Top 10 players, regardless of the draft order.

1. Yao Ming, 7-foot-5, center, Shanghai Sharks
Yao Ming didn't wow the scouts in Chicago on May 1 but he left enough of an impression to secure one of the top two spots. He's still 7-5 and can be a defensive pest every time he's on the court if he keeps his hands in the air. Strength is a question, but he showed he has the frame to add even more weight to his estimated 283-pound body. Teams aren't expected to be discouraged from Yao's Chinese National Team responsibilities that could pull him away from training camp and part of the beginning of the season.

2. Jay Williams, 6-2, point guard, junior, Duke
Don't call him Jason anymore, but he shouldn't fret about being confused with Jayson Williams, the former Net, or Jason Williams the erratic Grizzly. This Jason, oops, we mean Jay, Williams has his own game. He isn't afraid to take, let alone make, big-time shots. He might be a questionable free-throw shooter, but he gets to the line often. He made plenty of NBA-length 3s during his junior season and shouldn't have a problem adjusting to the NBA game. Don't expect him to drop below No. 2 in the draft.

3. Caron Butler, 6-7, small forward, sophomore, Connecticut
Caron Butler's stock soared in the NCAA Tournament and continues to climb even without a workout. Butler can score from anywhere on the court, loves to work the offensive glass and his body has matured enough to where he can take the physical pounding in the NBA. His position in the draft could change with the arrival of Mike Dunleavy and Chris Wilcox in the lottery, but he won't be around longer than the top five because of his scoring skills.

4. Drew Gooden, 6-10, power forward, junior, Kansas
The biggest question around Drew Gooden is whether or not he's a power or small forward. Dunleavy could slide ahead of him if the team picking wants a small forward instead of a power player. Gooden has been more of a finesse player with the ability to score inside and out. He runs the floor as well as any big man in the draft and has made up for his lack of bulk by getting to the boards and finishing without a problem. He has the ball skills to be a tough matchup and scouts give him the favorable term of having tremendous upside.

5. Mike Dunleavy, 6-9, small forward, junior, Duke
Every lottery pick outside of Yao Ming and Jay Williams had to wonder about his position when Mike Dunleavy entered the draft. He can alter anyone from No. 3 to No. 8. He's got the ball skills, the shooting touch and the board work on the offensive glass to be an impact player once he adds bulk to his body. Dunleavy has the pedigree the scouts love and he will be protected because of his father's fame in the NBA. Teams won't mess with him and will let him know exactly where he'll go in the lottery before he makes a decision to stay in the draft.

6. Chris Wilcox, 6-10, power forward, sophomore, Maryland
Maryland expected his departure after Wilcox's stock rose during the NCAA Tournament. He can use his body without a problem to get inside position,. He can run the floor and finish, and has developed even more finishing touches over the past few months. Wilcox is still an unfinished product, but NBA teams covet players who have the potential. Wilcox fits the criteria for a team in need of a power player who can also get out and run on the break. He could go as high as No. 3 if the right team gets in the spot.

7. Curtis Borchardt, 7-foot, center, junior, Stanford
NBA teams love big men and Curtis Borchardt fits the criteria for a top eight pick. He's big, can block shots and score in the post. He could add weight and increase stamina, but he's ready to make the jump. Borchardt still hasn't signed with an agent and could consider returning to Stanford. But he might find that difficult to do considering his stock is holding firm in the top 10. He had a healthy season after battling foot injuries the previous two and scouts say the time to go is now.

8. Dajuan Wagner, 6-2, point guard, freshman, Memphis
The comparisons to Allen Iverson aren't fair, at least not yet. Wagner is bigger and maybe a better scorer, but not as good a shooter as Iverson. He still has to learn the nuances of the game, but scouts don't expect him to slip out of the top 10. He's as productive a player as there is in the draft and would be a catch for any team that gets him later in the top 10. Memphis won an NIT championship with him, but probably never believed they would get him back for a second year.

9. Nikoloz Tskitishvili, 6-11, small forward, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
The most amazing story in the draft could be Tskitishvili. He didn't play in the European Final Four, yet general managers and scouts went to Bologna to watch him work out. He's 19 and his upside has NBA personnel intrigued enough to take him in the top 10, a precursor to keeping him in the draft. The fear is that he could become another Pau Gasol and teams don't want to miss out on the chance to get him. He has the shooting touch, the ball skills and the future that NBA teams covet.

10. Qyntel Woods, 6-9, small forward, sophomore, Northeast Mississippi CC
Memphis signed him and was planning on featuring him as the inside-out player on the team next season. He's not going to be nearly as effective in the NBA. Scouts consider him one of the best athletes in the draft, a deft shooter and a prototype small forward. But he will undergo an extensive interview process to ensure he's worth the risk of taking in the top 10. The buzz on him has been up and down the past few months and the workouts leading up to the draft will be critical for him.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. Katz covers the NBA draft for ESPN.com and ESPN.