Ex-Bradley center O'Bryant receiving plenty of praise

Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant, one of the top center prospects in this month's NBA Draft, has been on the receiving end of plenty of props since auditioning for the Jazz last week.

"The word out of Utah was that Blaine (Minn.) native Patrick O'Bryant . . . made such a good impression in a workout with the Jazz that the 7-foot center is at the top of their draft list," Minneapolis Star Tribune sports-gossip columnist Sid Hartman wrote earlier this week.

O'Bryant, however, may be long gone by the time Utah picks at 14 — leaving the Jazz to perhaps have to decide between big men Mouhamed Saer Sene, Hilton Armstrong or Shelden Williams if they are to unable to land a higher-rated shooting guard in the June 28 draft.

"My prediction . . . O'Bryant sneaks into the top five on draft night," ESPN.com draft analyst Chad Ford recently blogged.

Jazz basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor thinks the 7-foot sophomore is a bit raw, but likes the upside O'Bryant offers.

"He brings length, and athleticism," said O'Connor, who is in Orlando along with Jazz scouts and coaches for the annual NBA pre-draft camp that runs through the weekend. "He has terrific hands, and can score. (But) he needs to fill out a little bit."

RING-A-DING-DING: Retired Jazz stars and future hall-of-famers Karl Malone and John Stockton never did win NBA championship rings.

The Dallas-vs.-Miami NBA Finals matchup that begins tonight, however, ensures that at least one player with ties to the state of Utah will soon have something for his finger.

If the Mavericks win, former University of Utah star Keith Van Horn gets a ring; if the Heat prevail, ex-Ute Michael Doleac and former Jazz swingman Shandon Anderson will be the ones with new jewelry.

None of the three is a rotation regular, but Anderson — who came off the bench to play six minutes when Heat star Dwyane Wade was drained by flu-like symptoms in last Friday's Game 6 Eastern Conference title-series win over Detroit — and Van Horn both have made contributions for their respective teams during the playoffs.

JAZZ LOSE, JORDAN WINS: Speaking of championships, fans voting on nba.com have chosen Michael Jordan's winning shot over the Jazz for the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals as their "greatest moment in NBA playoff history."