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For NBA GMs and scouts, March Madness used to mean the NCAA tournament. Now it means watching high school kids.
That's why Pat Riley, Geoff Petrie, Danny Ainge, Larry Bird and dozens of other NBA execs were gathered in a Chicago gym Tuesday afternoon. They were there to see 22 of the nation's top prep seniors practice for two hours in preparation for the EA Sports Roundball Classic, a high school all-star game to be played Wednesday night.
"It might seem crazy," one assistant GM said, "but there are more [top prospects] here than at the NCAA tourney."
As many as 10 high school players could go in the first round, according to scouts. Dwight Howard, a 6-foot-11 power forward from Atlanta, is considered a possible No. 1 overall pick. Sebastian Telfair, a 6-foot point guard from New York City, already has made the cover of SI.
Unfortunately for the NBA types, neither Howard nor Telfair was able to showcase
his skills Tuesday. Howard didn't participate for the second day in a row because
of a strained back. He did shoot jumpers on a side court, but his status for
Wednesday's game is uncertain. Telfair, meanwhile, stayed home because his high
school team is still competing in the New York state tournament.
In their absence, other top prospects, such as Josh Smith and Shaun Livingston, got a chance to shine Tuesday. Smith, a 6-9 forward from Oak Hill Academy, is considered the best pure athlete in the field. He's committed to Indiana but is widely expected to go pro. Livingston, a 6-7 point guard from Peoria, Ill., is considered a likely top-five pick. He's committed to Duke, but, like Smith, is a virtual lock to enter the draft.
Both Smith and Livingston admit they don't mind seizing a share of the spotlight for a change. They know Howard and Telfair have gotten most of the media hype so far, and they realize this is their chance to raise their stock a little.
"I've already made a name for myself," said Smith, the latest in a long line of Oak Hill NBA grads that has included Carmelo Anthony, Jerry Stackhouse, Ron Mercer and DeSagana Diop. "But it does sort of motivate me. I'm just an underdog. I'm just undercover in terms of my abilities right now. I'm just trying to do my thing at these all-star games and show what [the media is] missing out on."
Added Livingston: "Those guys [Howard and Telfair] are in big media bases, Atlanta and New York. There's been a lot of hype surrounding them. But I just feel happy to be here, to have a chance to play against all these guys. It motivates me when I get on the court. I want to play well here, definitely."
Livingston certainly accomplished his goal Tuesday. On one play, he looped a no-look pass through traffic to a cutting teammate for a dunk. On another he blocked his man's shot out at the perimeter, waded into the lane to snatch the rebound, then flung a left-handed bounce pass to a teammate streaking down the wing on a fast break.
"When Livingston's body catches up to his mind, he'll be one of the best point guards ever to play the game," said Sonny Vaccaro, the longtime high school hoops maven and organizer of this year's game. "He reminds me a lot of Penny Hardaway."
While it might be too soon to put Livingston in the Hall of Fame, most NBA types seem to agree he is a potential star. Although he's skinny as a baby giraffe, he has the size and feel for the game that can't be taught. "He's one of the best passers I've ever seen," one Western Conference scout said. "He's got eyes in the back of his head."
Physically, Smith is light years more NBA-ready than Livingston. He can run the floor and finish strong, but he doesn't yet have a reliable jump shot or mid-range game. Vaccaro compares him to Dominique Wilkins, but some scouts say he needs to improve his defense and intensity.
Will Smith and/or Livingston turn out to be NBA All-Stars? Maybe in a few years, if they work hard and stay healthy. One thing the scouts all seem to agree on is that while there might not be a LeBron James in this year's draft, there are players with big-time potential.
The problem, they say, is that no matter how much you scout a player, you can't know what's in his heart. Especially when the player is still in high school. Yet one more reason they'd rather be scouting the NCAA tournament.