V-MAIL: July 20

Q: Who do you feel is the best center in college basketball for the 2001-02 season? Also, who are your sleeper teams or teams nobody is safe to play? -- Chris Sanders, Russellville, Ky.

	Lonny Baxter is returning to Maryland for his senior year as one of the nation's premier big men.

VITALE: Who's the best center? You have to consider Florida's Udonis Haslem, Duke's Carlos Boozer, UCLA's Dan Gadzuric and Maryland's Lonny Baxter among the best. Gadzuric should have a big year. He's an excellent low-post player, a traditional center in that he plays down in the box. He and Jason Kapono, one of the nation's premier shooters, give the Bruins a great 1-2 punch. Baxter will be a big-time force this year. Those four centers jump out at me, but there will be some centers popping up that not many people have heard about.

As for sleeper teams, we have to wait to see who is eligible. And it depends on what you define as a sleeper. But one team that could cause problems and has more experience than people believe is South Carolina, under new coach Dave Odom. If Chuck Edison comes back from his knee injury, the Gamecocks can certainly be a factor in the SEC. They have good experience on the perimeter. Odom will inject a lot of enthusiasm, and Rolando Howell should have a solid year. Also in the SEC, Auburn has some firepower to make things happen.

In the Big East, Seton Hall still has a nice nucleus to create problems, despite losing Eddie Griffin. Louis Orr's club could be tough. Not a lot of people are expecting the Pirates to make any kind of noise, but they could surprise people. In the Big Ten, watch Indiana. The Hoosiers could be a major factor, even though they lost Kirk Haston.

In Conference USA, stay tuned to Louisville. Everybody will say the Cardinals don't have the personnel, but the kids are buying into Rick Pitino's system. They will have enough talent on the perimeter with diaper dandy Carlos Hurt, Reece Gaines and company to surprise people. They will be hustling, scrapping and clawing every way possible on the floor.

Virginia will make big-time noise in ACC, Chris, so watch the Cavs. They will have a major year. Wake Forest has potential to create problems as well. And in the Pac-10, Southern Cal can be a factor. The Trojans have good personnel coming back, especially with Sam Clancy saying no to the NBA.

Q: Who do you think benefited the most from this year's NBA draft? -- Josh Grant, Rock Hill, S.C.
VITALE: It takes a few years before you can really evaluate which teams did the best. But on paper, I like what Golden State did. Getting Troy Murphy with the 15th pick was super for the Warriors. He could be a solid player with his scoring ability, both inside and outside. I like what Boston did, getting Joe Johnson, Joseph Forte and Kedrick Brown.

I love the Grizzlies' draft, getting Shane Battier as the sixth pick. He will make people regret not taking him earlier and will be my choice for Rookie of the Year. I also love Atlanta's trade to get Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who comes from Marietta, Ga. He is ready to blossom into a superstar. The jury is still out on all the high school kids drafted because they were drafted on potential, and we just don't know when they will be able to contribute and make a positive statement.

Q: It is my understanding that Fresno State has four of its five starters coming back this season. I know Tito Maddox's passing, Melvin Ely's scoring and Chris Jefferies' solid defense will play a big factor this season. Is Fresno State a team to watch out for this season? And how far can Jerry Tarkanian push these guys to their top potential? -- Patrick D'Souza, Hanford, Calif.
VITALE: I spoke to Tark recently, and he is really excited about his club. He thinks they can be special. Ely is a dynamite shot blocker. Jeffries is an outstanding wing player. Maddox was such a positive force when he gained his eligibility. Tark's team began to win big-time. Fresno State definitely has the potential to have a special year and be one of the premier teams west of the Mississippi.

Q: So now you want to keep Steve Lavin off of your list of the best up-and-coming head coaches in college hoops? Like always, you'll continue to favor East Coast basketball over the Pac-10. The farthest West you went was with Quin Snyder of Missouri and Steve Alford of Iowa. -- John, Los Angeles
VITALE: I didn't put Lavin in the same category because I was talking about new coaches who are prodigies and played under big-time coaches -- like Snyder under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke and Alford under Bob Knight at Indiana. Lavin is already in his sixth year at UCLA. I sung Lavin's praises in a big way last year when he was on the block and people were after his job. I don't buy this West Coast or East Coast mentality. There have been so many positive things about Arizona, Stanford and UCLA over the years. People hear what they want to hear, and I respect you writing in and expressing your views. But the category did not fit Lavin.

