Last year, the NBA Draft was all or nothing at the small forward position. Two of the first three players taken, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, projected as small forwards (though James ended up playing in the backcourt almost exclusively), but the next small forward (as listed by SUPERSONICS.COM) taken was high schooler Travis Outlaw with the 23rd pick.

Deng is expected to be the first small forward taken. Streeter Lecka/Getty

This season promises to be a bit more balanced. While another one-and-done collegian (Luol Deng) may follow Anthony as the third pick, the next small forward taken should also be in the lottery, and as many as three or four could be taken by the end of the lottery all told. After that, however, a small forward drought could last until the start of the second round.

Overall, this small forward class seems to lack a likely high-scoring stud, but has plenty of prospects that can and should develop into solid NBA starters, as well as many other contributors.

Sonics Outlook: The Seattle Times recently reported that some NBA experts believe that the Sonics will go for a small forward if they end up keeping their first-round pick. Luke Jackson in particular has been a name that several have mentioned. Jackson is expected to be available at pick 12, and he and former Oregon teammate Luke Ridnour would probably appreciate a reunion. A small forward is a possibility in the second round as well, though the shooting guards seem to fit the Sonics needs at the defensive end of the court better than do the small forwards.

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

Luol Deng
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-8, 220
From: Duke.
The skinny: Deng entered Duke as possibly the most hyped freshman in the country last season, and while he came short of having the impact of an Anthony, Deng did nothing to dispel that reputation. Deng was eighth in the ACC in scoring and seventh in rebounding and was named Most Oustanding Player of the Atlanta Regional as the Blue Devils advanced to the Final Four. At 6-8, 220, Deng is about at the ideal stereotypical small forward in terms of size and athleticism and is also blessed with long arms (measured at seven feet plus) at the defensive end of the court. The only downside might be that Deng isn't really exceptional in any area of the game, but that's quibbling.

Josh Smith
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-8, 220
From: Oak Hill Academy
The skinny: Smith transferred to Oak Hill for his senior season of high school and helped the amateur juggernaut to a 38-0 record and an unofficial National Championship. Smith set an Oak Hill record by scoring 980 points, averaging 25.8 per game. He added to that 7.4 boards per game and an incredible 6.0 blocks. Smith committed to Indiana, but there was never really much doubt that he was going to enter the NBA Draft, and he's been projected at times as high as the middle of the lottery. Even for a high-school prospect, Smith has incredible athleticism, giving him tremendous upside potential. Smith could end up as good as another Oak Hill small forward product - Anthony.

Josh Childress
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-7, 195
From: Stanford
The skinny: After missing the first nine games of last year, his junior season, with a stress "reaction" in his left foot, Childress returned to lead Stanford to an undefeated record until its final regular-season game at UW. Childress can't much like Seattle after the Cardinal also suffered its other loss of the season here, an upset at the hands of Alabama during the sub-regionals of the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, Childress became a key player for Stanford, and while he barely increased his scoring average last year (14.7 ppg), he took advantage of improved teammates to boost his shooting percentage. Along with the Cardinal's performance, that propelled him to Pac-10 Player of the Year honors. Childress is a smooth player who is reminiscent of a shorter Tayshaun Prince. Like Prince, Childress has a long wingspan (greater than 6-11 when measured in Chicago) that makes him an effective shot-blocker and individual defender.

Luke Jackson
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-7, 210
From: Oregon
The skinny: With Ridnour playing the point for the Sonics, Jackson was left with little help from his Ducks teammates as a senior. As a result, he put up monster individual statistics - 21.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg and 4.5 apg - on a team that failed to make the NCAA Tournament. One of the most versatile players in the draft, Jackson was one of just six players nationwide to lead his team in all three categories. Jackson is a phenomenal offensive player who can handle the ball, shoot off the dribble, catch and shoot and get to the basket. While his style is more aggressive than the Sonics Brent Barry, the results are comparable. Jackson is also a surprisingly good athlete who has been impressing in individual workouts and now looks like a possible lottery pick, about where he should have been all along.

