In the days leading up to the NBA's May 20 Draft Lottery, NYKnicks.com will look at the top-rated players potentially available to teams with lottery picks in the 2008 NBA Draft. We offer these profiles for fans to familiarize themselves with some of the biggest names in the draft. A player's inclusion in this series of articles is based purely on his rankings in the scouting services and mainstream media and does not necessarily reflect the Knicks organization's preferences for the June 26 Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

We continue our series with a profile of Stanford big man Brook Lopez, a projected first-round pick, according to major scouting services and numerous publications.

While the 2008 draft has more than its share of slashers and high-scoring guards, it also possesses a legitimate big man in sophomore forward/center Brook Lopez out of Stanford. Along with his twin brother, Robin, Lopez led the Cardinals to a 28-8 record and a memorable run in the NCAA tournament before they fell to Texas in the Sweet Sixteen.

Standing seven feet tall and weighing 260 pounds, Lopez is not a prototypical big man, although he can play that way. Scouts note that he is extremely athletic for a front-court player and has an uncanny ability to score both inside and out.

Lopez is said to run the floor well for a big man, but he is more proficient in the low block, possessing a collection of sneaky and effective moves. That, combined with his solid footwork, make him a major scoring threat down low. The powerful 20-year old is also adept at facing up to the basket and has a strong midrange game, particularly out of the triple-threat position.

Just as impressive are Lopez's numbers on the defensive end. A strong shot blocker who once swatted 12 shots in a single game as a freshman, he forces opposing to be wary of where he is on the court. That often leads to these opponents taking off-balance jumpers rather than attacking the basket. Lopez is also an effective defender without drawing fouls, as he averaged just 2.4 fouls per game last year.

His variety of skill led to some impressive numbers for Lopez during his collegiate career. A McDonald's All-American and a 2006 Parade Magazine Third-Team All American coming out of high school, he averaged 16 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, along with a total of 101 blocked shots in 53 games over two seasons -- all while shooting 48.0 percent from the field.

In his second season at Stanford, the 20-year old sophomore really made a name for himself by averaging 19.3 points, 8.2 boards and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 78.9 percent from the foul line. He also posted nine double-doubles while scoring in double-figures 25 times, and led the Cardinals in scoring 20 times.

Lopez tallied a career-high 31 points in a decisive win at Washington on Jan. 31 after pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds earlier in the month against Arizona. He was honored at season's end as a Third Team All-American by the Associated Press and was named to the All-Pac-10 First Team.

Often compared by scouts to Chris Kaman and Brad Miller, Lopez is expected to be a productive player in the NBA. He has the desired body for a player of his size with a long-reaching wingspan and excellent hands.

Those who question his NBA potential would like to see him become a more dominant rebounder, but they agree that he has shown the tenacity and work ethic needed to improve this area of his game. Players such as Lopez usually make a big splash at the draft since skilled seven-footers don't come along every day.