Q: Joseph Forte was picked 21st by my Celtics in this year's draft. From what I saw him do in college, this could be a steal for us, and having a guy like Red Auerbach praise him gives me a good feeling. In your opinion, was he a steal? Also, what type of NBA game do you think he will adopt? A slasher and shot-maker, or a catch-and-shoot, pull-up jumper guy? -- Mark Beattie, Gardner, Mass.
VITALE: Having Forte available at No. 21 is definitely a steal. Forte slid in the draft. The Celtics made a good call. They can use some perimeter help, and Forte can get some minutes off the bench until he learns a little more about the NBA and adjusts to the NBA's physical style of game.

Forte can get to the basket. He's excellent in transition and knows how to score. He has played in big-time games at North Carolina and knows how to make the big play. He's not afraid to take a shot. However, Forte is not really a long-range shooter or automatic pure shooter. He has to work on two areas -- developing more consistency with his shooting range and working on his ball-handling skills, because he doesn't have the size to be a two-guard. And there are so many big guards in the NBA. It's difficult to defend and get good matchups. He will have to guard a lot of point guards.

	Coach Tommy Amaker and Michigan are on a 12-game winning streak.

Q: Is it possible that Duke could have three or four preseason All-Americans this year? Jason Williams should be a lock at the point, Carlos Boozer is a possibility at the power forward, Mike Dunleavy could be the small forward and possibly Chris Duhon at the two. With all of these players plus the other returning players they have and Dahntay Jones becoming eligible, does any other team really have a chance? -- Jared, San Diego
VITALE: Duke will really miss Shane Battier and his toughness, his defensive ability and his ability to motivate. But Jerry Tarkanian told me, "Dickie V, I challenge you. Name for me a better backcourt than Williams and Duhon are going to be. And I'm not talking this year -- I mean all time in college basketball." I said, "Wait a minute, Jerry. You can't be serious. All time?" He said when it's all said and done, Williams and Duhon will be the best backcourt ever in college hoops. That is a really strong statement, but they will make great music together. And Jones will be a major player and a factor.

However, Duke will be challenged big-time by Kentucky. If Kentucky gets Jason Parker back, certainly in January, that's a big plus. But even without him, Keith Bogans and Tayshaun Prince give the Wildcats a great 1-2 punch. And they have excellent recruits coming in. Florida with Udonis Haslem and Brett Nelson and diaper dandies David Lee and James White will be dynamite. Illinois with Cory Bradford, Frank Williams and Robert Archibald up front will be another national contender. And UCLA with Jason Kapono and Dan Gadzuric back should contend as well.

It's no cakewalk for Duke, but the Blue Devils will be my preseason No. 1. And I can hear people screaming, "Dukie Vitale again." Hey, man, look at the personnel and the fact that they understand winning. If you have great backcourt play, you have a chance. With the combination of Williams and Duhon, all I can say is I'm glad I don't have to defend them.

Q: Why are you hyping the loss of Jason Parker for Kentucky so much? He averaged about eight points and five rebounds a game. That's the same as Jules Camara when he was lost for last season, and Camara is back this year. Kentucky's front court consists of Marvin Stone, Marquis Estill, Camara, Tayshaun Prince, Chuck Hayes and Parker in January. The backcourt has Keith Bogans, Gerald Fitch, Josh Carruth, Cliff Hawkins, Josh Carrier, Adam Chiles and Erik Daniels. I'm willing to say that's by far the deepest team of the last decade. Do you believe in losing Parker but gaining Camara, UK will lose something? -- Justin Rowland, Cary, N.C.
VITALE: Camara is a very finesse inside player, a shot blocker who can run the court exceptionally well. He didn't play all of last year. Aside from Parker's numbers, his presence in the low box would have made him a major force to handle in his second year. He's a big loss. I agree Kentucky will be a deep, talented team. The Wildcats are in my preseason top five. But having Parker gives them depth, strength and ammunition on the interior. Any time you don't have a key player in the lineup, it affects the substitution patterns and takes away some of your flexibility.

