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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 5:20 p.m., Thursday, June 28, 2007

NBA draft: Capsules of first-round selections

By Paul Montella
Associated Press

A thumbnail look at the first-round selections of the NBA draft:

NO. 1 PORTLAND

Greg Oden, c, Ohio State

7-0, 250. ... 15.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Buckeyes. ... Most likely the top pick. ... A legit seven-footer with all the physical tools to develop into a dominant NBA center. ... Can dominate on the defensive end. ... Runs the floor exceptionally well. ... Prone to foul trouble. ... Not comfortable playing with his back to the basket. ... Needs to expand his shooting range.

NO. 2 SEATTLE

Kevin Durant, f, Texas

6-9, 225. ... 25.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Longhorns. ... Was the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award. ... Extremely versatile and explosive offensive player. ... Can score from any spot on the floor. ... His athleticism enabled him to be a dominant rebounder and shot-blocker in college. ... Needs to improve his passing.

NO. 3 ATLANTA

Al Horford, f-c, Florida

6-10, 245. ... 13.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg

Early entry. ... Aggressive in the paint on both ends. ... Has strength and size to become an NBA banger. ... Handles the ball and passes well for a big man. ... Intense player, tends to get in foul trouble. ... Needs to develop more offensive moves in the low post. ... Below average on the free throw line. ... Son of former NBA player Tito Horford.

NO. 4 MEMPHIS

Mike Conley Jr., g, Ohio State

6-1, 180. ... 11.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.2 spg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Buckeyes. ... Has exceptional quickness. ... Makes excellent shot/pass decisions. ... May be the best of the point guards in this draft. ... Great penetrator. ... His outside shot needs work. ... Ability to defend bigger point guards is a concern.

NO. 5 BOSTON (TRADED TO SEATTLE)

Jeff Green, f, Georgetown

6-9, 235. ... 14.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.2 apg

Early entry. ... Big East Player of the Year. ... Named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA East Regional and Big East Tournament. ... Doesn't have one standout skill, but is well-rounded. ... Is solid in the half court and full court game. .. Strong inside both offensively and defensively. ... Needs to be more consistent with his shot.

NO. 6 MILWAUKEE

Yi Jianlian, f, Guandong Tigers (China)

6-11, 238. ... 24.9 ppg, 11.5 rpg

Early entry. ... Will turn 20 on Oct. 27. ... Competed for the Chinese National Team at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 FIBA World Championship. ... An athletic power forward. ... Has excellent quickness and jumping ability. ... Has a good mid-range jumper. ... Will need to get stronger. ... More comfortable facing the basket than with his back to the basket.

NO. 7 MINNESOTA

Corey Brewer, f, Florida

6-9, 185. ... 13.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.8 apg

Early entry. ... Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 NCAA Final Four. ... Long and lean. ... An exceptional defender. ... Excels in the transition game. ... Tough competitor, knows what it takes to win. ... Needs to continue improving the range on his jumpshot.

NO. 8 CHARLOTTE

Brandan Wright, f, North Carolina

6-9, 205. ... 14.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Tar Heels. ... Fifth freshman in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win Tournament MVP honors. ... Broke the ACC single-season freshman record with .646 field goal percentage. ... A force near the basket. ... Fluid running the floor. ... Some scouts have questioned his intensity. ... Must gain more upper body strength.

NO. 9 CHICAGO

Acquired from New York

Joakim Noah, f, Florida

6-11, 232. ... 12.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg

Early entry. ... Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 NCAA Tournament Final Four. ... Has boundless energy and a passion for the game. ... A phenomenal athlete. ... His basketball skills are raw on the offensive end, except for his passing ability. ... Should make his mark as a rebounder and defender while he works on his offensive game. ... Father, Yannick, was the 1983 French Open tennis champion.

NO. 10 SACRAMENTO

Spencer Hawes, c, Washington

7-0, 230. ... 14.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Huskies. ... Has skills around the basket. ... Can finish with a soft touch with either hand. ... Prefers playing with his back to the basket. ... Runs the floor well. ... Outstanding passer for a big man. ... Needs to improve his defensive game.

NO. 11 ATLANTA

Acquired from Indiana

Acie Law, g, Texas A&M

6-3, 195. ... 18.1 ppg, 5.0 apg

Finished collegiate career as Texas A&M's third all-time leading scorer with 1,669 points and third in assists with 545. ... Performs extremely well in pressure situations. ... A sound floor leader. ... Creates well off the dribble. ... Streaky shooter. ... Needs to improve his defensive intensity.

NO. 12 PHILADELPHIA

Thaddeus Young, f, Georgia Tech

6-8, 220. ... 14.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Yellow Jackets. ... Versatile forward who can score inside and hit the three-pointer. ... Can guard both inside and outside scorers. ... Ball handling needs to improve. ... Needs to gain strength. ... Great attitude, hard worker.

NO. 13 NEW ORLEANS

Julian Wright, f, Kansas

6-8, 225. ... 12.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg

Early entry. ... An incredible athlete with a tremendous upside. ... Has a wide wingspan, enabling him to play bigger than he is. ... Can play a variety of positions on both ends of the court. ... Must improve his jumpshot. ... Must improve his upper body strength.

NO. 14 L.A. CLIPPERS

Al Thornton, f, Florida State

6-8, 220. ... 19.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg

Led Florida State and the ACC in scoring with a 19.7 average. ... A versatile scorer. ... Likes to face the basket and take defenders off the dribble. ... Physically ready for the NBA. ... Average ball handler. ... Needs to play under control. .. Has been compared to Shawn Marion.

NO. 15 DETROIT

Acquired from Orlando

Rodney Stuckey, g, Eastern Washington

6-5, 205. ... 24.6 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.7 rpg

Early entry. ... Can play both guard positions. ... A tremendous scorer. ... Can create scoring opportunities. ... Solid mid-range game. ... Has 3-point range. ... Can lose focus on defensive end. ... Needs to involve his teammates more.

