didn't dominate more than he did at Tech.
In Phoenix, he was the tourney's leading scorer with a 15.3 average and made the all-tourney team by showing consistency and working hard on the boards.
Edwards, meanwhile, is a dominant inside player who can run, shoot and rebound.
"You don't think of him being 6-9 because he's so smooth and quick and he has a good perimeter game," said former Miami coach Bill Foster.
Both Mackey and Edwards should be first-round choices.
Players to watch for in the second round include Cincinnati's Corie Blount, who really improved his stock at the pre-draft camps before injuring his knee in a slam dunk contest; Syracuse's Conrad McRae, an explosive shot-blocker; Tulane's Anthony Reed, an excellent athlete; and a couple of real heavyweights, Maryland's Evers Burns (260 lbs.) and Michigan State's Mike Peplowski (270 lbs.).
Small forwards
If the landslide of top underclassmen talent hadn't occurred, Indiana's Calbert Cheaney might have found himself as the draft's overall No. 1 pick. But with the likes of Bradley, Webber, Mashburn and Hardaway available, Cheaney will have to wait until the fifth pick or so to get drafted.
Cheaney, along with Wake Forest's Rodney Rogers and, of course, Mashburn, are the class of this year's small forward crop.
Some scouts see Cheaney as a forward, while others view him as more of a two-guard in the pros. He'll likely play both. He has a good outside shot and can also drive to the hoop.
"There aren't many guys who can burn you inside and then hit the sweet 15-foot jump shot," commented one scout.
If Cheaney is on the quick, guard-like side of the small forward spectrum, Rogers is way over on the other side.
Layden says Rogers is a member of the new breed of powerful small forwards like Philadelphia's Clarence Weatherspoon.
"(Rogers) has a lot of talent," said Layden. "He's got a big, strong body . . . a real rugged guy."
Wake Forest coaches have described the 6-7 forward as "normally a mild-mannered guy."
"But when the ball goes up, either at practices or games, it is as if the dressing room was in some laboratory experimental chamber," said Demon Deacon assistant coach Jerry Wainwright. "Rogers steps out, the smile gone, the game face on."
Just a notch or two behind Cheaney and Rogers is Hartford's Vin Baker.
At 6-11, Baker has been compared to the L.A. Clippers' Danny Manning. He's very quick for his size and runs the court well. Baker also excels on the boards and is a good shot-blocker.
"He's multi-talented, a good passer and outside shooter," Layden said. "Yeah, Baker's like Manning or (Cliff) Robinson - not as good, though."
Scouts question Baker's slender build and lack of competition in college. Still, he likely won't fall far beyond the lottery.
Other small forwards who'll likely be picked in the first round are Arizona's Chris Mills, a guy who can swing between the forward and guard spots; UConn's Scott Burrell, a defensive specialist who's shown scouts he can also play on the offensive end and North Carolina's George Lynch, a tireless worker known for his offensive rebounding.
Look for Utah's Josh Grant to be picked in the early portion of the second round. If not for Grant's advanced age (he turns 26 in August) and past knee problems, he'd likely have sneaked into the first round.
Shooting guards
One thing to remember about this draft: It's well stocked with talented two-guards.
UNLV's J.R. Rider heads the list. In a draft devoid of underclassmen, he'd likely battle Cheaney for top pick honors.
Layden calls Rider one of the most talented in the draft.
"When he gets in the league, he's going to be a big-time scorer. He can score in bunches."
Scouts love him because he combines all the attributes they look for in a good shooting guard. Rider can hit the long-range jumpshot, is very quick on the drive and is an incredibly explosive leaper. Combine those attributes with the fact that Rider's built like a linebacker and you have a very attractive package.
"Rider's got a real rugged, stocky body. He's solid," said Layden.
Tennessee's Allan Houston, while not nearly the physical specimen Rider is, is generally considered to be the next best shooting guard available.
Houston can drill the outside shot from just about as far out as anyone now in the league. He also runs the court well and is a good passer. He'll join Rider as a lottery selection.