Q: While it's certainly not appropriate for Dominique and Gerald Wilkins to make demands on a coach, it appears that evidence is building to show that Herb Sendek is having trouble maximizing and keeping the talent he is recruiting. He shouldn't necessarily listen to parents, but he should begin gaining insights from his won-lost record and the development record of his players. If he cannot rein in his brilliant recruit (Julius Hodge) this year and/or doesn't make the tournament, do you think he's history? -- a fan in Atlanta
VITALE: The pressure is certainly mounting for Sendek at N.C. State. One positive is that the administration and the athletic director are in his corner. As far as the Damien Wilkins situation, Sendek had no choice and had to take a strong stand. Coaches can't have players demanding that offenses be built around them and have people who are part of the system criticizing the system. And then outside sources became very vocal, creating a lot of tension and turmoil within the family.

Sometimes a break is good for everyone. Maybe this will all work out now for Wilkins, who is going to Georgia. He will sit the year out, find himself, and still may be able to live up to the billing he received out of high school. He just has to play basketball and not listen to all the outside sources. It's great that his dad and his uncle support him. There's nothing wrong with that, especially two people who understand how to play the game and have played at the highest level. But a kid needs to be a kid. And you can't always point a finger at the coach.

Sendek is a young, talented coach with great knowledge of the game. He happens to be in a conference where his school is banging heads with two schools, Duke and North Carolina, that are almost automatically among the top five in America. For Sendek, this season is important. His team must make strides and win over their disappearing fan base, which has been very critical. N.C. State has to come out of the gate and make things happen with its young talent, led by Hodge.

Q: Do you think the transfer of Damien Wilkins from N.C. State to Georgia will help Jim Harrick compete in the SEC? -- Cory Cooley, Gainesville, Ga.
VITALE: Let's not make Damien into Dominique. He has a long way to go before he's the "Human Highlight Film" at Georgia. But Harrick understands players and has a way of getting the most out of them. I wish D.A. Layne would have listened to Harrick and come back to Georgia. But Wilkins isn't eligible for another year. A lot will depend on what he does during the year and whether or not he is busting his gut, getting into condition, working on his game and doing the things that could make him a factor next season. Sitting out a year is not easy.

Q: Not to harp on Rick Pitino, but I never understood why a relationship that seemed to work so well on the college level (Pitino and Antoine Walker at Kentucky) became such a nightmare in Boston. As much as I liked Walker when he was at UK, his lack of respect for his college mentor at the next level was a complete embarrassment. What happened here? -- Adam Simon, Atlanta
VITALE: When you lose games, frustrations build. The coach demands a great deal out of the player. Sometimes, the player starts to take it personally. The bottom line is Pitino played a big role in Walker's development, and Walker would be the first to tell you that. I saw Walker as a high school kid and saw him grow as a talent. Pitino taught him how to play. Now he is ready to blossom into a star. It's a pivotal time in his career because he has a chance to be a special player. Pitino's style of coaching -- in-your-face and demanding -- and his ability to motivate and teach are made for the college game. And he is already making big inroads at Louisville. In four months, he has done an unbelievable job selling his system to the players. Louisville will be a top-10 program by his third year. He has found a home back in the college ranks.

Q: How good do you think Michigan will be in Tommy Amaker's first season? NCAA tourney? -- John, Evansville, Ind.
VITALE: The Wolverines can finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Illinois, Iowa and Indiana are the big three. Michigan State will have Kelvin Torbert, an instant diaper dandy, stepping in with Marcus Taylor. Michigan will go as far as LaVell Blanchard, Bernard Robinson and others will take them. The Wolverines have a nice nucleus to build on. If they can finish .500 in the Big Ten, they will get an NCAA berth and have a really solid year. That's what they are working for. Amaker is selling the Maize and Blue. It's a school with a national reputation. Kids get excited about the Michigan uniform. Amaker and his staff should bring in a great recruiting class this year.

