PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- While college seniors battle for their lives here in Portsmouth, the chatter among NBA scouts and GMs over the last week predictably has little to do with the kids who actually bothered to show up to the camp. With a plethora of international scouts and executives packed in the stands, a rather intense debate is emerging concerning the order at the top of the draft.
No need to worry LeBron James fans. With one or two minor exceptions, the scores of NBA people Insider talked to this week all feel that, at the end of the day, James will be the No. 1 pick. For reasons that we've discussed before, teams think his combination of unusual skills, size, personality and drawing power at the gate make him one of the most intriguing prospects ever.
What everyone is debating now is whether Carmelo Anthony somehow passed Darko Milicic as the No. 2 consensus pick. Anthony's stellar play in the NCAA Tournament not only converted many of Anthony's unbelievers, it also made Anthony a household, and thus more marketable, name. Several league executives told Insider this week that they feel that ultimately, Anthony will surpass Darko as the No. 2 pick.
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