It's getting more and more difficult all the time to argue that any position but power forward is the marquee spot in the modern NBA. The MVP may have changed last season, with Kevin Garnett supplanting two-time winner Tim Duncan, but the position stayed the same. Duncan and Garnett are, by consensus, the two best players in the NBA, and they finished 1-2 in MVP voting. Third was yet another power forward, Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal. Call Ben Wallace a power forward - he started at the position until the Pistons traded for Rasheed Wallace in February - and the position boasts four of the top seven finishers in MVP voting and the anchor of the NBA Champions.

After leading UConn to an NCAA Title, Okafor is expected to be the first pick of this year's NBA Draft.

There's plenty of talent coming through the pipelines to keep the power forward position well stocked for years to come. Kenyon Martin made his first All-Star appearance last season, while even younger players like Carlos Boozer, Zach Randolph and Amaré Stoudemire made the leap to be considered some of the game's best players.

The 2004 Draft promises more of the same. If Emeka Okafor is termed a power forward, as he is by most sources, the top two prospects in the Draft and the probable top two picks (high schooler Dwight Howard being the other) are power forwards. At least a couple more power forwards should go in the lottery as their teams try to keep up with the bevy of stars at the position.

Sonics Outlook: The Sonics already have one power forward drafted with the 12th pick - Nick Collison, last year's selection, who will be a rookie this year after missing his first year following surgeries on both shoulders. Will the Sonics add another? The team is confident in Collison's ability to contribute, so to draft a power forward they'll have to believe they can eventually get both players regular minutes together. Andris Biedrins, Kris Humphries and Al Jefferson are all possibilities with the 12th pick, and several players might make sense in the second round.

Unless otherwise noted (*), all heights (with shoes) and weights are from Chicago Pre-Draft Camp measurements, rounded to nearest inch/5 pounds.

Emeka Okafor
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 255
From: Connecticut.
The skinny: After three years at UConn, Okafor is as close to a sure thing as is possible in the modern NBA Draft. Still, there were some questions lately about whether Orlando would pass on him in favor of Howard's potential. It's hard to see that happening now, not after the way Wallace dominated the NBA Finals with his rebounding and interior defense and after Okafor measured in at a solid 6-10 in Chicago. Okafor was one of the finest shot blockers in NCAA history, averaging 4.1 blocks per game (first in the NCAA) and recording more than twice as many blocks as he had fouls. Okafor was also third in the nation in rebounding and should be one of the NBA's best rebounders in due time. On the offensive end, Okafor has really developed, averaging better than 17 points per game last year and shooting nearly 60% from the field. Okafor capped his college career with an NCAA Championship and will try to take his new NBA team to the same pinnacle.

Dwight Howard
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 240
From: Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
The skinny: Is he Kwame Brown or O'Neal? That's the question that seems to follow Howard around. Since emerging on the AAU circuit, Howard has been regarded as one of the top prospects in high-school basketball. Depending on what happens with the Los Angeles Clippers - who are settled with Elton Brand at power forward backed up by Chris Wilcox - and the second pick, Howard is expected to go behind only Okafor, though ESPN Insider recently dropped him to fourth in its mock draft. One of the most impressive things about Howard is that he's upped his game against high-level competition, playing well in AAU games and in the postseason All-American games. Howard has a well-balanced game and the sky is the limit on his potential.

Andris Biedrins
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-11, 240*
From: Latvia
The skinny: It's funny that this qualifies as a positive, but Biedrins is not a good perimeter shooter. His range reportedly extends only to 10 or 12 feet. For an 18-year-old European, that's great news, as it means that Biedrins is a back-to-the-basket post player instead of hanging around on the perimeter. Biedrins further Americanized his game by playing AAU basketball in the U.S. this summer and attempted to come play high-school ball in Maryland, but his pro experience in Latvia made him ineligible. Biedrins will likely top seven feet when he stops growing and has excellent potential and ability on the defensive end of the court. At only 18, however, Biedrins may be a ways away from contributing at the NBA level, which will be a giant leap in competition from the Latvian league.

Kris Humphries
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 240
From: Minnesota
The skinny: After initially signing with Duke (and considering the NBA Draft), Humphries decided to stay home and play his (one season of) college ball at Minnesota. He ended up trading team success for individual glory. With little talent around Humphries, the Golden Gophers went nowhere, but he stepped in and dominated right away. Humphries became the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Humphries shot just 44.4% from the field, but he was facing regular double- and triple-teams as opponents tried to keep him in check. The biggest concern about Humphries was whether he is big enough to play power forward in the NBA, but that seems to have eased after he measured in at a solid 6-10 in Chicago, possibly boosting him into the lottery. Humphries is both young and ready enough to have an immediate NBA impact.

