A mock draft predicts which player each team will draft. This InsideHoops.com feature now runs 12 months a year. Mere days after the 2002 draft, we'll unleash our mock draft for 2003, with prospect lists and other info to soon follow. For more 2002 NBA Draft coverage, hit the NBA draft front page.

By InsideHoops.com and Jeff Lenchiner

Updated June 26 at 4PM ET. That's it for the mock draft. Enjoy the real thing.

1. Houston - Yao Ming - 7-6 296
(Obvious pick. If Houston took someone else, it would be Mike Dunleavy. Longshots are Caron Butler or Qyntel Woods.)

2. Chicago - Jay Williams - 6-2 197
(The entire world believes Williams will go here.)

3. Golden State - Mike Dunleavy, Jr. - 6-10 230
(The Warriors could also take Drew Gooden, Caron Butler or Nikoloz Tskitishvili.)

4. Memphis - Drew Gooden - 6-10 227
(Gooden and Gasol would make an extremely tough combination of forwards to guard. Caron Butler or Nikoloz Tskitishvili could go here. Jared Jeffries would be a longshot.)

5. Denver - Dajuan Wagner - 6-2 193
(Wagner can explode and cause havok, something the Nuggets need. Nikoloz Tskitishvili could also go here, as could Caron Butler.)

6. Cleveland - Caron Butler - 6-6½ 222
(The best player available. Chris Wilcox or Qyntel Woods could go here. Late rumors say that they make take Dajuan Wagner, and then work on trading Andre Miller from now until eternity.)

7. New York - Chris Wilcox - 6-9½ 220
(There's a good chance that Nene Hilario goes here. Also possible are Dajuan Wagner or Curtis Borchardt.)

8. LA Clippers - Maybyner Hilario - 6-11 253
(Total tossup. They should be happy to grab this guy, who may be growing into a center.)

9. Phoenix - Jared Jeffries - 6-11 230
(The Suns need the best tough power forward or center available.)

10. Miami - Qyntel Woods - 6-8½ 213
(Best small foward available. Woods could go literally anywhere in the lottery, though word has been that he'll go late lottery rather than early or mid. If he's already gone, Miami takes whichever forward fell from above, or Wagner. Rumor has been that Miami would take Jared Jeffries ahead of Qyntel Woods. But Jeffries is bulking up to become a power forward, and the Heat really need a small forward.)

11. Washington - Nikoloz Tskitishvili - 6-11 220
(Everyone thinks he'll be gone by now, but if not, the Wizards should be very happy.)

12. LA Clippers - Curtis Borchardt - 7-0 238
(Insurance, in case Olowokandi leaves as a free agent.)

13. Milwaukee - Melvin Ely - 6-10 240
(Melvin Ely should go here if the Bucks are serious about winning right now. But Stoudemire may be too athletic and young to pass up. If any of the power forwards above fell here, they'd take that player first. If Borchardt is here, he'd probably go before Ely, though that's a tough call. If I ran things, I'd take Ely. Marcus Haislip is possible here, though he's expected to go lower.)

14. Indiana - Kareem Rush - 6-6 200
(Best player available, can eventually replace Reggie Miller. Bostjan Nachbar, Melvin Ely, Marcus Haislip could go here as well.)

15. Houston - Bostjan Nachbar - 6-8 220
(The best small forward available. He can shoot.)

16. Philadelphia - Amare Stoudemire - 6-10 233
(Well, somebody had to drop. It might as well be the amazingly athletic, strong high school kid who doesn't seem to actually know how to play basketball yet.)

17. Washington - Jiri Welsch - 6-6 205
(Charlotte just traded this pick to Washington. They get their forward at #11, and now they need someone who can play point guard. Dan Dickau could go here as well.)

18. Orlando - Marcus Haislip - 6-10 221
(The best big guy available. Boozer or Ely, if available, could also go here.)

19. Utah - Dan Dickau - 6-1 180
(Utah should have Raul Lopez coming soon from overseas, but it can't hurt to have two young point guards learning from Stockton before he retires. Welsch could go here. If they don't take a guard, they should take a power forward like Haislip, Ely or Boozer, to eventually replace Karl Malone.)

20. Toronto - Frank Williams - 6-3 212
(A new point guard. Marcus Haislip could go here, simply because he's an amazing athlete.)

21. Portland - Carlos Boozer - 6-10 258
(Portland likes angry-looking guys who Shaq can dunk on.)

22. Phoenix - Luis Scola - 6-10 230
(The best big guy they can find.)

23. Detroit * - Dan Gadzuric - 6-10 245
(Some help for Ben Wallace up front.)

24. New Jersey - Casey Jacobsen - 6-6 210
(The Nets need a consistent outside shooter. That's jacobsen.)

25. Denver - Chris Jefferies - 6-7½ 220
(Talented player. If they don't take Wagner with their initial pick, they should consider Juan Dixon.)

26. San Antonio - Mladen Sekularac - 6-8 205
(The best player available to fit in between Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.)

27. LA Lakers - Nenad Krstic - 7-0 215
(A tall guy to come off the bench.)

28. Sacramento - Jason Jennings - 7-1 250
(A big guy to foul Shaq.)

Note: Minnesota Timberwolves forfeited their first round pick.
* Pick may be conveyed to Atlanta via Philadelphia and Houston

Honorable Mention - Probable Second Rounders
(Many of these guys have a good shot at being taken in the late first round.)

Listed in random order:

Sam Clancy - 6-7 240
Juan Dixon - 6-3 164
John Salmons - 6-7 207
Tayshaun Prince - 6-8 210
Rod Grizzard - 6-8 193
David Anderson - 6-10 220
Roger Mason, Jr. - 6-4 200
Luis Scola - 6-10 230
Fred Jones - 6-4 218
Steve Logan - 6-0 207
Boris Diaw-Riffiod - 6-7 201
Tito Maddox - 6-4 200
Ronald Murray - 6-5 197
Chris Massie - 6-7 248
Jamal Sampson - 6-11 235
Aaron Mcghee - 6-8 255
Smush Parker - 6-4 179
Vincent Yarbrough - 6-7 202
Predrag Savovic - 6-6 212
Lazaros Papadopoulos - 6-11 240
Lee Benson Jr. - 6-10 217
DeAngelo Collins - 6-9 220
Kei Madison - 6-9 216
Marcus Taylor - 6-2 181
Zaur Pachulia - 6-11
Ryan Humphrey - 6-8 223
Matt Barnes - 6-7 230
Fatih Solak - 7-0 270
Andy Ellis - 6-11 225