2003 PROSPECTS

By Scott Ellis, SABL Commissioner

Yeah, I said last year's draft was gonna be the best we've had in years. I said the one before that was gonna be good, too.

I'm the eternal optimist, but I gotta say it again - this IS the best draft we've had since 1995, when Grant Hill, Michael Jordan, Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd, Juwon Howard, Tim Hardaway, Jalen Rose and many more good players were available.

In fact, because we are drafting a more than a month into the real-life NBA season, it has increased the number of prospects to the highest levels since 1995, which still stands as the greatest rookie draft in SABL history. So many previously unheralded NBA players are having great starts in real-life now, it's gonna give us tough choices throughout the first round. Do you take Murray or Arroyo, who are starting like houses of fire, even though they have virtually no minutes? What if the peter out before Christmas? What if they don't? Should you go with Yao first or Amare Stoudemire? Tough calls all around.

But fun ones! 2003 could be judged in later years as even better than the 1995 rookie draft we've ever, because, WOW, the first two rounds are gonna be stocked with goodies.

There are some prospects you want to look at and using no other brain but my own faulty one, I'll try and pick some of the best players available. Just keep in mind, I'm probably gonna miss a lot of folks. And I might change my mind once the draft actually starts! If you like somebody, draft 'em! If I like somebody you don't, don't draft 'em! With some notable exceptions, I have not reviewed players without cards:

1. - Yao Ming, Houston, C -  He's 7'6". He had better stats in every category last year than the NBA Rookie Of The Year (Amare Stoudemire), which Yao shoulda' been. Shaq's better as a Center, right now, but Yao might be better in two or three years. And the only other big man you can really compare him with the NBA right now is Tim Duncan. Besides, I build computers for a living and Yao Ming made the best computer commercial last year. Gotta be the best!

2.  Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix, PF - He could be better than Yao in the future. He is two years younger. He made the highlight reels more last year than Yao did. But he's also more than a half-foot shorter than Yao. Still, you can't go wrong with either of these guys at the 1-2 spot.

3. Caron Butler, Miami, G - Surprise, surprise, surprise! But look at his card. He's one of the only two rated shooters that can help you THIS year in our draft. He's got a damn good card, great outside column, good penetration & inside numbers, nice fastbreak. Steals the ball. Defense is OK. Only downer, turns the ball over on FB passing.

4. Gordon Giricek, Orlando, G - Surprise, surprise, surprise, again! But look at his card. He's the other rated shooter than can help you this year. Not quite as good as Butler, that's why he's 4th.

5. Ronald Murray, Seattle, G - You don't ignore 24 ppg in real life. The guy is finally getting a chance to play and he ain't gonna sit down, even when Ray Allen comes back. But he has no minutes this year, so you can only take him if you can ice him the whole season. He only played 62 minutes last year.

6. Emaneul Ginobili, San Antonio, G - Playing a lot more than he did last year and his numbers have improved a lot more, too. Steals the ball like a bandit, has an incredible fastbreak shooting card. Doesn't turn the ball over. And he gives everything he's got on the court, all the time.

7. Nene Hilario, Denver, C - Good Inside column, great defense, steals the ball. Gonna get better. Good one.

8. Carlos Boozer, Cleveland, PF - Tough choice between Boozer and Nene, so you can't wrong either way. I like Nene better because of his defense, but Boozer is banging the boards better and his Inside column this year is good, too.

9. Drew Gooden, Orlando, PF - Yep, I have him down here, even though he's a rated shooter. But that's the problem.The ball is gonna go to him and he doesn't shoot well enough for that - yet.

10. Mike Dunleavy Jr., Golden State, RF - Is he for real this season? Dunno, but I'd still put him here, anyway. Only difference is that now, he really might be really good. Great fastbreak column, can steal, pass. Defense sucks.

11. Chris Wilcox, PF, Clipper - Tearing up the NBA in real life right now and he's OK this year, too.

12. Mehmet Okur, Detroit, PF -  Big guy that can shoot good outside and rebound, defense is OK. And his game is improving from last season, an important point to remember when drafting any rookie.

13. Carlos Arroyo, Utah, G - OK, I wasn't going to put him this high, but when I talk to other coaches in our league, they are talking about him. But his APG is starting to fall in real life. If it holds above 6 APG, though, he's worth it, IF you don't need the minutes this year. Like Murray, he ain't no help in the SABL right now.

14. Marko Jaric, Clippers, G - Why is he so high? Have you seen how few good dazzler point guards there are this year? No, he's not a John Stockton, but he can shoot, dish, steal the ball and he's doing better in real life this year. Might be a better pick than Arroyo.

15. Tayshaun Prince, Detroit, RF - Young, talented, playing a lot of minutes this year, which could be important if we expand.

16. Juan Dixon, Washington - In the wondrous world of the Wizards, anything can happen. One thing that is happening is that this guy is scoring off the bench like Zach Randolph did last year. Zach's a big man, Juan's a guard, but both of them want to play.

17. Jay Williams, Chicago, G - The dearth of dazzlers make even this guy interesting. His card is good this year and he has a ton of minutes. Will he come back? Maybe, maybe not. If he does, a good pick.

18. Anthony Carter, Miami, G - I shouldn't a cut 'em. Best half-court dazzlers available in draft. But I couldn't even get a second-round pick for him before our cut date.

19. Stephen Jackson, San Antonio, G - Nice card this year, doing good for Atlanta in real life.

20. J. R. Bremer, Boston, G - Nice card this year, doing OK for Cleveland

21. Eddie House, Miami, G - Nice fast break, passable outside card. Rated shooter. Doing OK in real life.

22. Kendal Gill, Minnesota, RF -  He's doing good for the Bulls. Not a bad little card this year, too.

23. Brian Cardinal, Washington, F - Who the hell is he? He is doing pretty good for Golden State.

24. Robert Pack, New Orleans, G - Robert Pack has never gotten a bad Strat card. One of my favorites, he is this year only, but if you need fastbreak dazzlers, he's about the only one available.

25. Reggie Evans, Seattle, PF - Man can this guy rebound. But boy, he can't do anything else.

26. Michael Bradley, Toronto, PF - He can really rebound, he also is on the injured list.

27. Mike James, Miami, G - Good little outside and fastbreak card. Not much future. Old, actually.

28. Elden Campbell, Seattle, C - Having a decent year as a backup for Detroit, usable this year, too.

29. Kareem Rush, Lakers, G - What if Kobe goes to jail?

30. Dajuan Wagner, Cleveland, G - If he comes back from surgery, could be good.

31. Tierre Brown, Cleveland, G - He was available last year, too, about the same bat-time, same bat-channel. Actually, he's a good backup half-court PG. Dazzlers. Stealer

32. Robert Horry, Lakers, PF - Great fastbreak card, good defense and rebounding.

33. Dan Dickau, Atlanta, G - Nice fastbreak card, good outside card. Some dazzlers. Not much future.

34. Damon Jones, Sacramento, G - Good assist ratio in real life this year.

35. Nikoloz Tskitshivli, Denver, SF - He's supposed to be good someday.

36. Chris Anderson, Denver, C - He can rebound.

37. Dan Gadzuric, Milwaukee, C - He allegedly is a prospect.

38. Eric Williams, Boston, SF - He keeps hanging around the NBA, he might as well hang with your team.

39. Glen Rice, Houston, SF - Can still shoot threes

40. Moochie Norris, Houston, G - Only cut player to make the list.