By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer

Uncertainty awaits five local prospects in tonight's NBA rookie draft.

As many as five or as few as one of the players with Greater Cincinnati ties could be selected when the draft begins at 7 p.m.

Xavier senior Romain Sato is projected by league scouts to be the only sure draft choice, though where he will be picked, either in the late first round or into the second round, remains in doubt.

WHO'S WHO

• Enquirer's mock draft

"I don't know about the first round, but he's probably going to get drafted," said a Western Conference scout.

Sato's former XU teammate, Lionel Chalmers, has worked out for half of the teams in the league and could go in the second round.

Cincinnati's Tony Bobbitt turned in impressive predraft camp performances at Portsmouth, Va., and Chicago. If he's not drafted, he is expected to be invited to play for a team in the NBA's summer league because of his shooting ability.

The University of Kentucky's Erik Daniels, a Princeton High School graduate, is also a second-round possibility, though an average showing in Chicago might have hurt his chances. He is expected to get into teams' camps, possibly Utah's or Houston's, if he goes undrafted.

"He'll get an opportunity to showcase his skills," said Daniels' agent, Thomas Roscoe. "He's a lock for the summer league."

Former Xavier player David Young, who finished his college basketball career at North Carolina Central, also is getting some draft consideration, mostly from Western Conference teams. He has excelled in individual workouts and expects to be invited to camps if he's not drafted tonight.

"He'll have options after the draft if he's not taken," said Young's agent, Brian Elfus. "Teams have said he's more than intriguing."

Former Withrow High School and Ohio University standout Brandon Hunter was drafted Tuesday for the second time in two years. The Charlotte Bobcats took Hunter, a second-round pick by the Boston Celtics last season, in Tuesday's expansion draft.

"I figured I would be taken, because I was left unprotected," said Hunter, who has one season left on his $620,000 contract. "I just want a chance to play."

Hunter played in 36 games last season for Boston, averaging 3.5 points and 11.3 minutes a game.

Draft possibilities for area college players

Player	School	Could be picked...	Pros	Cons
Romain Sato, 6-3, G	XU	... as high as the late first round or anywhere in the second round, possibly at No. 34 to the Atlanta Hawks.	Reliable shooter and above-average defender.	Shaky ball-handling skills for a combo guard.
Lionel Chalmers, 6-0, G	XU	... in mid- to late second round. Projected as a backup point guard.	NCAA Tournament displayed Chalmers' individual ability.	Size will keep him from going higher.
Tony Bobbitt, 6-4, G	UC	... late second round to undrafted but likely to be invited to summer camps.	One of the best shooters in the draft.	Lack of versatility beyond outside shot.
Erik Daniels, 6-8, F	UK	... late second round to undrafted; could be invited to summer camps.	Has shown outside range in workouts.	Believed to be playing out of position at small forward.
David Young, 6-5, G	XU/No. Car. Cen.	... late second round. possibly to Seattle at No. 41 or L.A. Lakers at No. 56.	A good scorer and playmaker off the bench.	Questions about temperament after dismissal from Xavier team in 2002.

NBA Draft order

Thursday, June 24

At New York

1. Orlando
2. Charlotte (from L.A. Clippers)
3. Chicago
4. L.A. Clippers (from Charlotte)
5. Washington
6. Atlanta
7. Phoenix
8. Toronto
9. Philadelphia
10. Cleveland
11. Golden State
12. Seattle
13. Portland
14. Utah
15. Boston
16. Utah (from New York through Phoenix)
17. Atlanta (from Milwaukee through Denver and Detroit)
18. New Orleans
19. Miami
20. Denver
21. Utah (from Houston)
22. New Jersey
23. Portland (from Memphis)
24. Boston (from Dallas)
25. Boston (from Detroit)
26. Sacramento
27. L.A. Lakers
28. San Antonio
29. Indiana

