The year of experience in the rugged Big Ten, where Humphries averaged 21.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, makes Humphries "a little closer to the NBA game than a high school player," Perrin said. "He's improved tremendously because he's had a year experience playing against a lot better players in college, getting some college coaching. He has improved his body a lot. It helps him."

The Jazz are not certain if he fits into their plans, but Perrin said Humphries is ready for the league.

"I think he can get a little bit stronger," Perrin said. "I think he can be a little bit more agile, working with (Jazz strength coach) Mark McKown, he can become a better athlete. He's not a finished product by any means."

But that's pretty much a description of most of the players Utah and other teams will have to chose from next Thursday.

Brown is banking on being a better-known commodity, a rare four-year collegian in this draft. "I'm hoping to stand out," he said following his seventh workout. He's also been to Detroit. New York, Boston, Orlando, Milwaukee and Memphis.

Thursday's was the youngest group he'd competed against.

"It's odd," Brown said. "No. 1 they're good. They're young. That gives me an advantage. It was a good battle. This is my first workout with younger guys, so a new thing for me, too.

"I just feel more experienced and have a better understanding of the game. I'm sure they do, too, but me being older with four years of college, that gives me an edge."

Perrin said Utah has seven more players scheduled. Four will work out Saturday morning for the Jazz — McDonald's All-America J.R. Smith, a 6-6 forward from St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J.; Associated Press second-team All-America Luke Jackson, a 6-7 swingman from Oregon; Tony Allen, a 6-4 guard from Oklahoma State; and Michel Morandis, a 6-5 guard from Colorado.

OSTERNEWS: Jazz free-agent center Greg Ostertag twisted his right ankle chasing a loose ball Wednesday in a Kansas University alumni-current team exhibition game that is part of a four-day Jayhawk basketball camp that includes Ostertag's 10-year-old son Cody, who has participated the last four years. "You want to beat those guys. You've got to have bragging rights," Ostertag told the Lawrence (Kansas) Journal-World about playing current Jaywhawks. Also in the game was Indiana's Scot Pollard.

Ostertag told the newspaper he'll consider any offer from his hometown Dallas Mavericks. "I think I'd have to be a fool to say no. I grew up 10 minutes from where they play." He also said he might be back in Utah. "I will not say I'm not going back there. I won't count them out at all."

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E-mail: lham@desnews.com