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Draft dirt blowing in Windy City
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
CHICAGO -- Oklahoma's Eduardo Najera and Fresno State's Terrance Roberson weren't ready for the Phoenix draft camp. Maybe they weren't told what to expect on the court. Maybe they were unsure about the scrutiny that would follow.
|  | | Eduardo Najera played himself back into the draft with a strong effort in Chicago. |
Whatever the reason, Najera and Roberson left Phoenix in mid-April with the knowledge they had probably played themselves out of the second round.
But nearly two months later, Najera and Roberson have put themselves back on the radar screen.
Najera, who measured out at 6-foot-6 and one-quarter in Chicago, said he dropped 12 pounds from Phoenix to the Chicago pre-draft camp. Playing lighter, Najera seemed to move quicker on the court and was more active around the basket. In Phoenix, he looked a step slow, and there were times where he wasn't being noticed on the court. That almost never happened during his days as a Sooner.
"I wasn't ready for this before," Najera said. "I wasn't in the shape I needed to be in Phoenix. I had just had nose surgery, and I wasn't ready."
Najera might only be a second-round pick, but he wanted to ensure he would be in someone's camp after the Chicago combine. He should be picked after his performance at the Moody Bible Institute. He didn't put up big numbers (11.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg), but his activity and controlled aggressive play on defense would make him a must in an NBA camp. Najera worked out for Houston, and he might pick up another workout or two after the draft camp.
Meanwhile, Roberson proved he's not just a stand-still shooter. He drove to the basket and picked up fouls. Too many players weren't aggressive enough in going to the basket. He was 14-for-16 from the free-throw line in three games in Chicago. He was energetic and played with the type of enthusiasm he lacked consistently at Fresno State. Roberson's spirited play and streaky scoring helped get him at least two workouts. He'll be in front of Charlotte and the Knicks before the draft.
But Najera and Roberson weren't alone in helping themselves in Chicago. The Chicago pre-draft camp can only help players who participate. Too many players bypassed the camp, thinking they were a lock or didn't need to participate. The worst offenses were probably committed by Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson. They watched one day from atop the catwalk at the Moody Bible Institute. The presence of two potential lottery picks made it look like they were better than what was playing on the court below.
But the players who did show up gave scouts, general managers and coaches the last impression.
"So much is based on the last guy seen," said Larry Harris, Milwaukee's player personnel director. "There are other guys who aren't here who are forgotten. Remember, it's out of sight out of mind."
Agents or "people" close to players have told them to stay away for fear that they weren't going to help themselves by showing up. Instead, Scoonie Penn might have hurt himself by not playing while Khalid El-Amin did participate. Both are likely battling to be the fifth or sixth point guard taken in the draft.
"I'm biased because I'm one of the guys who is running it, but I think it's important to be here," said Pete Babcock, the Atlanta Hawks general manager. "Every year the perception is that the best players don't play in Chicago. But that's not true. We had 25 players drafted out of our camp last year and 25 in 1989."
While there might not have been more than two lottery picks who played in Chicago, there were plenty of second round picks who made money by playing well in Chicago.
Prospects who made the most of Chicago
Jamal Crawford, 6-6, Fr., Michigan: Decision making wasn't always on target, but his size and fluidness at the point make him a potential lottery pick.
Khalid El-Amin, 5-10, Jr., Connecticut: Didn't distance himself from Speedy Claxton at the point, but he did have one of the best lines of the camp: 9-for-27, 9 assists, 0 turnovers, 18 points in 28 minutes. He's on the bubble for the first round.
Antonis Fotsis, 6-9, Greece: Proved he can be a scorer from the perimeter, but wasn't strong enough to consistently get his own shot inside. He's probably a bubble first-round pick, but more likely a second-round selection. He could still pull his name out of the draft.
Eduardo Najera, 6-8, Sr., Oklahoma: Defense improved during the Chicago draft camp. He's a must get for training camp out of the second round.
Lavor Postell, 6-6, Sr., St. John's: Postell kept scoring, leading the camp with 18.7 points a game. If he didn't lock up a first-round slot, he'll definitely get a guaranteed contract out of the second round.
Jason Hart, 6-3, Sr., Syracuse: Hart played exceptional defense on any opposing point (especially El-Amin). He drove to the basket well, but still lacks a consistent shot. If he could shoot, he'd be in the first round.
Cory Hightower, 6-8, So., Indian Hills (Iowa) CC: Hightower's lanky frame but ability to score from the perimeter might attract someone in the first round. But he's probably a more realistic second-rounder. He needed to go to Chicago to create some sort of buzz about his game. He did that.
Marko Jaric, 6-7, Greece: Scouts weren't sure what to expect from Jaric. What they saw was a player who can get to the basket and isn't afraid of contact. That's rare for first-year European players in the NBA. Jaric can sneak into the first round.