Note: Minnesota's first-round pick has been forfeited

Second Round

30. Orlando (pick may be conveyed to Atlanta)
31. Chicago
32. Washington
33. L.A. Clippers (from Charlotte)
34. Atlanta
35. Seattle (from L.A. Clippers)
36. Phoenix (to Orlando or to Atlanta through Orlando)
37. Atlanta (from Philadelphia)
38. Chicago (from Toronto)
39. Toronto (from Cleveland)
40. Boston
41. Seattle
42. Golden State (to Orlando through Philadelphia or to Atlanta through Orlando and Philadelphia)
43. New York
44. New Orleans
45. Charlotte (from Milwaukee)
46. Portland
47. Miami
48. Sacramento (from Utah)
49. Memphis (from Denver through Orlando)
50. Dallas (from Houston through Denver)
51. New Jersey
52. San Antonio (from Memphis)
53. Miami (from Dallas)
54. Detroit
55. Houston (from Sacramento through Utah)
56. L.A. Lakers
57. San Antonio
58. Minnesota
59. Indiana

Draft early entries

(As released by the NBA, June 18)
(With name, school, height and status)

Chris Acker, Chaminade, 6-1, junior
Trevor Ariza, UCLA, 6-7, freshman
Brandon Bender, Robert Morris-Chicago, 6-9, junior
Evan Burns, San Diego St. 6-8, freshman
Jackie Butler, Coastal Christian Academy (Va.), 6-10, HS senior
Josh Childress, Stanford, 6-8, junior
Cortez Davis, Rutgers (2002-03), 6-8, freshman
Luol Deng, Duke, 6-9, freshman
Ben Gordon, Connecticut, 6-2, junior
Devin Harris, Wisconsin, 6-3, junior
David Harrison, Colorado, 7-0, junior
JaQuan Hart, E.Michigan, 6-6, junior
Dwight Howard, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, 6-10, HS senior
Kris Humphries, Minnesota, 6-8, freshman
Sani Ibrahim, Gulf Coast CC (Fla.), 6-10, sophomore
Andre Iguodala, Arizona, 6-6, sophomore
Al Jefferson, Prentiss HS (Miss.), 6-9, HS senior
Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central HS (Ill.), 6-7, HS senior
Kevin Martin, Western Carolina, 6-7, junior
Emeka Okafor, Connecticut, 6-10, junior
Randall Orr, Georgia Perimeter College, 6-10, sophomore
Jason Parker, Kentucky (played 2000-01,) 6-8, junior
Donta Smith, SE Illinois JC, 6-7, sophomore
Josh Smith Oak, Hill Academy, 6-8, HS senior
J.R. Smith, St. Benedict's, N.J. HS, 6-6, HS senior
Kirk Snyder, Nevada, 6-6, junior
Robert Swift, Bakersfield HS (Calif.), 7-0, HS senior
Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln HS (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 6-0, HS senior
Harvey Thomas, Baylor, 6-8, junior
Delonte West, St. Joseph's, 6-4, junior
Dorell Wright, South Kent Prep (Conn.), 6-7, HS senior

International Players

(With name, school, height and year of birth)

Andris Biedrins, Skonto (Latvia), 6-10, 1986
Hamid Haddadi, Peykan (Iran), 7-2, 1985
Ha Seung-jin, Yonsei University (South Korea), 7-4, 1985
Arturas Kaubrys, Neptunas (Lithuania), 6-10, 1983
Sergei Monia, CSKA Moscow (Russia), 6-7, 1983
Pavel Podkolzine, Varese (Italy), 7-4, 1985
Peter Ramos, Criollos de Caguas (Puerto Rico), 7-2, 1985
Jaber Rouzbahani, Zob Ahan (Iran), 7-4, 1986
Jerry Sokoloski, Silverthorn Institute (Canada), 7-5, 1983
Aleksander Vujacic, Udine (Italy), 6-6, 1984

NBA draft
When: 7 p.m.
Where: New York.
TV: ESPN.

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com