| | Chris Mihm has heard the whispers about his draft status. No longer
a project, Mihm is actually competing for the No. 1 spot in the draft with
Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin.
The problem is Mihm is only a junior. He didn't expect his draft
status to change this much in a year. But it has.
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Catching a draft?
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It's never too early to start talking about this year's crop of draft prospects. ESPN.com's Andy Katz breaks it down position by position, and will be updating the lists as changes occur during the season and NBA pre-draft camps.
Point guards
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Power forwards
Centers
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While leading Texas to the top of the Big 12, the 7-foot center is
having to forget the attention he's receiving on a game-by-game basis from
NBA scouts. They're watching his every move, noticing that his foot speed
has improved, his hands are even softer and his touch around the basket more refined. When he runs the court like a gazelle rather than a rhino, scouts salivate at the prospects of a true low-post threat
in the NBA.
So, what to do? Mihm's answer: Keep playing and worry about it in late March or
early April.
"It's going to be a tough decision for me," Mihm said. "I've still
got a lot of work to do and a lot to improve on. But it's exciting to have
those guys (scouts) watching."
Mihm has dreamed of playing in the NBA, like every other college
player. But he's not going to put it in front of his commitment to the Longhorns just yet.
"I'm playing for this team right now and I love the University of
Texas and I'm committed to winning games. I really don't know what I'll do
at this point in time. It's a compliment (to be considered No. 1) but if I
don't play well, it won't happen."
Mihm said it's not fair to his team to come clean in January with a
decision. But a deep NCAA Tournament run by the Longhorns, rather than a
first-round exit like '99, could influence his decision.
"I want to take this team as far in the tournament as I can," Mihm
said. "I have made no decision. I knew there was a chance this could happen
but when the season ends, hopefully in the Final Four, that's when I'm going
to sit down and make the biggest decision of my life. It will be an exciting
time for me."
All healed and ready to go
Utah's Hanno Mottola didn't rush back from a knee injury. Stanford's
Mark Madsen took his time recovering from a pulled hamstring. Michigan
State's Mateen Cleaves wasn't going to get on the floor too soon after recovering from a
broken foot. Fresno State's Courtney Alexander didn't push a stress fracture.
Four potential all-Americans and preseason lottery picks (Madsen
might be on the outside looking in now) were hurt as the season began.
All four are back, with Mottola and Alexander showing the least amount of rust.
But don't think the foursome weren't aware of their potential NBA
careers.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't thinking about the big
picture," Alexander said while he sat in November. "You've got to play both
sides. You've worked your whole life to be put in this position so you've
got to make sure you take care of yourself."
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Coming and going
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Halfway through the season, here are a few players whose stock has risen and a few who have fallen off:
Moving up
Eddie House
Glendon Alexander
Eduardo Najera
Hanno Mottola
Jamaal Magloire
Moving down
Matt Santangelo
Lamont Long
Alex Jensen
Stefan Ciosici
Mark Madsen |
Alexander said at the time that he couldn't rush back.
"If you're not pain free on the floor, it'll take a lot longer to
heal," Alexander said. "You've got to be careful and be honest with
yourself."
Injuries during the season shouldn't hurt the elite players. The NBA
scouts had to adjust schedules during the absences of at least these four
players but didn't want their self-interests to play a role in when a player
returned to the court.
Cleveland Cavaliers scout Rick Weitzman said he wants to see players
healthy, but yes, would rather observe them in a game environment.
"They weren't hurting their draft status," said Larry Harris,
director of scouting for the Milwaukee Bucks. "As long as they're healthy at
the time of the draft, they'll go as high as they were projected."
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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ALSO SEE
Daily Word: Tough choices at Temple
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Texas' Chris Mihm takes control of the paint with two blocks.
avi: 846 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Kenyon Martin "dominates" for Cincy.
avi: 623 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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