Viktor Khryapa
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-9, 210*
From: Russia
The skinny: Considered a likely first-round pick before withdrawing from the draft a year ago, Khryapa might not go quite that high this time around, as he's been mentioned as a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder. Inevitably, Khryapa is compared to his fellow Russian, Andrei Kirilenko. Khryapa isn't quite as long or as athletic, but is also a fine shot-blocker at small forward, snuffing 1.1 shots per game in limited minutes last year for CSKA Moscow. Khryapa teamed with 2004 Draft prospect Sergey Monya as well as a pair of ex-NBAers, and is considered to sometimes be too unselfish for his own good. Still, that shouldn't be a major problem for him as an NBA role player.

Donta Smith
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-7, 215*
From: Southeastern Illinois Community College
The skinny: Smith is the latest in a recent line of players who have put up huge numbers at a JC and then opted for the NBA over a four-year college. Two interesting aspects to the Smith story: First, he was not highly recruited out of high school, as opposed to be forced to go the JC route because of academics. Second is the hilariously over-the-top reaction by Louisville Coach Rick Pitino when Smith picked the NBA over the Cardinals. "I couldn't be more upset with the player, and I'm very, very disappointed with the (junior-college) coach," said Pitino. "That's as poor a leadership from the coach as I've ever seen." Smith averaged 25.8 ppg last season and is his school's all-time leading scorer, but the competition is questionable. He has the usual athleticism and questions about readiness for the NBA.

Bryant Matthews
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-7, 205
From: Virginia Tech
The skinny: The Hokies are known for producing football players, not basketball players, but Matthews could change that. Matthews had a fantastic senior season that saw him named First Team All-Big East, averaging a conference-leading 22.1 ppg and taking the Hokies to the Big East Tournament for the first and only time (they're moving to the ACC next year). Like Jackson, Matthews dominated for a poor team, and was even more versatile the year before, leading Virginia Tech in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. The biggest question is whether Matthews just piled up those numbers by virtue of having such weak teammates.

Matt Freije
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 230
From: Vanderbilt
The skinny: Bold prediction: If Freije sticks in the NBA, he will become an incredible fan favorite. 6-10 guys from the Midwest who shoot threes off the bench have a tendency to do that. Freije is reminiscent of former Rockets reserve Matt Bullard, who fit a similar description. Freije piled up the points in college, finishing his career as the Commodores' all-time leading scorer. He also hit at least 60 three-pointers each of the last two seasons. Freije is unlikely to be anything more than a role player in the NBA, and while it was in large part because of his perimeter orientation, Freije's 41.5% shooting from the field was subpar.

Trevor Ariza
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-8, 200
From: UCLA
The skinny: Ariza was one of the more surprising early entrants to this year's draft, hiring an agent and reaching the point of no (NCAA) return despite averaging a paltry 11.6 points as a freshman for an eighth-place UCLA team. Ariza was considered a good pro prospect - eventually - and got good news in Chicago, where he measured in with a tremendous 7-2 wingspan with a standing reach of nearly nine feet. The NBA body is there, but Ariza is lacking in terms of skills. He shot just 42.6% from the field and 24.0% from downtown last season. Alas, Ariza might not be talented enough for an NBA team to want to wait on him.

Darius Rice
(NBA.com profile)
The measurements: 6-10, 220*
From: Miami
The skinny: The nephew of the Oakland Raiders' Jerry Rice, Rice looked like a future star when he averaged 14.1 points as a freshman to lead the Hurricanes in scoring, but the rest of his college career was rather underwhelming. Rice did have a great junior season, averaging 18.7 ppg, but then lost 1.8 ppg and saw his field-goal percentage drop by 1.9% during his senior year. The good news is that Rice is a solid 6-10 and more than athletic enough to play small forward. On offense, he is a three-point threat, nailing 260 triples during his four-year career.

Honorable Mentions:
Herve Lamzina, Rutgers
Bernard Robinson, Michigan
Damien Wilkins, Georgia