The 7-foot-3 Hasheem Thabeet from UConn is expected to be a high pick.

MCT / STEPHEN DUNN

It seems that NBA Drafts these days are evaluated not on players most fans already know but on the ones you’ve barely heard of.

Only the true Hoopheads, for example, know who Ricky Rubio is. How about Jordan Hill or Demar DeRozan?

All three could go in the first half-dozen picks, and each will certainly be among the first 15 names that commissioner David Stern announces Thursday night. The strength of a draft has become commensurate with the star power in the collegiate freshman class due to the NBA’s age rule that forces the elite high school players to spend at least one year in college. Most of the top players are 19 or 20 years old, and Hasheem Thabeet (UConn), Stephen Curry (Davidson), Gerald Henderson (Duke) and Hill, of Arizona, are the only collegiate juniors or seniors seen as possible top-10 picks.

Because there is only one sure thing in this draft (Oklahoma sophomore forward Blake Griffin), the last few weeks have been filled with trade rumors. The Celtics have popped up in some reports, with both Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo being mentioned as bait. Danny Ainge will have to make a trade to play any role in this draft since the only pick the Celts own is their second-round choice, No. 58 overall.

The draft is heavy on point guards, and there will be a run on the position perhaps as early as the second pick if Rubio goes that high. Here are capsules of the top-15 prospects:

•1. Blake Griffin, 6-foot-10, F, Oklahoma. Averaged 22 points and 14 rebounds as college hoops’ best player. The clear No. 1 pick by the Clippers, but far from a franchise player.

•2. Hasheem Thabeet, 7-3, C, Connecticut. The top of the draft spins on what Memphis does with this pick. Thabeet is the smart pick, especially since Rubio has said he doesn’t want to play in Memphis. Both Sacramento and Minnesota reportedly are angling to move up here and draft Rubio. Thabeet may be a career backup center, but he’ll block shots and rebound right away.

•3. Ricky Rubio, 6-4, PG, Spain. An 18-year-old teen idol in Europe who looks like Pete Maravich and started on the Spanish Olympic team in the Olympic gold-medal game against the USA. Oklahoma City owns this pick and would be willing to move down a notch or three for the right trade. There is also a chance that Rubio won’t be able to get out of his pro contract and will have to remain in Europe.

•4. James Harden, 6-5, SG/SF, Arizona State. Big-time scorer for two years in college, but tough to say if his game translates to the pros. Was mystified by Syracuse’s zone in the NCAA tourney and lacks the NBA 3-point range that a prime-time shooting guard needs. Could go third to the Thunder.

•5. Tyreke Evans, 6-5, PG/SG, Memphis. Scouts are very intrigued by this power guard who can’t really shoot and doesn’t pass all that well. Toughness and upside (19 years old) excite scouts, who say he could go as high as second to Memphis.

•6. Jordan Hill, 6-10, F, Arizona. A workout wonder who is slotted here only because of this draft’s dearth of quality big men. Doesn’t have much experience, so he could get much better, but he won’t be able to run and jump over NBA-quality big men like he did in the PAC-10.

•7. Stephen Curry, 6-3, PG/SG, Davidson. The Knicks, who own the eighth pick, covet this talented, quick trigger shooter. That scouts see him as a point guard shows they didn’t watch him enough in college.

•8. Jonny Flynn, 6-0, PG, Syracuse. Small but amazingly strong point guard who will benefit because he knows how to accomplish the three keys for any point man: pass, score and push the tempo. May be the best pure point guard in the draft.

•9. Brandon Jennings, 6-1, PG, Italy. Top prep star in 2008 spent this season playing in the top Italian League, where he averaged just 5.6 points. His strength (165 pounds) is a major issue, as is his erratic shooting, but he offers oodles of flash and pizzazz.

•10. Jrue Holiday, 6-3, PG/SG, UCLA. A fast-rising combo guard who averaged 8.5 points as a freshman for the Bruins. Probably coming out a year early, but a top-10 pick is guaranteed $2.1 million next year.

•11. Gerald Henderson, 6-5, SF, Duke. Polished wing scorer owns high hoops IQ and will clearly fit as a nice piece for a good team. Lacks the explosiveness to be a star.

•12. DeMar DeRozan, 6-7, SF, USC. This 19-year-old is the opposite of Henderson, a super athlete who lacks polish. Jumped out of college after one year and owns as much upside as anyone available.

•13. B.J. Mullens, 7-0, C, Ohio State. If this college frosh stayed in school, he might have been the top pick in the 2010 draft. So if he falls this far down, count him as a major steal.

•14. Austin Daye, 6-10, PF, Gonzaga. Versatile, talented big kid who can run and shoot is rising fast up many draft boards. A bit soft, but skill level is exciting.

•15. DeJuan Blair, 6-7, PF, Pittsburgh. The co-Big East Player of the Year with Thabeet, Blair physically abused college kids with his power game. Will that fly at all in the pros? Tough to say. Lacks any type of a 15-foot game.

kmcnamar@projo.com