BASKETBALL Youth will be served at 2003 NBA draft

Sofoklis Schortsanitis may turn a recent rule change into a big payday.
NEW YORK (AP) -- On the day after his 18th birthday, Sofoklis Schortsanitis put his impressively large body on display Monday for the New York Knicks in a tryout that wouldn't have been possible a year ago.
Schortsanitis is the youngest beneficiary of a deal struck between the league and the players' union in February, with the NBA dropping its opposition to players who turned 18 in the 45 days preceding the draft from being eligible.
"The change in the rules was something that gave me an advantage, but it doesn't mean that it's right," said Schortsanitis, who was dubbed "Baby Shaq" last season while playing for Iraklis in the Greek League. "I think they want kids to go to college."
Early picks
The first pick in Thursday night's draft will be LeBron James by the Cleveland Cavaliers. All but certain to be drafted second overall is a Serbian 7-footer, Darko Milicic, who turned 18 last week. The third pick is expected to be Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony, who is the oldest of the expected top three picks. He turned 19 less than a month ago.
"I don't think we've ever felt as much excitement about a crop of new players coming in," deputy commissioner Russ Granik said.
Despite the buzz surrounding the three teens, the NBA's public stance is that it would prefer a minimum age requirement of 20. Granik and commissioner David Stern reiterated that position during the NBA Finals.
"It's really about those preteens who think that the road to the NBA is a road to riches, and a certainty, when in fact it may be the least certain thing in their lives," Stern said Monday.
High hopes
Schortsanitis, a muscular 255 pounds, measured 6-foot-8 1/4 without sneakers as the Knicks brought him in for a second workout. When the half-Greek, half-Cameroonian teenager first emerged on the international basketball radar last fall, he was reputed to be 6-11.
He hopes to be drafted in the first round because it guarantees him a three-year deal. There were six international players taken in the first round a year ago, 11 more in the second round.
This year, another 17 international players are eligible, along with 29 high school players and college underclassmen.
Schortsanitis comes from a European basketball culture in which the most promising young players turn professional in their early teens.
Schortsanitis, who became a pro at 14, agrees that an age restriction of 20 might be a good thing -- although it's not stopping him from pursuing an NBA career. Scouting reports have praised his strength, footwork and speed, though even he admits his jump shot is not NBA-caliber.
"I have the opportunity, so I'm here," said Schortsanitis, who juggled his pro career while also attending high school in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Young trend
In the NBA, the trend of drafting players seasoned by several seasons of college basketball has changed in the past few years. Several of the league's best young stars -- including Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal -- successfully made the jump directly from high school.
With the emergence of talented foreigners -- Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Memphis' Pau Gasol (Spain), Houston's Yao Ming (China) and San Antonio's Tony Parker (France) and Manu Ginobili (Argentina) -- the emphasis of many NBA teams is shifting toward international prospects.
"What's happened is that over the past 20 years the European game has caught up, and it has caught up because they have concentrated on fundamentals," Knicks coach Don Chaney said. "Those guys come over here much more skilled in terms of the basics."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.