Q: What will it take for Rick Barnes to be able to recruit the offensive talent necessary for Texas to compete with Kansas and Oklahoma in the Big 12? -- Steve Thorpe, Ashland, Ore.
VITALE: He has a great guard arriving in freshman T.J. Ford, who has a great understanding about how to play. I can't understand the mentality of Maurice Evans. What breaks down college basketball are the kids who come out early and have visions of grandeur about the NBA draft. Evans left Texas and believed he would be a late first-round pick, and he didn't even get drafted. Evans would have provided a lot of firepower in Texas. But the Longhorns will still have a nice team coming back. Barnes' kids will always play hard and intelligent basketball. The Longhorns will scrap and play with emotion. Texas will be a tough team in the Big 12.

Q: I wanted to ask you about the Hoyas' incoming freshman class. Harvey Thomas is supposed to be a beast. How much of an impact do you think he'll make? -- Duke Togo, Fairfax, Va.
VITALE: I have not seen Thomas play, but the Hoyas have a nice nucleus returning. They have size and quickness, and Georgetown should have a big-time year. In some eyes, Georgetown will be a top-10 team. Last year the Hoyas were a big surprise and didn't get a lot of national publicity, but Mike Sweetney came in as a freshman and did a fantastic job. If Thomas is as good as you say, he will be a big plus because the Hoyas have a deep team returning.

Q: Living in San Diego and being a graduate of San Diego State University, there's a lot of excitement in town about Steve Fisher's resurrection as a college basketball coach. Do you think a coach like Steve Fisher is capable of taking a school that has no basketball reputation and making it very competitive with major Division I schools? -- Richard Chen, San Diego
VITALE: Fisher did a great job in his second year, turning the program around after a first year of just inserting his system. He has some excellent transfers who will be eligible -- Tony Bland from Syracuse and Brandon Smith from Michigan. Chris Walton, Bill Walton's son, is also on the team. The Aztecs will be playing in the Texas Tech tournament, where Bobby Knight makes his debut. There will be a lot of cameras on San Diego State at the tournament. Who knows? It could be Fisher and Knight reminiscing about the Big Ten on Nov. 17 in the tournament final.

Q: I think I have a solution to the problem of underclassmen entering the NBA draft, and would like your opinion on it. Why can't letters of intent be construed as legally binding? After committing to a college, players would be considered to be under a four-year contract. They could quit if they wanted, but the contract would keep them bound to the university for the entire term and they could not play anywhere else. If they entered the draft right out of high school, so be it, but once committed to a university, they should be held to the commitment. Considering the extreme expense that a college spends on recruiting, and the emotional disruption that is caused by early entry into the draft, I think this is a viable option. Would it stand the legal test? -- Ron Sharp, Lawrenceburg, Ky.
VITALE: I'm not a lawyer, but I would doubt if it would stand the test. First of all, the national letter of intent is a one-year deal. The player does not receive a four-year scholarship. The letters of intent are one-year grants, and each year they get approved by the coach. And if they don't want to bring players back, they don't have to.

You have made a suggestion, and we are open to all kinds of suggestions. Obviously, there hasn't been a remedy. We are starting to hear now about high school juniors thinking about going to the NBA. My problem is not with the kids leaving early if they want to go to the NBA. If the league is willing to pay a youngster $1 million out of high school, how could you resent the youngster for taking it? My problem is with those who enter college. Once you enter college, I would love to see the same rule adopted that applies to baseball. A player isn't eligible to be drafted until he completes his third year of college.

That rule works out beautifully in baseball. If a player wants to play professional baseball out of high school, so be it. Nobody yells and screams about Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf and Chris Evert. They were all playing pro tennis when they were 14 to 16 years old. I just want to keep those who enter college in college. Then they can hopefully make good decisions and not listen to outside sources who fill their heads with visions of grandeur but who are nothing but leeches.

We just had the big situation with prep standout Amare Stoudemire, who came to the Nike All-America Camp with a PR representative. It was an absolute embarrassment. It feels as if someone is pouncing on him for one simple reason -- to get some of the money he will receive as an NBA player. I cannot see Stoudemire going to college now. It's a sad commentary.