Sending a message to inexperienced hopefuls, the NBA selected only one high school player and a single junior college player during the 2002 draft.

Center/forward Amare Stoudemire of Orlando-Cypress Creek, Fla., was taken ninth in the first round by Phoenix, while Portland took forward Qyntel Woods of Northeast Mississippi CC, Miss., at No. 21 in the first round.

Last season, five of the six high school players who declared for the draft were selected, with Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and DeSagana Diop being taken among the first eight picks. None made an impact during his rookie season.

Stoudemire, once committed to Memphis, dominated the Nike All-Star Camp last summer and then starred at the McDonald's All American Game. Considered the cream of this year's high school crop, he has attended six high schools, including Cypress Creek, where he averaged 30 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks as a senior. He was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida and was a finalist for the Naismith Award. Woods, who had signed with Memphis during the fall, averaged 32 points and 10 rebounds last season.

The NBA passed on three other high school/prep school prospects: forward Leonard Cooke of Old Tappan-Northern Valley Regional, N.J.; forward/center DeAngelo Collins of Inglewood, Calif.; and center Giedrius Rinkevicius of Lithuania/Bridgton Academy, Maine, who once signed with Missouri. Forward Brandon Roy of Seattle-Garfield, Wash., who signed with Washington, earlier withdrew his name from the draft. He has not qualified for the Huskies.

Seven junior college players who entered the draft were not chosen: forward Rodney Bias of Shelton State CC, Ala.; guard Cordell Billups of Pierce CC, Wash.; forward/center Lee Benson of Brown Mackie CC, Kan.; center Rashid Hardwick of Eastern Oklahoma State CC, Okla.; Kei Madison of Okaloosa-Walton CC, Fla.; guard Eddie Shelby of Dixie College, Utah; and forward Omar Weaver of Riverside CC, Calif.

In other basketball news, Class 2004 guard Cheyenne Moore of Colora-West Nottingham, Md., pledged to Georgetown. The Hoyas recently added Class 2004 center Roy Hibbert of North Bethesda-Georgetown Prep, Md.

Guard Lawrence McKenzie of Minneapolis-Henry Senior, Minn., has chosen the Oklahoma Sooners over Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and UNLV.

Top Available Players:
Top 100 forward Marcus White of Chicago-Whitney Young, Ill., decommitted from DePaul. Sophomore forward J.C. Mathis of Brooklyn-John F. Kennedy, N.Y., will transfer from Virginia. Sophomore guard Wesley Stokes of Long Beach-Poly, Calif., is transferring from Missouri. Starting sophomore forward Odartey Blankson of Country Club Hills-Hillcrest, Ill., is transferring from Marquette. Center Larry Turner of Milledgeville-Baldwin, Ga./Bridgton Academy, Maine, who signed with Georgia, was not admitted to the school. Forward Yaniv Green of Bnei Herzeliya, Israel, is unsigned.

Class 2003:
Search the early list of over 460 Prospects/Commitments. Players will be added and updated daily.

Class 2003 Top 100:
Forward/guard LeBron James leads the early list of Top 100 Prospects/Commitments.

Class 2002:
Duke-bound J.J. Redick led the East past West, 138-107, in the 2002 McDonald's All American Game at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Stories/Rosters for 2002, 2001, 2000).

Sixteen of the top men's basketball players 18-years-old or younger have been named finalists for 2002 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team (Story).

Class 2002 Top 25 Classes:
Duke led the Top 25 Classes.

Class 2002 Top 100:
Ninety-five prospects verballed or signed from the Class 2002 Top 100 List. Uncommitted Top 100 prospects (5): Forward Leonard Cooke of Old Tappan-Northern Valley Regional, N.J. (NBA, not drafted); center/forward Amare Stoudemire of Orlando-Cypress Creek, Fla. (NBA, drafted 9th in first round by Phoenix); forward/center DeAngelo Collins of Inglewood, Calif. (NBA, not drafted), forward Marcus White of Chicago-Whitney Young, Ill. (decommitted from DePaul); and center Sani Ibrahim of Oak Hill Academy, Va. (Junior College). Committed Top 100 prospects not signed (1): Forward Marquis Kately of San Francisco-Riordan, Calif. (California/not qualified/will attend prep school).

Basketball Commitments/Signings:
FANSonly: Main Recruiting Page.
Class 2004 Men: Database.
Class 2003 Men: Database/Top 100.
Class 2002 Men: Database/Top 100/Class Rankings/ Women: Database.
Class 2001 Men: Database/Top 100/Class Rankings/Women: Database.
Class 2000 Men: Database/Top 100/Class Rankings/Women: Database.
Class 1999 Men: Database/Women: Database.
Class 1998 Men: Database/ Class Rankings/Women: Database.

FOOTBALL

Top News:
Defensive lineman Brandon Teamer of Omaha-Central, Neb., has chosen Nebraska over Colorado.

Receiver/running back Steven Octavien of Naples-Lely, Fla., has committed to Illinois over Purdue, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. The Illini recently gained quarterback DaJuan Warren of Southfield, Mich., over Minnesota.

Oregon State pledged tight end Zach Hagemeister of Lebanon, Ore.

Minnesota pledged running back Maurice Alexander of Southfield, Mich., over offers from Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio).

Houston has a commitment from linebacker Austin Griffith of Huffman-Hargrave, Texas.

Receiver Chris Narsesian of Winter Park-Lake Howell, Fla., has chosen Pittsburgh over Auburn, Tulane, Rutgers and Central Florida. The Panthers recently added defensive lineman Chris Vangas of Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne, Ohio.

Missouri pledged offensive/defensive lineman M.J. Norman of Eureka, Mo., over an offer from Iowa. Among others showing interest were Kansas State, Kansas, Illinois asnd Nebraska.

Colorado pledged linebacker James Alford and defensive back Fernandez McDowell, both from Metairie-East Jefferson, La.

Class 2003:
Seach the early list of over 2465 Prospects/Commitments/By Conference. Players will be added and updated daily.

Class 2003 Top 150:
Quarterbacks and offensive linemen lead the early list of Top 150 Prospects/Commitments.

"Recruiting Power States": Florida, California, Texas, Pa, Ohio.
"Big Ten States": Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Pa, Ohio, Mich, Minn, Wis.
"Big 12 States": Okla, Missouri, Iowa, Neb, Kansas, Colo, Texas.
"SEC States": Florida, Tenn, SoCarol, Kty, Georgia, Ala, Ark, Miss, La.
"ACC States": Florida, NoCarol, SoCarol, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia.
"Pac-10 States": California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington.
"Big East States": Florida, Pa, New Jersey, New York, Mass, Va, WVa.

Football Commitments/Signings
FANSonly: Main Recruiting Page.
Class 2003: Database/Top Prospects/Conference.
Class 2002: Database/Top Prospects/Conference/Class Rankings.
Class 2001: Database/Top Prospects/Conference/Class Rankings.
Class 2000: Database/Top Prospects/Class Rankings.
Class 1999: Database/Top Prospects/Class Rankings.
Class 1998: Database.
Class 1997: Database.

Bill Hodge is the executive editor and director of recruiting coverage at FANSonly.com. For daily columns on prospects, commitments and signings, plus databases, go to FANSonly.com's Recruiting Page.