The NBA draft this year may not be a good one, but it promises to be distinctive. The No. 1

pick is the only sure-fire star while the rest of the first round is a guessing game. And it's

anyone's guess who's going to land where.

The Los Angles Clippers, champions of the Draft Lottery, have their sights set on Oklahoma's

Blake Griffin, the 6-foot-10, 248-pound power forward who was college basketball's consensus

player of the year last season.

Griffin is regarded as the only superstar of this draft, which consists of two rounds. It will

begin at 7 p.m., Thursday at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden (ESPN).

"He's a terrific athlete, he's strong, a terrific person and I think any franchise would be

happy to have a player like Blake Griffin for a long time," Clippers president Andy Roeser

said. "I also think a lot of people are going to be happy with some of the other players in

the draft, like Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet. I happen to think this is a draft where the

top teams are going to be pretty happy in the long run."

It is possible former Niagara Falls High School and Syracuse University point guard Jonny

Flynn could go as high as No. 4 to the Sacramento Kings. Nine franchises in the Lottery --

including Washington, Golden State, New York and Toronto -- also have expressed interest in the

6-foot Flynn. Flynn has impressed scouts with his ability to push the ball upcourt, hit a

variety of passes and also pull up and pop the 20-foot jumper.

Flynn, who starred for two seasons at Syracuse, could be the highest drafted player from

the area since Nichols School and Duke All-American Christian Laettner was selected with the

No. 3 pick by Minnesota in 1992. Paul Harris, Flynn's teammate at the Falls and Syracuse,

could be selected in the second round and Minnesota has shown the most interest.

Another player with local ties who could be drafted in the first round is Jonas Jerebko,

who signed with the University at Buffalo four years ago before opting for a professional

league in Sweden. Jerebko's father, Chris, played for Syracuse from 1977 to '81 and played

professionally in Europe.

The rebuilding New York Knicks, who have the No. 8 pick overall, like Flynn, Davidson's

Stephon Curry and Arizona's Jordan Hill. Toronto, with the No. 9 pick, wants someone who can

create off the dribble and like Flynn, USC's DeMar DeRozan, Duke's Gerald Henderson and

Louisville's Earl Clark. Cleveland has the last pick in the first round and could lose both

Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao this summer. The Cavs are in the market for an athletic

forward so Jerebko is a possibility, as are Xavier's Derrick Brown and Missouri's DeMarre

Carroll.

Clicking on highlighted players directs you to video highlights.

PickTeamPlayerParticulars

1 LA Clippers:

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2aQizDxsKQ&feature=related" target="_blank"> Blake Griffin Pos: PF

College: Oklahoma

Plays like: Carlos Boozer

Comment: Only can't-miss prospect on the board.

2 Memphis: Hasheem Thabeet Pos: C

College: UConn

Plays like: Dikembe Mutombo

Comment: Still developing as a player.

3 Oklahoma City:

target="_blank"> Ricky Rubio Pos: PG College: Spain Comment: Steve Nash exciting.

4 Sacramento: Tyreke Evans Pos: SG

College: Memphis Plays like: Jamal Crawford Comment: Extremely smooth and talented.

5 Washington: James Harden Pos: SG College: Arizona State Plays

like: Nick Anderson Comment: Steady, consistent scoring threat.

6 Minnesota:

target="_blank"> Stephen Curry Pos: PG College: Davidson Plays like: Sam Cassell Comment: Basketball IQ off the charts.

7 Golden State: Jrue Holiday Pos: PG /Pos: SG College: UCLA Plays

like: Delonte West Comment: Disappointing freshman season.

8 New York:

target="_blank"> Jonny Flynn Pos: PG College: Syracuse Plays like: Damon Stoudamire Comment: Possesses elite athleticism and quickness.

9 Toronto: DeMar DeRozan Pos: SG College: USC Pos: C

Plays like: Vince Carter Comment: The Human Highlight Film Jr.

10 Milwaukee: Jordan Hill Pos: PF College: Arizona Plays like: Chris Bosh Comment: Smooth and still developing.

11 New Jersey:

target="_blank"> Tyler Hansbrough Pos: PF College: North Carolina Plays like: Kurt Rambis Comment: Plays hard all the time.

12 Charlotte: Gerald Henderson Pos: SG College: Duke

Plays like: Dahntay Jones Comment: Smooth great athlete.

13 Indiana:

target="_blank"> Earl Clark Pos: SF College: Louisville Plays like: Marvin Williams Comment: Has the talent to develop into a star.

14 Phoenix:

target="_blank"> Brandon Jennings Pos: PG College: Italy Plays like: Kenny Anderson Comment:

Up-and-down season overseas.

15 Detroit:

target="_blank"> Austin Daye Pos: SF College: Gonzaga Plays like: Keith Van Horn Comment: Needed

another year of school.

16 Chicago:

target="_blank"> DeJuan Blair Pos: PF College: Pitt Plays like: Danny Fortson Comment: Hard to move off the blocks.

17 Philadelphia: Chase Budinger SG/Pos: SF College: Arizona Plays

like: Brent Barry Comment: Nice jumper and athlete.

18 Minnesota:

target="_blank"> B.J. Mullens Pos: C College: Ohio State Plays like: Chris Kaman Comment: Has a long way to go.

19 Atlanta: Eric Maynor Pos: PG College: VCU Plays like: Eric

Snow Comment: Very savvy playmaker.

20 Utah: Sam Young Pos: SF College: Pitt Plays like:

James Posey Comment: Tremendous wing span.

21 New Orleans:

target="_blank"> James Johnson Pos: PF College: Wake Forest Plays like: Danny Granger Comment: Has battled inconsistency throughout his career.

22 Dallas:

target="_blank"> Terrence Williams Pos: SG College: Louisville Plays like: Andre Iguodala Comment: Nice feel for the game.

23 Sacramento:

target="_blank"> Ty Lawson Pos: PG College: North Carolina Plays like: Terrell Brandon Comment: Member of All-Blur team.

24 Portland: DaJuan Summers Pos: SFCollege: Georgetown Plays like: Tim Thomas Comment: Inconsistency keeps him out of lottery.

25 Oklahoma City:

target="_blank"> Wayne Ellington Pos: SGCollege: North Carolina Plays like: Francisco Garcia Comment: Final Four MVP.

26 Chicago:

target="_blank"> Toney Douglas Pos: SG College: Florida State Plays like: Ben Gordon Comment: Just in case Gordon bolts.

27 Memphis:

target="_blank"> Nick Calathes Pos: PG College: Florida Plays like: Shawn Livingston Comment: Signed pro contract in Greece.

28 Minnesota: Omri Casspi Pos: SF College: Israel Plays

like: Matt Harpring Comment: Needs to gain strength.

29 LA Lakers: Darren Collison Pos: PG College: UCLA Plays like: Chris Duhon Comment: Super-quick point guard.

30 Cleveland:

target="_blank"> Jonas Jerebko SF/Pos: PF College: Sweden Plays like: Hedo Turkoglu Comment: One-time UB signee has outstanding versatility.

Key: SG-Shooting guard; SF-Small forward; Pos: PG -Point guard; PF-Power forward; C-Center.