NO. 16 WASHINGTON

Nick Young, g-f, Southern Cal

6-6, 200. ... 17.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg

Early entry. ... Earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors his sophomore and junior seasons. ... Ranked second in the Pac-10 in scoring (17.5 ppg). ... Has an excellent mid-range game. ... Has a quick first step. ... Has the physical tools to be a competent defender, but needs to play with more intensity. ... Prone to foul trouble.

NO. 17 NEW JERSEY

Sean Williams, f-c, Boston College

6-10, 235. ... 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg

Early entry. ... Has all the physical tools needed for the next level. ... Great leaping ability and quick. ... One of the best shot blockers in college. ... Must mature. ... A risk after getting kicked off Eagles' team. ... Not very effective offensively past eight feet.

NO. 18 GOLDEN STATE

Marco Belinelli, g, Climamio Bologna (Italy)

6-5, 192. ... 12.9 ppg

Early entry. ... Can shoot off the dribble. ... Has a quick release. ... Solid work ethic. ... Quick hands on defense. ... Average lateral quickness on defense. ... Weak rebounder. ... Doesn't attack the basket enough. ... Needs more upper body strength.

NO. 19 L.A. LAKERS

Javaris Crittenton, g, Georgia Tech

6-5, 198. ... 14.4 ppg, 5.8 apg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Yellow Jackets. ... He's young and very raw. ... Has quick first step. ... Excellent body strength. ... Very competitive, great attitude. ... Needs to improve outside shot. ... Needs to learn how to dictate tempo at the point.

NO. 20 MIAMI (TRADED TO PHILADELPHIA)

Jason Smith, c, Colorado State

7-0, 240. ... 16.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg

Early entry. ... Good touch around the basket. ... Has improved his rebounding. ... Runs the floor well. ... Still needs to work on playing with his back to the basket. ... Needs more upper body strength.

NO. 21 PHILADELPHIA (TRADED TO MIAMI)

Acquired from Denver

Daequan Cook, g, Ohio State

6-5, 210. ... 9.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Early entry. ... Played one year for the Buckeyes. ... Has excellent mid-range game. ... Has good court vision. ... Has 3-point range. ... Can score points in a hurry. ... Forces his shot at times. ... Ball handling could be stronger. ... Had an up-and-down freshman season.

NO. 22 CHARLOTTE

Acquired from Toronto Through Cleveland

Jared Dudley, f, Boston College

6-7, 225. ... 19.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg

ACC Player of the Year. ... Has high basketball IQ. ... Intense and aggressive on defense. ... Excellent court vision. ... Hard to match offensively. ... Not overly athletic. ... Doesn't create off the dribble very well. ... Some scouts feel his game has peaked.

NO. 23 NEW YORK

Acquired from Chicago

Wilson Chandler, f, DePaul

6-8, 230. ... 14.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg

Early entry. ... Has a great combination of strength and athleticism. ... Has a developing mid-range game. ... Has size to defend some power forwards. ... Great leaping ability. ... Needs to improve shot selection. ... Lacks intensity at times.

NO. 24 PHOENIX

Acquired from Cleveland Through Boston

Rudy Fernandez, g, DVK Joventut Badalona (Spain)

6-5, 185. ... 16.1 ppg, 2.9 apg

Unselfish player, gets teammates involved. ... Excellent at catch and shoot. ... Always moving on the offensive end. ... Creative at finishing around the basket. ... Compared to Manu Ginobili. ... Below average rebounder. ... Needs to improve defensively.

NO. 25 UTAH

Morris Almond, g, Rice

6-6, 215. ... 26.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg

Has a great frame. ... Explosive scorer. ... Excellent rebounder. ... Needs to improve passing and ball handling. ... Has NBA 3-point range. ... Unselfish player. ... Attacks defenders and draws fouls. ... Has high basketball IQ.

NO. 26 HOUSTON

Aaron Brooks, g, Oregon

6-0, 160. ... 17.7 ppg, 4.3 apg

Extremely quick at getting to the basket. ... Dependable perimeter shooter. ... Has leadership qualities. ... Can score points in a hurry. ... Doesnt control the tempo very well. ... Average court vision. ... Size is a concern.

NO. 27 DETROIT

Arron Afflalo, g, UCLA

6-5, 215. ... 16.9 ppg, 1.9 apg

Early entry. ... Plays under control. ... Has an NBA body and excellent upper body strength. ... Fundamentally sound. ... Solid court vision. ... Good work ethic. ... Average first step. ... Needs to be consistent with his jumper. ... Needs to improve ball handling.

NO. 28 SAN ANTONIO

Tiago Splitter, f, Tau Vitoria (Spain)

6-11, 232. ... 10.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg

The Brazilian runs the court well for his size. ... Possesses solid post footwork. ... Not a prolific offensive player. ... Above average rebounder. ... Soft touch around the basket. ... Must improve on his upper body strength. ... Lacks aggressiveness.

NO. 29 PHOENIX

Alando Tucker, f-g, Wisconsin

6-6, 205. ... 19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg

A tweener. ... Very athletic. ... Can create scoring opportunities. ... Has good range on his jumper, though streaky. ... Great work ethic. ... Needs to improve ball handling skills. ... Undersized for the small forward position.

NO. 30 PHILADELPHIA

Acquired from Dallas Through Denver and Golden State

Petteri Koponen, g, Honka (Finland)

6-4, 195. ... 12.4 ppg, 4.1 apg

Skilled point guard. ... Possesses high basketball IQ. ... Shoots the ball well from mid-range. ... Has 3-point range. ... Has played against lower-level European competition.