01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, June 22, 2004

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

Gone are the days when basketball fans can circle the names of their favorite collegiate All-American and wonder where he'll play in the NBA. These days, draft night is all about potential, not accomplishment.

Many pro scouts insist the potential of teenagers both in America and Europe, as well as Asia and other continents, is more promising than what someone accomplished at Duke, Kansas or Connecticut. This leads to lots of confusion on draft night. This year's draft is set for Thursday night in New York and, more than ever, fans need a primer on just who the top prospects will be.

The Boston Celtics hold three first-round picks (Nos. 15, 24 and 25) but are reportedly trying to put together a package to move up in the draft. If they stay put, the Celts could end up without a "name" player. Fans had better learn who Sergey Monya, Anderson Varejao and Dorell Wright are. They are among the players who could wear Celtic green next season.

Here is a capsule look at the top 40 prospects in the draft:

Centers 1. Peter John Ramos, Caugas, P.R., 7-3, 255. Huge 19-year-old played in New York City until he turned 16. Still growing into his body but may own more potential than any big man in draft.

2. Pavel Podkolzine, Novosibirsk, Russia, 7-4, 303. Massive 19-year-old with good coordination, but comparisons to Gheorghe Muresan should scare everyone. Played hoops for only four years. Averaging 12 minutes a game for Varese in Italian league.

3. Rafael Araujo, BYU, 6-11, 290. Strong Brazilian native may not last past Utah's 14th pick.

4. David Harrison, Colorado, 7-0, 280. Flew under radar in Big 12 but scouts love his shot-blocking and inside scoring ability.

5. Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.), 7-0, 245. Celtics intrigued by this skilled Californian who averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds and 8 blocks.

6. Ha Seung-Jin, South Korea, 7-3, 305. Compared to Yao Ming but only because of Asian heritage. Turns 19 in August.

Power forwards 1. Emeka Okafor, UConn, 6-10, 250. The best college shot-blocker since Alonzo Mourning is an A-plus youngster with a B-plus game. Still needs to prove he can score on a big-time level. Scouts scared by his cranky back.

2. Dwight Howard, S.W. Christian (Ga.) High, 6-10, 240. National high school player of the year never seriously thought about college. Blessed with size and agility and coveted by hometown Atlanta Hawks. Averaged 25 points, 18 rebounds and 8 blocks.

3. Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Miss.) High, 6-9, 263. Already a M-A-N. Most physically ready of high school players. Arkansas signee averaged 42 points and 15 boards.

4. Andris Biedrins, Riga, Latvia, 7-0, 238. Native of same area of Latvia as ex-Friar Maris Laksa. This 18-year-old is pegged as one of Europe's best young big men. Smooth shooter but better ball-handler and rebounder than most Europeans. Can block shots.

5. Anderson Varejao, Vitorio, Brazil, 6-10, 242. An outgoing, athletic 21-year-old who plays in Spain. Could play both forward spots.

6. Jackie Butler, 6-10, 260, McComb, Miss. A strong 19-year-old high school player who is ferocious off the backboards. Likely early second-rounder.

7. Jaime Lloreda, LSU, 6-8, 246. Big-bodied forward got hurt late in season.

8. Jackson Vroman, Iowa St., 6-10, 230. Skilled, strong big man a second-rounder.

9. Arthur Johnson, Missouri, 6-9, 260. Strong-as-an-ox kid who hasn't developed a game outside eight feet.

Small forwards 1. Luol Deng, Duke, 6-8, 220. The most impressive collegian according to NBA scouts. Has loads of feel and athleticism and is mature beyond his age. Led Duke to Final Four in his only college season.

2. Josh Childress, Stanford, 6-7, 196. No college player's profile grew more than his. Good shooter, good athlete, skinny frame, huge afro.

3. Josh Smith, Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, 6-8, 221. Major-league athlete who wowed prepsters with acrobatic dunks. Beyond that, is a major project.

4. Kris Humphries, Minnesota, 6-9, 240. Rivaled Deng for college game's best freshman. Averaged double-double in the Big Ten. Celtics love his potential.

5. Sergey Monya, Saratov, Russia, 6-8, 220. A 21-year-old known for scoring ability and athleticism. Didn't see a lot of playing time for CSKA Moscow team in Euroleague, but Utah and Boston like him a lot.

6. Dorell Wright, Los Angeles, 6-7, 200. Raw athlete with tremendous upside. The Celtics reportedly like him a lot. The 19-year-old played prep ball in Connecticut last year.

7. Viktor Khryapa, Moscow, Russia, 6-9, 210. This 21-year-old is a classic Russian wing player with a bit more athleticism. Good shooter who can fill the lane.

8. Donta Smith, LaGrange, Ky., 6-7, 215. Illinois JUCO star signed with Louisville but chose to enter draft. Big-time athlete averaged 26 points last year.

Shooting guards 1. Kirk Snyder, Nevada, 6-6, 225. Stock has shot up the charts of late. Likely one in first dozen picks.

2. Andre Iguodala, Arizona, 6-6, 215. Illinois native is a supreme athlete who lacks shooting range. Sounds like your typical NBA 3-man.

3. Luke Jackson, Oregon, 6-7, 215. Most polished big guard available but not a defender like Snyder and Iguodala can be. Celtics are hoping he's available at 15.

4. J.R. Smith, Elizabeth (N.J.), 6-6, 225. North Carolina signee was a surprise entry in draft. Known as top catch-and-shoot guard who shared MVP honors with Howard in McDonald's All-America game. Averaged 23.5 points and 5.6 rebounds.

5. Kevin Martin, Western Carolina, 6-7, 180. Star of the pre-draft camp is a high-octane athlete who put up big numbers on small stage.

6. Delonte West, Saint Joseph's, 6-2, 185. Smallish guard bid adieu to college with a year remaining. Could be a second-round steal.

7. Tony Allen, Okla. St., 6-4, 215. Great athlete known for defense as much as scoring.

8. Andre Emmett, Texas Tech, 6-4, 216. Born to score but not seen as athletic enough for the big time.

9. Ricky Minard, Morehead St., 6-4, 200. Unknown who's attracted postseason attention.

Point guards 1. Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central (Ill.) HS, 6-7, 185. Broke Mike Krzyzewski's heart when he walked away from enrolling at Duke. Most versatile prep player in the country nearly averaged triple double.

2. Ben Gordon, UConn, 6-2, 195. An off-guard who took off in NCAA Tournament and led Huskies to national title. Pro scouts see him as a point guard, although he's never looked very sharp creating for others.

3. Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's, 6-0, 195. College star enjoyed dream season for Hawks. Hopes to crack draft's top 15.

4. Sebastian Telfair, Brooklyn (N.Y.), 6-0, 175. New York legend is cousin of Stephon Marbury and half-brother of ex-Friar Jamel Thomas. Small size trumped by speed and passing skill. Not a deep shooter. Has $15-million sneaker deal.

5. Devin Harris, Wisconsin, 6-3, 175. Stock of Big Ten's Player of the Year has slid recently in comparison to other top point guards.

6. Sasha Vujacic, Slovenia, 6-6, 190. Blessed with good size, this 20-year-old is a crafty point man with size.

7. Beno Udrih, Slovenia, 6-3, 200. Lefty regarded as a future European star. Shoots with range and penetrates well. Turns 22 in July.