Mike was in the house. And for the first three days of the Nike Desert Classic in Phoenix, Mike was the center of attention. After all, the anticipation of a possible MJ comeback obscures just about everything when it comes to basketball. Julius Erving glided so easily through Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena that it was actually possible to miss the good doctor. Not so with Mike.

Yes, Jordan was in the house, joking courtside with Ernie Grunfeld, Mitch Kupchak, and Rod Thorn, incessantly talking on his cellie, and for the first two nights, sitting high in the stands with friends. And though he refused to comment on NBA matters and denied all autograph seekers, MJ did -- like the Dalai Lama high in the Himalayas -- entertain any of the 41 college seniors competing here who sought him out. "Just had to chill with Mike a little," said Michigan State's Charlie Bell, returning to the court to meet up with Spartan teammate Andre Hutson. "The game," Bell added, referring to the ticket he had for last Wednesday's Suns-Kings playoff matchup, "can wait."

Unfortunately, for Bell and most of the other players trying to impress pro scouts, The League may not wait for them. Asked how many players at this camp might go in the first round, one agent estimated four or five. Tops. And that may be high. With possibly 30 underclassmen declaring, there's a chance that none of the college seniors playing in Phoenix this past week will hear David Stern call their name in Round 1 on June 27.

Considering the limited talent pool and the fact that games start at six in the evening, GMs spent most of their time in Phoenix tanning and assembling a foursome for the next day's golf game. And most big names, Jordan included, are gone by Day 4.

Among other things MJ missed on Day 4 was a breakout game by a guy who possesses Jordan-sized hops, USC's Jeff Trepagnier. In 23 minutes of one semifinal game, the 6'3" shooting guard with a 6'8" wingspan was seven-of-nine from the field, displaying an array of dunks, dimes and defense on his way to 15 points. The next night Trepagnier, who was named MVP, continued his hot play, pouring in 27 including a sweet reverse oop. About the only thing he didn't win was the slam-dunk contest. That honor went to N.C. State's Damon Thornton.

Regarded as a small man's camp, the Classic actually might have helped several big men secure second-round selections. West Virginia's Calvin Bowman had just four points in the first game, but he was dominant in his final two, posting 12 and 10 along with six blocks in the semifinal. How he didn't make the all-tournament team is a mystery, considering Hutson, Georgia's Anthony Evans, USC's Brian Scalabrine, and Syracuse's Damone Brown all did -- and none was exceptionally impressive.

In contrast, most of the Portsmouth Invitational players invited to Phoenix played well. In addition to Bowman, Iowa State's Martin Rancik displayed some fine offensive and defensive low-post skills.

The drama continues to build for Portsmouth's two best players, Division III William Paterson's Horace Jenkins and University of Detroit's Rashad Phillips. Moving up in class and now unable to attack the basket at will, Jenkins looked a bit exposed in Phoenix and couldn't seem to find his outside shot. Meanwhile Phillips, a sort of mini-Iverson, picked up right where he left off in Virginia, scoring 13 points and handing out seven assists on Thursday.

Unfortunately, Phillips bruised some tendons in his right ankle and had to sit out the final two days. Still, the 5'9" point guard seems undeterred. When one scouting service guy told him he had moved up to the top of second round, Phillips politely accepted the news before setting the record straight. "No way I'm a second-round pick," said 'Shad. "You show me 29 guys that are better than me."

In Chicago and in individual workouts, Phillips will get his chance. But by now he should know he has more than a few fans. Phillips' Chicago-based agent, Hank Thomas, chatted up MJ during one evening of play and according to Thomas, Mike liked what he saw.

John Gustafson writes college hoops for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at john.gustafson@espnmag.com.