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by Paul Jay
-- raptors.commentator

(TORONTO) -- On Thursday, May 22, the Toronto Raptors found out they'll be picking fourth in the 2003 NBA Draft. Raptors fans may well have be praying for the number one pick and a chance to draft LeBron James, but the truth is there are a number of potential stars to be had at the four slot. Of course, the operative word is potential.

Raptors.com gives you a look at ten likely lottery players, the likelihood that the Raptors might select them and what kind of player they might turn out to be in the best- and worst-case scenarios. Here are the ten potential cornerstones:

Bosh

Chris Bosh
6-10 PF Georgia Tech/Freshman
Stats: 15.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 56.0 FG%
The Skinny: You want the skinny? You're looking at him. Bosh is another in a long line of tall, thin forwards with tremendous athleticism (Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, Pau Gasol) who would be centres if only they had more strength. We're talking Keon Clark skinny. But he has a reasonably well-developed post game and has a surprisingly well-rounded game for a 19 year old. Only question is mental toughness.
Best Case Scenario: Kevin Garnett
Worst Case Scenario: Keon Clark
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: If the Raptors don't land a top three pick, Bosh would be a good fit. He's the kind of talent missing from the team's frontcourt since Clark left. Of course, if they take him in the lottery, they better hope for more than another Clark.

Ford

TJ Ford
5-10 PG Texas/Sophomore
Stats: 15.0 ppg, 7.7 apg, 1.9 spg, 40.1 FG%
The Skinny: The best passing point guard to emerge from college since Jason Kidd. Ford sees the floor like few other players and pushed the ball relentlessly in college. He's got Tony Parker's quickness. What he doesn't have is size, and that might mean long nights of getting posted up by the league's bigger point guards. His outside shot is also suspect, but it's also vastly improved from a year ago, which is a good sign. In a draft full of point guards, Ford may be the best.
Best Case Scenario: Isiah Thomas
Worst Case Scenario: Kenny Anderson
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: With Alvin Williams hurting all year and an offense that often struggled to create shots, Ford would be a breath of fresh air. He should be available with the fifth pick, but with the team's glaring need for size, Grunwald might want to look elsewhere.

Kaman

Chris Kaman
7-0 C Central Michigan/Junior
Stats: 22.4 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 63.2 FG%
The Skinny: Often teams reach in the lottery and go for size over talent, and often they pay for it. Chris Mihm, Joel Pryzbilla and DeSagna Diop are just three recent examples. But Kaman's footwork is light years better than the latter two and he's bigger and stronger than Mihm. Still, he played most of his college career against smaller competition at Central Michigan, and like Raef Lafrentz he's prone to picking up cheap fouls in his quest to block shots.
Best Case Scenario: Zydraunus Ilgauskas
Worst Case Scenario: Does anyone remember Todd Fuller?
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: Although they do need a big man they could do better with a top-six pick.

Hayes

Jarvis Hayes
6-6 SG Georgia/Junior
Stats: 17.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 50.3 3P%
The Skinny: As long as the league is hungry for offense, Jarvis Hayes will have a place. An excellent shooter with good range, Hayes is also an able defender. His ball handling needs work though, and so at first he may need his teammates to create open shots. Teams tend to draft big men and point guards early, so Hayes could see his stock drop like Paul Pierce and Caron Butler, both of whom were picked 10th in the draft. But he's got the talent to be a top-six pick.
Best Case Scenario: Mitch Richmond
Worst Case Scenario: Ron Mercer
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: Not great. The Raptors are already loaded at the shooting guard/small forward positions, so-barring a trade-Hayes would be a curious pick.

Lampe

Maciej Lampe
6-10 PF Universidad Complutense (Spain)/1985
Stats: 18.2 ppg, 7.2 ppg, 47.8 3P%, 85.2 FT%
The Skinny: Big men who can shoot seem to grow on trees in Europe, and Lampe is, along with Milicic, another 18-year-old version. More suited to playing the power forward position than centre, he's another developing talent who might take a couple of years to develop but who could blossom. Still, don't expect much defense from him in the first few years.
Best Case Scenario: Dirk Nowitski
Worst Case Scenario: Wang Zhi Zhi
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: Depending on how he's looked when the Raptors went overseas, the team might take a gamble on Lampe if they drop down to the sixth pick. But it's quite a gamble.

Sweetney

Mike Sweetney
6-8 PF Georgetown/Junior
Stats: 22.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 30.5 mpg
The Skinny: Sweetney was a beast in college, destroying opponents in the low post with his massive frame and good footwork. Now, can he do it in the pros at his height? The NBA is littered with college big men who are too short to play their position effectively in the pros, though Sweetney does have long arms and a soft touch around the basket.
Best Case Scenario: Elton Brand
Worst Case Scenario: Othella Harrington
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: The Raptors could use a big body clogging up the middle like Sweetney. But he might be a reach at his height for a top-six pick.

Wade

Dwayne Wade
6-4 SG Marquette/Junior
Stats: 21.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 50.2 FG%
The Skinny: Wade carried his team through to the Final Four, raising his draft stock considerably. When his shot is on, he's unstoppable. But his height is a concern for some, who think he's too short to play shooting guard in the NBA, and although he's a deft passer, he might not be ready to play the point. Still, his all-around talent and athleticism like this would be hard to ignore.
Best Case Scenario: Ray Allen
Worst Case Scenario: Juan Dixon
Chances That He'll be a Raptor: If Wade proves in workouts that he can play the point, he might get a second look from the organization. Otherwise, he'll probably drop into the late lottery.