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The history of Florida players taken in the NBA draft is filled with recent first-round draft picks and some legends of eras past.

But for Gator basketball, the NBA draft has never been as fruitful as the one expected Thursday night.

Florida has never had more than two players taken in the same draft. On Thursday, three could potentially get picked among the first 10 selections.

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By most accounts, Maryland's D.J. Strawberry is one of the nation's top defensive guards, who excelled in one of the country's best conferences.

Lanky and lean at 6-foot-5, he covers the court, has excellent footwork and anticipation, and has the length to get into passing lanes. His heroes are Bruce Bowen and Raja Bell. He could step onto an NBA court today and hold his own on defense.

"That's what I pride myself on, making it hard on other people like Kobe Bryant in the league," Strawberry said last week. "I want to get my chance for making their nights as long as possible. And I think I can do that in this league."

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* Mike Conley Jr., Ohio State, 6-1, 180: While Greg Oden received much of the attention for the Buckeyes' march to the NCAA championship game, Conley played a key role as the team leader on offense. He has exceptional quickness and the ability to break down a defense to get into the lane. He also is an excellent on-the-ball defender.

* Acie Law, Texas A&M, 6-3, 195: The four-year starter is perhaps the most NBA-ready player at the position. He is an excellent floor leader and clutch performer, has a good outside shot and is a good penetrator who can finish with both hands at the basket.

* Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech, 6-5, 198: An excellent defender with a lightning-quick first step. A good passer and makes excellent decisions. He also is a quick-handed defender who averaged better than two steals in his only college season and has the size to defend multiple positions.

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Florida State forward Al Thornton, who is considered a serious candidate by the 76ers if they don't trade their No. 12 pick in Thursday's NBA draft, will be in today for a predraft workout.

Thornton was supposed to work out last Monday, but he postponed the visit after spraining an ankle.

He had been scheduled to work out with the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, but he postponed that visit until tomorrow. The Bucks have the No. 6 pick.

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Al Thornton has faced several turning points, several decisions, and several transitions, all of which has led him to an enviable position among the fraternity of basketball players. After achieving star status in the college game, the former Perry High School Panther can now sit back in that famous green room and let someone else make the big decision.

All of those choices led Thornton from Perry to Florida State University. His next stop: Madison Square Garden in New York City for the 2007 National Basketball Association Draft on June 28. He has his invitation in hand, which isn’t surprising since he is not only a projected first-round selection, but also a potential top 10 pick.

The 6-8, 220-pound forward is already finding out a little bit about life in major professional basketball. Since finishing his four-year career with the Seminoles, Thornton has gone through the long process of working out for various NBA franchises. The journey has taken him to Sacramento (Kings), Chicago (Bulls), Boston (Celtics), Charlotte (Bobcats), Minnesota (Timberwolves) and Milwaukee (Bucks).

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