VITALS: 6-11, 240, Connecticut OVERVIEW: An incredibly talented but enigmatic power forward, Villanueva averaged 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds as a sophomore this season, earning All-Big East Conference honors. He shot 52 percent from the floor and 69 percent at the charity stripe. In his last 10 games, Villanueva scored 20 points on five occassions and recorded 10-plus rebounds six times, averaging 18.2 points and 9.7 rebounds during that span. As a freshman, he averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Villanueva probably comes into play at about 14, when Minnesota picks a player it hopes will complement Kevin Garnett. New Jersey at 15, Toronto at 16 and Indiana at 17 are all teams with a degree of interest in Villanueva. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Drew Gooden COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Derrick Coleman ROLE PROJECTION: Eventual starting power forward. POSITIVES: Catch him on the right night, and Villanueva will fill up a scouting notebook with superlatives: he can run, rebound, shoot, block shots, take the ball to the basket and even score in the post. If he plays with desire, Villanueva has the kind of body and skills that could result in his shooting 10 free throws a game. That's how Karl Malone made himself a Hall of Famer. SHORTCOMINGS: Villanueva doesn't bring his A game every night. Some nights at Connecticut, he looked like just another good college player, but certainly not like an easy NBA first-round pick. Concentration, motivation and dedication are all question marks for Villanueva. If he answers these questions affirmatively, he will be an excellent value pick in the middle of the first round. NBA people hope his maturity will eventually catch up to his skills.