Al Jefferson
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 260
From: Prentiss H.S.
The skinny: At Prentiss H.S. in Mississippi, Jefferson put up some of the gaudiest high-school stats on record. How about 42.6 points and 18.0 rebounds as a senior against Class 3A competition? Twice last season, Jefferson scored more than 60 points. That shouldn't really be too much of a surprise, as physically Jefferson was a man amongst boys. He reportedly weighed in the neighborhood of 280 pounds last summer before getting down to his current playing weight of 260, which is more reasonable in the NBA. Still, Jefferson's a big body who can score in the post, earning him comparisons - for better or worse - to Bulls center Eddy Curry. For a high-school power forward, Jefferson doesn't have great athleticism, and he'll need to pick up his defensive effort. Still, he has the potential to be great, and after some strong workouts, he's been mentioned as a possible top-ten pick.

Anderson Varejao
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 230*
From: Brazil
The skinny: It only seems like Varejao has been an NBA prospect forever. He entered his name in the last two drafts before withdrawing when he didn't like his position. This year, there's no turning back, as Varejao is automatically eligible because he'll turn 22 in September. A Brazilian native, Varejao has been playing in Spain, where he has become a contributor off the bench for his F.C. Barcelona team. The word constantly associated with Varejao is "energy" - scouting reports indicate that he is very active and an athletic player. The concern is that, at 22, Varejao still isn't a polished product and may not come over right away because of his contract in Spain and his NBA readiness. Still, after some impressive workouts, he should go mid to late first round.

Jackie Butler
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 265
From: Coastal Christian Academy
The skinny: Butler finished high school a year ago but didn't have the grades to follow through on his commitment to Mississippi State, forcing him to attend prep school for a year. This time around, Butler decided to take his chances with the NBA. There are some similarities to Jefferson, especially in terms of size (and past weight problems) and how they've used it to push around smaller players in high school - something they won't be able to do in the NBA. Butler isn't as talented, which is why he's considered a second-round pick, but he does reportedly have advantages in terms of range on his jumper and a large wingspan (measured at better than 7-1 in Chicago) that makes him a good rebounder and shot blocker.

Jackson Vroman
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-11, 225
From: Iowa State
The skinny: From Vroman's picture (at right), he looks more likely to be singing in a boy band than playing in the NBA, but the latter looks like a solid possibility at this point. Vroman wasn't on the NBA's map after earning Third Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior, but he got an invitation to Portsmouth at the last minute and ended up averaging 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in three games. That in turn led to an invitation to Chicago, where Vroman again shined in the Tournament format, averaging 14.3 points and shooting a Chicago-best 61.9% from the field. Scouts love the way Vroman plays the game, with a great deal of energy, which can be useful in a second-round pick or a player at the end of the bench. While Vroman was a role player in college, he led the Big 12 in rebounding as a senior with 9.6 rpg and also shot 56.4% from the field. Vroman should go somewhere in the second round.

Jaime Lloreda
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-9, 245
From: Louisiana State
The skinny: 2002 was a good year for JC forwards from the state of Utah - both Vroman and Lloreda were produced from that class. Lloreda was a First Team All-SEC pick last season after leading the conference and ranking second in the nation in rebounding with 11.6 boards per game. On offense, Lloreda was a factor, averaging 16.9 points per game and shooting 58.1%. Lloreda did miss the end of the season with an ankle injury. The biggest knock on Lloreda is his size after he measured in at 6-8 and a half in shoes in Chicago. But his résumé is similar to that of Sonics forward Reggie Evans, who has been a major success after going undrafted, and Boston's Brandon Hunter, the 56th pick last year who showed fine potential as a rookie. Both of those players led the NCAA in rebounding in college, and that skill has translated to the NBA despite their height. The same should be true of Lloreda, who might go a little higher in the draft, but probably not much before the middle of the second round.

Arthur Johnson
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-9, 260
From: Missouri
The skinny: Johnson used his 260-pound frame to his advantage in four years at Missouri, throwing his body around in the paint and in the post. Johnson finished his career as the Tigers' all-time leading rebounder and shot blocker and also ranked high on the school's scoring list. Still, he was somewhat disappointing as a senior as the team dramatically underachieved compared to high preseason expectations. Johnson did improve his shooting from 49.3% to 54.8%, but his scoring average was virtually unchanged and he was a worse rebounder. Never a truly great college player, Johnson will also have to make a position change to power forward in the NBA, as his 6-9 height is too small for him to play regular minutes in the middle. Johnson will need to become a more determined rebounder and shot blocker, which several players fitting a similar profile have been able to do since entering the NBA.

Honorable Mentions:
Andre Brown, DePaul
Sergei Lishouk, Ukraine
Albert Miralles, Spain
Pape Sow, Cal State Fullerton