<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Stash or Stache? For teams at the top of the NBA draft, which will be held Wednesday in New York, the decision might be just that simple. What would they rather have? ? Washington swingman Brandon Roy and his stockpile of all-around basketball skills; or ? Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison and his explosive offensive game and suddenly famous lip hair, which have led fans of the Portland Trail Blazers to launch a "Draft the Stache" movement? Each player is expected to be among the top six selected, making each potentially the highest pick in school history ? Washington's Bob Houbregs was the third pick in 1953 by the Milwaukee Hawks; Gonzaga's John Stockton was the 16th pick by Utah in 1984 ? and illustrating yet again the burgeoning quality of basketball in this state. It is the second straight year two in-state players ? Roy is from Garfield High in Seattle, Morrison from Mead in Spokane ? could be among the top six players selected. (Last year, Bremerton's Marvin Williams went No. 2 and Seattle Prep's Martell Webster No. 6.) Most mock drafts have Morrison going higher than Roy, with more than a few sending the former Bulldog to Toronto, which holds the top pick. But one ESPN commentator suggested this week that Toronto might actually have its eyes on Roy or, at least, on taking Roy and then trading him elsewhere (the Lakers, perhaps?). Both players say being selected ahead of the other is of little real concern with millions already assured. "Competitively, it matters a little bit," Morrison said when asked if he'd like to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. "But it's more important to be going to the right situation. You're only talking about a spot or two. I'm not sure any of us are going to be crying about being picked fifth rather than third." Said Roy: "I think the top six is very likely for me, and now that I've made it this far, I don't think anywhere I go will be a disappointment." For Washington state college basketball fans, however, the decisions this week will add one more argument to the debate that lingered all last winter ? which player is better? It was Morrison who was the face of college basketball much of last season after he led off with some mammoth scoring performances at an early-season tournament in Hawaii, overshadowing Roy in the process. But by March, some wondered if Roy, who used his versatility to lead the Huskies into the Sweet 16 for the second straight season, wasn't more valuable. NBA officials say the draft isn't just about declaring that this player is better than that one. "Needs can dictate what teams will do," Steve Patterson, the Blazers' team president and interim general manager, said last week after watching each player work out for his team. "But both of those guys are going to have very good careers, though probably for a little bit different reasons. Adam is more of a pure scorer, and Brandon is probably able to play two positions in the backcourt and maybe the three [small forward] against smaller threes. He has more of an all-around game and is probably a little bit better defender. But both will be very good pros."</div> Source