Just behind Rider and Houston is a group of six players all fairly close in ability. Indiana's Greg Graham, Seton Hall's Terry Dehere, Alabama's James Robinson, Kansas' Rex Walters, Long Beach State's Lucious Harris and Duke's Thomas Hill make up the bunch.
Dehere is an outside gunner with good range and quickness. Walters, who can also play the point in spot action, has impressed scouts with his willingness to take the big shot. Harris and Hill both have good size and leaping ability.
Robinson, an underclassman, and Graham are the shooting guards who have most improved their stock in the eyes of NBA scouts.
Both have shone in the post-season tournaments. Graham was named the Desert Classic's most valuable player. Those in attendance were impressed with Graham's ability to run the court. He even spent some time at point guard for the first time and did a solid job of running the offense.
"Greg Graham has shown himself to be a very capable NBA prospect, yet during the season you certainly heard a lot more on (Calbert) Cheaney. Graham has really exhibited not only all-around play, but leadership and an an understanding of the game," former NBA coach Del Harris told Basketball Times after the Desert Classic.
Robinson, on the other hand, looked very good at the pre-draft camp in Chicago.
"(Robinson's) stock has really gone up," one scout said.
Other shooting guards to watch are Florida State's Sam Cassell, Florida's Stacey Poole, Mississippi Valley State's Alphonso Ford and UNLV's Dexter Boney.
Point guards
There isn't any other way to say it. This year's point guard pickings are slim.
Beyond Hardaway, who really isn't a true point guard, the only players who are drawing much interest from NBA scouts are Duke's Bobby Hurley, Jackson State's Lindsey Hunter and Cincinnati's Nick Van Exel.
Hurley, who was really impressive at the Olympic Dream Team scrimmages last summer, has good quickness and scouts love his decision making and the fact that he's a proven winner.
"He's just a very talented point guard," Layden said. "He's a great penetrator and can hit the big shot. But can he consistently hit the open jumpshot? I don't know."
The player whose stock has risen the most in the past few weeks is Hunter. He was outstanding at the pre-draft camp in Chicago as well as in Phoenix. A combo guard who can score in bunches, Hunter probably vaulted himself out of the second round and well into the first with his fine play at the post-season camps.
Hunter was an explosive scorer for Jackson State, and should he be able to make the transition to more of a playmaker in the pros, his future should be bright.
Van Exel is an excellent ball-handler who knows how to run an offense. The fact that he shot only about 38 percent from the field his senior season scares some scouts, though.
Beyond Hurley, Hunter and Van Exel there's not much. Although, Kansas's Adonis Jordan, Western Kentucky's Mark Bell and St. John's David Cain should get some looks.
Hurley is definitely the class of this weak group. But not everyone is sold on him either. The San Francisco Examiner's John Hillyer says NBA talent consultant Marty Blake is not a huge fan of the Duke playmaker.
"Hurley's father thinks he's as good as (Bob) Cousy," Blake noted, "but Cousy is 66 now."
Enough said.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Draft choices: FIRST ROUND PROJECTIONS
1. Orlando Chris Webber
2. Philadelphia Shawn Bradley
3. Golden State Anfernee Hardaway
4. Dallas Jamal Mashburn
5. Minnesota Rodney Rogers
6. Washington J.R. Rider
7. Sacramento Bobby Hurley
8. Milwaukee Calbert Cheaney
9. Denver Vin Baker
10. Detroit Allan Houston
11. Detroit Acie Earl
12. L.A. Lakers Lindsey Hunter
13. L.A. Clippers Chris Mills
14. Indiana Luther Wright
15. Atlanta Terry Dehere
16. New Jersey Greg Graham
17. Charlotte Scott Burrell
18. Utah Malcolm Mackey
19. Boston Ervin Johnson
20. Charlotte James Robinson
21. Portland Scott Haskin
22. Cleveland Rex Walters
23. Seattle Doug Edwards
24. Houston Thomas Hill
25. Chicago Gheorghe Muresan
26. Orlando Nick Van Exel
27. Phoenix George Lynch
NBA Draft prospects
CENTER Oth.
