DRAFT ANALYSIS : FORWARD POSITION IS DEEP GUARD PROSPECTS THIN BEHIND EARLY PICKS.

Byline: David Moore Dallas Morning News

Power forwards: Camby gets nod as the best among power forwards.

Marcus Camby rooted for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Lakers growing up in Hartford, Conn.

On June 26, Camby will find himself rooting for the Sixers again. The reason: Philadelphia can make the University of Massachusetts star the first player selected in the NBA draft, although Georgetown's Allen Iverson is the more likely choice.

``It would mean a lot,'' Camby said of following in the footsteps of Joe Smith, Glenn Robinson, Chris Webber and Shaquille O'Neal. ``But just to be picked will be my dream.''

The Sixers have indicated they will not move the No. 1 pick. While no decision has been made, the club appears to have focused its attention on Camby and Iverson.

If Camby isn't the first player taken, he won't slip far. The National Player of the Year has visited Philadelphia and Toronto, and it's difficult to envision a scenario in which he would not be taken with the second pick. Camby is clearly the best power forward of a talented bunch.

``This is a good group with the chance to be very good down the road,'' said Keith Grant, the Mavericks director of player personnel.

Small forwards: Patience pays for Wallace.

John Wallace was convinced he was ready to make the jump to the NBA.

But last year, once he declared he was passing up his senior season at Syracuse, he began to have doubts. He began to weigh the pros and cons. For the first time in his life, he felt stress.

A few weeks later, Wallace decided to withdraw his name and return to school.

``Once I made my decision,'' Wallace said, ``I felt so good I smiled for a week straight.''

Wallace will be smiling again later this month. Thanks to a solid senior season, the 6-9 forward has established himself as a top 10 pick. In fact, Wallace, California's Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kentucky's Antoine Walker are regarded as the two best small forwards in next week's draft.

A second team All-American, Wallace led the Orangemen to the Final Four. He averaged 22.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and was named Big East Player of the Week a record six times. He had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the team's loss to Kentucky in the title game.

Abdur-Rahim is the wild card here. At 6-10, 220, he's Danny Manning with healthy knees - a player with power-forward size but small-forward skills. He's a lanky finesse player who demands all kind of attention from defenses for his all-around skills. However, he's changed his mind twice since first entering the draft and might be a threat to return to school.

Centers: Dampier positioned to have big impact.

Erick Dampier hasn't flown around the country to visit prospective employers. He has had teams make the pilgrimage to Starkville, Miss., to see him.

When you are the best center in the draft, you carry that kind of clout. And Dampier - all 6-11, 268 pounds of him - should be the first pivotman taken.

This doesn't mean Dampier is regarded as an impact player. This is considered a weak draft in the middle, and the Mississippi State star is simply considered the best of the lot - a lot that has an international flavor with Lithuania's Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Greece's Priest Lauderdale.

Dampier is not projected to be among the first five players selected. But he probably won't last much longer.

Dampier averaged 14.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots and shot 55.1 percent from the field for the Bulldogs this past season. Mississippi State was 66-27 during the three years Dampier was at the school.

The knock against Dampier concerns his offense. Scouts say the center has bad hands and often has trouble against players his own size. These doubts have prompted Dampier to hit the gym and take 300 to 400 shots a day.

Shooting guards: Allen has good shot as NBA star.

Connecticut's Ray Allen should be one of the first four players taken. He is undoubtedly the best shooting guard of a very weak group.

``I would say it's a thin year for shooting guards,'' New York general manager Ernie Grunfeld said. ``You have two players who are very solid, and the rest are question marks.''

Allen and Villanova's Kerry Kittles are solid. Both honed their skills in the Big East and were named first-team All-American.

Allen, however, has the edge. The Big East Player of the Year averaged 23.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He led the Huskies to a 32-3 record this past season and has the qualities many think will make him a star in the NBA.

``Kittles is one of the top five players in the country,'' Notre Dame coach John MacLeod said. ``He just plays along, kind of lures you into not paying attention to him, and then he's got you. He doesn't go chase the ball. He doesn't force shots.

``That's a guy who really knows how to play.''

Point guards: Iverson likely to be first name called.

Philadelphia has shown a strong interest in Georgetown star Allen Iverson and figure to make him only the fifth guard taken with the first pick in the last 30 years. The last was Magic Johnson with the Lakers in 1979.

``It means a lot to me to go No. 1,'' Iverson said. ``I've been through so many things in my life, so many obstacles. I feel I deserve to be picked No. 1.''

Iverson and Georgia Tech's Stephon Marbury are projected to be among the first four players selected. Their presence makes point guard the impact position of this draft.

This continues a trend of the '90s. Orlando's Anfernee Hardaway, Dallas' Jason Kidd, Seattle's Gary Payton, Charlotte's Kenny Anderson and Toronto's Damon Stoudamire have been drafted in the past six years.

Iverson is an electrifying offensive force. A first-team All-American, he averaged 25 points and 4.7 assists for the Hoyas this past season. He was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in his two years at the school.

Iverson is an exceptional talent. He has unbelievable quickness and can score in a variety of ways. Defenders find it virtually impossible to keep him in front of them - he consistently beats people off the dribble - and he has good range on his jumper.

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Photo: Marcus Camby earned a reputation as a complete playe r at UMass, known for his shot-blocking abilities and a 20-point average.

Associated Press