VITALS: 6-6, 203, senior, Wake Forest OVERVIEW: Howard was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year after a spectacular senior season at Wake Forest. Howard averaged 19.5 point and 8.3 rebounds and led the Demon Deacons to their first outright ACC regular-season title since 1962. Howard is one of just two players, along with Duke's Shane Battier, to collect 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 200 steals, 100 blocks and 100 3-pointers. Howard shot 37 percent from beyond the arc a year ago. Howard drastically improved his foul shooting from 66 percent as a junior to 83 percent last season. As a freshman, Howard helped lead Wake Forest to the National Invitation Tournament crown. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Late first or early second round. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Shane Battier, Malik Sealy COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Johnny Taylor ROLE PROJECTION: Key reserve. POSITIVES: Howard is a fine athlete who performed well at the NBA's pre-draft physical testing in Chicago earlier this month. His tremendous vertical leap, coupled with an oversized wingspan and innate toughness, allowed Howard to excel in the lane throughout his college days. His rebounding effectiveness and low-post scoring ability is impressive. In addition, Howard does a lot of the little things that do not get recorded on the stat sheet. He is often praised for his all-around game. SHORTCOMINGS: Howard is a mediocre shooter, so making the transition to the perimeter in the NBA could be tough. He clearly lacks the size to play in the paint at the next level as he did in the ACC. Because of that, Howard has all the earmarks of the classic NBA "tweener" - a player who lacks a true position where he can be effective. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "Howard had a fine career. He's skilled. I think he is a safe pick." NBA director of scouting Marty Blake