Player Height Weight Cl. School Pos. Rating
Shawn Bradley 7'6" 245 lbs. So. BYU - 5*
Acie Earl 6'10" 240 lbs. Sr. Iowa PF 4*
Luther Wright 7'2" 290 lbs. Jr. Seton Hall - 4*
Scott Haskin 6'11" 250 lbs. Sr. Oregon State PF 4*
Ervin Johnson 6'11" 242 lbs. Sr. New Orleans - 4*
Gheorghe Muresan 7'7" 310 lbs. - French League - 3*
Ed Stokes 7'0" 265 lbs. Sr. Arizona - 3*
Spencer Dunkley 6'11" 240 lbs. Sr. Delaware PF 3*
Geert Hammink 7'0" 260 lbs. Sr. LSU - 3*
Richard Manning 6'11" 250 lbs. Sr. Washington PF 3*
Eric Riley 7'0" 245 lbs. Sr. Michigan - 2*
Kevin Thompson 6'11" 260 lbs. Sr. N.C. State - 2*
Sascha Hupmann 7'1" 265 lbs. Sr. Evansville - 2*
POWER FORWARD Oth.
Player Height Weight Cl. School Pos. Rating
Chris Webber 6'9" 240 lbs. So. Michigan C 5*
Malcolm Mackey 6'11" 248 lbs. Sr. Georgia Tech C 4*
Doug Edwards 6'9" 230 lbs. Sr. Florida State SF 4*
Corie Blount 6'9" 225 lbs. Sr. Cincinnati - 3*
Conrad McRae 6'10" 225 lbs. Sr. Syracuse C 3*
Evers Burns 6'8" 260 lbs. Sr. Maryland - 3*
Anthony Reed 6'9" 220 lbs. Sr. Tulane - 2*
Mike Peplowski 6'10" 270 lbs. Sr. Michigan State C 2*
Brent Scott 6'10" 250 lbs. Sr. Rice - 2*
Ashraf Amaya 6'8" 230 lbs. Sr. So. Illinois SF 2*
Eric Pauley 6'10" 220 lbs. Sr. Kansas SF 2*
Rodney Dobard 6'9" 210 lbs. Sr. Florida State SF 2*
Chris McNeal 6'8" 245 lbs. Sr. Pittsburgh - 1*
Derrick Chandler 6'10" 245 lbs. Sr. Nebraska C 1*
Jerry Walker 6'7" 235 lbs. Sr. Seton Hall SF 1*
Julius Nwosu 6'10" 245 lbs. Sr. Liberty C 1*
Frazier Johnson 6'10" 270 lbs. Sr. Temple C 1*
Gary Trost 6'10" 235 lbs. Sr. BYU - 1*
Tanoka Beard 6'9" 240 lbs. Sr. Boise State - 1*
Ted Jeffries 6'9" 247 lbs. Sr. Virginia - 1*
Anthony Douglas 6'7" 270 lbs. Sr. Memphis State - 1*
Keith Bullock 6'7" 245 lbs. Sr. Manhattan - 1*
Stan Rose 6'7" 235 lbs. Sr. Weber State - 1*
SMALL FORWARD Oth.