Nate Johnson, 6-6, Sr., Louisville: Johnson played well in his first game, scoring 12 points in 15 minutes. But he disappeared in his second game, scoring two points. He's likely a second-round pick, but someone who might have left after his first game could be thinking of him high in the second.
Mark Madsen, 6-9, Sr., Stanford: Madsen did everything he could to convince scouts he deserves to be in the first round. Either someone will like him enough to take him late in the first or he'll make a squad at the top of the second. He averaged 14.7 points and 6.3 boards during the three-game camp.
Ernest Brown, 7-0, So., Indian Hills (Iowa) CC: The expectations were low on Brown coming into the camp. But in one game, he made himself some money. He was playing next to Providence center Karim Shabazz but had three rebounds and three blocks compared to Shabazz' two and one. A pulled hamstring kept him out of the rest of the camp but he went from being not drafted to a second-round pick in one game.
Speedy Claxton, 5-11, Sr., Hofstra: Claxton assured himself a first-round slot with another solid camp. He was the talk of Phoenix and didn't drop during Chicago with 5.3 assists a game.
Donnell Harvey, 6-8, Fr, Florida: His rebounding prowess displayed in one game before getting injured locked up a first-round slot for the one-time Gator.
Justin Love, 6-2, Sr., Saint Louis: Love averaged 13 points during the camp. Love is still too small to play shooting guard and not a true point. But he's a scorer and he won't last too long in the draft.
Terrance Roberson, 6-7, Sr., Fresno State: Roberson's aggressive play on the perimeter helped his cause. He can sneak into the second round after looking like he could get shut out in Phoenix.
Prospects who stayed the same in Chicago
Malik Allen, 6-10, Sr., Villanova: He's a wide body with the potential to last in the league. But he's still a second-rounder after averaging six rebounds in three games.
Primoz Brezec, 7-0, Slovenia: He's not a scorer, but he can board. He averaged seven rebounds a game and can sneak into the second round if he stays in the draft.
Mark Karcher, 6-5, Jr., Temple: He failed to establish himself as a lock for the first round. He's a perfect college small forward, but isn't skilled enough with the ball to be a shooting guard in the NBA. He'll stay in the draft and go in the second round.
Pete Mickeal, 6-5, Sr., Cincinnati: Didn't distinguish himself enough to get past other 'tweener athletes like Postell. He's still a second-round pick.
Igor Rakocevic, 6-2, Yugoslavia: Was a deft ballhandler, but not a scorer. He averaged four assists a game. He was tenacious in taking the ball to the basket and was an aggressive defender. Would be a good catch in the second.
Alex Scales, 6-4, Sr., Oregon: He needed to go to Chicago and maintain his status as a second-round pick. He did that by averaging 13 points in three games.
Jarrett Stephens, 6-7, Sr., Penn State: He didn't put up the necessary numbers to crack the first round, but he still has a wide body that is hard to move out of the post. He's a likely high second-round pick because of his ability to eat up space in the lane.
Schea Cotton, 6-6, So., Alabama: He needed to become more of a consistent scorer, but Cotton struggled to finish on occasion. He entered Chicago as a second-round pick and left as the same.
A.J. Guyton, 6-1, Sr., Indiana: Guyton was a bubble first-round pick after Phoenix and left Chicago in the same spot. He wasn't able to move ahead of Crawford, El-Amin or Claxton. Guyton didn't crack the top 10 scorers in camp.
Chris Porter, 6-7, Sr., Auburn: Porter measured out at 6-5 ½, which hurts his chances of being a power forward in the NBA. He didn't crack the top 10 in scoring but continued to play hard in the games. He's still somewhere in the second round.
Pepe Sanchez, 6-4, Sr., Temple: Either teams love him or don't for their second-round pick. Sanchez got through the weekend without getting hurt. He wasn't so lucky in Phoenix after injuring his ankle. He had 7.7 assists and will get taken in the second.
Eddie Gill, 6-0, Sr., Weber State: Gill closed the gap on the top six point guards. He led the camp with eight assists a game and could lock up second round status.
Ed Cota, 6-2, Sr., North Carolina: Cota was a second-round pick because of his consistency at the point for the Tar Heels. That's still what he is after Chicago. He dished out five assists per game, but didn't move into the top six point guards.
Dan Langhi, 6-11, Sr., Vanderbilt: Langhi was a borderline first-round pick going into Chicago. But he didn't score well enough to leap into the first. He's a lock for going early in the second because of his versatility at small forward.
Michael Redd, 6-6, Jr., Ohio State: Redd isn't going back to school, but he didn't do enough to ensure himself of being a first-round pick. He averaged 12.7 points a game, but too often, he wasn't a standout on the floor. He might have to go the route of Cuttino Mobley and shine as a second-rounder to earn his keep.
Jabari Smith, 6-11, Sr., LSU: He was a first-round pick entering Phoenix but has fallen into the second. He didn't get up past the second after being unable to establish himself as a low-post presence in Chicago.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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