Clippers’ Top Pick Could Be a ‘Snap’

And it’s a big Clipper welcome to . . . Lamar Odom?

It’s just the way his pre-draft season has been going: Odom may be headed for a berth on the one team whose misfortunes go right into Jay Leno routines.

If Leno can live for two weeks off a mere losing streak, what can he do with a young man who was a no-show at the Chicago pre-draft camp; broke every appointment but one to work out for individual teams; tried to return to school, perhaps forgetting he’d hired an agent and hadn’t been to class in months; finally worked out Monday in Providence, R.I., for four teams, the Clippers among them--then was a no-show at Tuesday’s media session in Washington, where today’s draft will be held.

On the other hand, if Odom calms down, starts showing up and becomes the player many people think he will be, the Clippers may be getting the top pick in the draft, at No. 4.

Monday’s workout was said to be impressive. Odom said he has had personal problems recently.

Said one scout: “If you talk to him, he’s a terrific kid.”

Said Miami of Ohio’s Wally Szczerbiak in Washington: “I played with Lamar on his AAU team. He’s a great kid. I don’t understand what’s going on. . . .

“He’s probably going through a real tough time. Probably real indecisive. Probably has a lot of people pulling him in different directions. He’s probably like a rubber band, about to snap. It’s a tough situation.

“At the same time, he’s a grown man. He’s got to show up for things he supposed to show up for. Especially, with a lucrative career you’re about to embark on. This is not high school. It’s no joke. This is the NBA draft. It doesn’t get bigger than that. You can’t be playing games with NBA general managers and NBA coaches. I hope he can get things straightened out in the next couple days because he is a great talent.”

Odom’s destiny will be determined and many other questions will be answered today in what is expected to be the wildest, if not exactly the best draft of the ‘90s, or ever.

Who will General Manager Jerry Krause select with the No. 1 pick, to begin rebuilding the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty?

Of course, as we went to press, it was still far too early for Krause to have divulged his secret decision even to Coach Tim Floyd or the rest of the staff, which is one reason this draft is so wild and woolly.

Will Vancouver, a perennial disappointment in its four seasons, stay at No. 2 and draft still another talented young player?

Where’s UCLA’s Baron Davis going? The Lakers pined for him. He pined for them. The Clippers yearned for him. He said that would be OK. Toronto and Minnesota tried to get to No. 2 for him. They seemed like nice places too, but the Grizzlies wouldn’t deal.

Now Davis seems headed for Charlotte, where he refused to work out, which shows how the new rules have changed the balance of power. When the rookie scale was three years, teams were loath to cross players. Now that they can tie players up for five years, it’s a different deal.

Who will the Lakers get?

Let’s put it this way, at No. 23, it’s no one who figures to help the club right away, unless the club is in Europe, where he could be asked to go for seasoning.

LAKERS: Maybe there’s an omen with that No. 23 pick. Page 5

CLIPPERS: Unlike last year, they don’t know who will be there. Page 5

TRADE: Hawks send Blaylock to the Warriors, switch picks. Page 4

NBA DRAFT

Today, 4 p.m., TV: TNT at MCI Center, Washington, D.C.

DRAFT ORDER

TEAM: RECORD

1. Chicago Bulls: 13-37

2. Vancouver Grizzlies: 8-42

3. Charlotte Hornets: 26-24

4. Clippers: 9-41

5. Toronto Raptors: 23-27

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: 25-25

7. Washington Wizards: 18-32

8. Boston Celtics: 19-31

9. Phoenix Suns: 27-23

10. Atlanta Hawks: 31-19

11. Cleveland Cavaliers: 22-28

12. Toronto Raptors: 23-27

13. Seattle SuperSonics: 25-25

14. Minnesota Timberwolves: 25-25

15. New York Knicks: 27-23

16. Chicago Bulls: 13-37

17. Atlanta Hawks: 31-19

18. Denver Nuggets: 14-36

19. Utah Jazz: 3713

20. Atlanta Hawks: 31-19

21. Golden State Warriors: 21-29

22. Houston Rockets: 31-19

23. Lakers: 31-19

24. Utah Jazz: 37-13

25. Miami Heat: 33-17

26. Indiana Pacers: 33-17

27. Atlanta Hawks: 31-19

28. Utah Jazz: 37-13

29. San Antonio Spurs: 37-13

* MOCK DRAFT: Mark Heisler’s predictions for the draft. Page 4.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Early Risers

Players who have left college early or come out of high school to become eligible for today’s NBA draft:

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Player Year P From Ron Artest Soph. g-f St. John’s William Avery Soph. g Duke Jonathan Bender HS senior c Picayune HS, Miss. Carl Boyd Junior f California Elton Brand Soph. f Duke Nikola Dacevic f Limoges, France Baron Davis Soph. g UCLA Steve Francis Junior g Maryland Dwayne Franklin Soph. f Shaw University Dion Glover Fresh. g Georgia Tech Richard Hamilton Junior f Connecticut Rico Harris Junior f Cal St. Northridge Hrvoje Henjak c Split, Croatia Kendric Johnson Fresh. g West Hills College Jumaine Jones Soph. f Georgia Shawn Kenney Soph. f Cleveland St. Andrei Kirilenko f CSKA Moscow, Russia Corey Maggette Fresh. f Duke Shawn Marion Junior f UNLV Michael Maxwell Junior g Western New Mexico Greg Minor Junior g Cal St. Northridge Lamar Odom Soph. f Rhode Island Josko Poljak c Split, Croatia Alek Radojevic Soph. c Barton County CC Gene Shipley Fresh. c San Jose CC Leon Smith HS senior f ML King HS, Chicago Albert White Junior f Missouri

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