Player Height Weight Cl. School Pos. Rating
Jamal Mashburn 6'8" 240 lbs. Jr. Kentucky PF 5*
Calbert Cheaney 6'6" 210 lbs. Sr. Indiana SG 5*
Rodney Rogers 6'7" 235 lbs. Jr. Wake Forest PF 5*
Vin Baker 6'11" 232 lbs. Sr. Hartford PF 4*
Chris Mills 6'6" 220 lbs. Sr. Arizona SG 4*
Scott Burrell 6'7" 215 lbs. Sr. Connecticut SG 4*
George Lynch 6'7" 220 lbs. Sr. North Carolina PF 4*
Josh Grant 6'9" 225 lbs. Sr. Utah - 3*
Charles Outlaw 6'8" 220 lbs. Sr. Houston PF 2*
Harper Williams 6'7" 215 lbs. Sr. Massachusetts - 2*
Evric Gray 6'6" 230 lbs. Sr. UNLV - 2*
Tony Dunkin 6'7" 215 lbs. Sr. Coast. Carolin - 1*
Joe Harvell 6'7" 230 lbs. Sr. Mississippi - 1*
Bill Edwards 6'8" 215 lbs. Sr. Wright State - 1*
Will Flemons 6'7" 230 lbs. Sr. Texas Tech - 1*
Andy Kaufmann 6'6" 224 lbs. Sr. Illinois - 1*
John Best 6'8" 215 lbs. Sr. Tennessee Tech - 1*
SHOOTING GUARD Oth.
Player Height Weight Cl. School Pos. Rating
J.R. Rider 6'5" 215 lbs. Sr. UNLV SF 5*
Allan Houston 6'5" 195 lbs. Sr. Tennessee - 5*
Terry Dehere 6'4" 190 lbs. Sr. Seton Hall - 4*
Greg Graham 6'4" 185 lbs. Sr. Indiana PG 4*
James Robinson 6'2" 190 lbs. Jr. Alabama - 4*
Rex Walters 6'4" 185 lbs. Sr. Kansas - 4*
Thomas Hill 6'5" 200 lbs. Sr. Duke - 4*
Lucious Harris 6'5" 190 lbs. Sr. Long Beach St. - 4*
Sam Cassell 6'3" 195 lbs. Sr. Florida State PG 3*
Stacey Poole 6'6" 195 lbs. Sr. Florida - 2*
Antoine Stoudamire 6'5" 186 lbs. Sr. Oregon - 2*
Darrick Suber 6'4" 175 lbs. Sr. Rider - 2*
Alfonso Ford 6'2" 190 lbs. Sr. Miss. Val. St. PG 2*
Dexter Boney 6'4" 185 lbs. Sr. UNLV - 2*
Dirkk Surles 6'3" 195 lbs. Sr. G. Washington - 2*
Steve Worthy 6'5" 210 lbs. Sr. Rutgers - 1*
Ike Williams 6'4" 190 lbs. Sr. New Mexico - 1*
Parrish Casebier 6'3" 220 lbs. Jr. Evansville SF 1*
Mitchell Butler 6'5" 200 lbs. Sr. UCLA - 1*
Justus Thigpen 6'2" 195 lbs. Sr. Iowa State - 1*
Val Barnes 6'2" 195 lbs. Sr. Iowa PG 1*
William Davis 6'5" 185 lbs. Sr. James Madison - 1*
POINT GUARD Oth.
Player Height Weight Cl. School Pos. Rating
Anfernee Hardaway 6'7" 195 lbs. Jr. Memphis St. SF,SG 5*
Bobby Hurley 6'0" 165 lbs. Sr. Duke - 5*
Lindsey Hunter 6'2" 170 lbs. Sr. Jackson State SG 4*
Nick Van Exel 6'1" 175 lbs. Sr. Cincinnati - 4*
Adonis Jordan 5'11" 170 lbs. Sr. Kansas - 2*
Mark Bell 5'8" 160 lbs. Sr. W. Kentucky - 2*
Sam Crawford 5'8" 155 lbs. Sr. New Mexico St. - 1*
Chuck Evans 5'11" 185 lbs. Sr. Miss. St. - 1*
Tim Brooks 6'0" 170 lbs. Sr. Tenn.-Chatt. - 1*
David Cain 6'0" 175 lbs. Sr. St. John's - 1*
Jamie Gladden 6'0" 170 lbs. Sr. Xavier - 1*
Key: 5* - Lottery; 4* - First round; 3* - Early second; 2* - Second; 1* - Likely free agent. Oth. Pos. indicates other positions a player can play (C: center, PF: power forward, SF: small forward, SG: shooting guard, PG: point guard).