And the Amateurs of the Hour Are . . .

As a salute to the NCAA tournament, here’s our annual ranking of the nation’s top amateurs.

Two NBA personnel specialists helped on this list, but these things are volatile by their nature. In recent years, we’ve seen Ray Allen go from “next Michael Jordan� to “nice prospect� and Felipe Lopez from prep phenom to college journeyman--and now the situation is even more fluid than usual.

The top pick is in a class by himself, but there is no consensus No. 2 pick. The tournament will give us that.

Two more preps are lottery prospects--check out Nos. 12 and 13. Beyond them, you could see players move up into the top 10 or drop from the first round.

1. Tim Duncan, 6 feet 10, 248 pounds, Sr., Wake Forest--There hasn’t been a college player as polished in a while and, the way things are going, there may never be another. Blocks shots, scores, passes, tremendous rebounder--he leads the ACC at 14 a game with next closest guy at 9.5. “He’s made gigantic strides every year,� a general manager says. “He’ll be one of the top five centers.�

2. Ron Mercer, 6-7, 208, Soph., Kentucky--�The most gifted athlete Rick Pitino’s ever had at Kentucky,� says a personnel director. Has announced he’ll make himself eligible for the draft. If he shoots well enough to play guard--he was only 31% on threes in SEC games--he can be a star.

3. Tony Battie, 6-11, 225, Jr., Texas Tech--Scouts say he’s making an “Antonio McDyess move,� an allusion to the Alabama sophomore who shot up to No. 2 in the 1995 draft. McDyess was a heralded prep, but Battie was 6-7, 180 as a freshman. Pros are still split on whether he’s big enough for center and how good he is, in general.

4. Tim Thomas, 6-9, 235, Fr., Villanova--Looks like the second coming of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, just doesn’t play like him. Has great skills but is more a floater than a dominator. That’s a hard standard to hold a freshman to, but he’s expected to come out.

5. Keith Van Horn, 6-9, 238, Sr., Utah--Scouts say he’s not physical and they’re leery of WAC competition, but the Diamond Bar High grad is a fine all-around offensive player.

6. Chauncey Billups, 6-3, 200, Soph., Colorado--This big point guard had a triple-double in his fourth game as a freshman, averaged 19.5 points as a sophomore and was fourth in the Big 12 in assists.

7. Raef LaFrentz, 6-11, 220, Jr., Kansas--Coming fast. Admirers see some Christian Laettner in him.

8. Adonal Foyle, 6-10, 255, Jr., Colgate--Just announced he’s coming out. Playing in the Patriot League, one of those conferences of “academic schools,� he might as well have been Wilt Chamberlain. In faster company, he’s still a prospect, if a raw one.

9. Antawn Jamison, 6-8, 216, Soph., North Carolina--Looks like a smaller Chris Webber. Says a personnel director: “They’ve become a top team nationally and he’s the reason.�

10. Paul Pierce, 6-6, 220, Soph., Kansas--The Inglewood grad is a great athlete. The question will be, can he play guard?

11. Danny Fortson, 6-7, 260, Jr., Cincinnati--Looks like Corliss Williamson, only bigger and meaner. Pros divided on his chances at power forward. Given no chance of becoming a small forward.

12. Tracy McGrady, 6-8, 200, Sr., Mt. Zion Christian H.S., Durham, N.C.--Expected to declare for the draft. One of those “point forwards� who can handle the ball and defend. Unknown a year ago, made a big splash at the Adidas camp.

13. Lamar Odom, 6-9, 210, Sr., Redemption Christian High, Troy, N.Y.--Also expected to go pro. Similar to McGrady in style and prospects.

14. Shea Seals, 6-5, 210, Sr., Tulsa--Shooter with a great body and a disappointing season.

15. Brevin Knight, 5-10, 173, Sr., Stanford--Probably isn’t even that tall. The NBA is hard on smurfs, but this one has had a fabulous career.

16. Toby Bailey, 6-5, 205, Jr., UCLA--First-rounder whenever but not much different from when he scored 26 against Arkansas as a freshman. Sporadic shooter (32.7% on threes), depends on athleticism. On the plus side, he loves to play. Has said he’ll stay. A good senior season would put him in the lottery; a very good one could make him a pro star.

17. Corey Carr, 6-4, 200, Jr., Texas Tech--Powerful shooting guard who exploded this season.

18. Jacque Vaughn, 6-1, 195, Sr., Kansas--The Pasadena Muir grad has been a great college player, but pros aren’t sure how he’ll fit in. Shooting still questioned.

19. Jelani McCoy, 6-9 1/2, 220, Soph., UCLA--Great talent, fine shot blocker but only a fair rebounder--No. 2 on the Bruins to Charles O’Bannon--unpolished on offense. Needs to grow up physically and settle down emotionally.

20. Pat Garrity, 6-9, 230, Jr., Notre Dame--Big East player of the year. Lottery pick next year.

21. Zendon Hamilton, 6-11, 220, Jr., St. John’s--His celebrated classmate, Lopez, has never happened, but he has.

22. Austin Croshere, 6-9, 230, Sr., Providence--Another local kid from Santa Monica Crossroads, he has come a long way.

23. Derek Anderson, 6-4, 200, Sr., Kentucky--Did great--18.6 points a game, 40% on threes--until he blew out a knee. Pros are leery of injuries, but, says a general manager, “He won’t get off the first round.�

24. Robert “Tractor� Traylor, 6-8, 300, Soph., Michigan--Biggest upside of the Not Quite So Fab Four but biggest backside too. An extreme wide-body with soft hands and quick feet but has to battle his weight. So far, it’s winning.

25. Ken Thomas, 6-9, 260, Soph., New Mexico--Another pudgy prodigy.

26. Antonio Daniels, 6-4, 195, Sr., Bowling Green--Pros are just getting hip to this big point guard. “My people say he’s great,� a general manager says.

27. Jason Lawson, 6-11, 230, Sr., Villanova--Shot blocker. Disappointing senior year.

28. Ed Gray, 6-3, 210, Sr., California--He was knocking their eyes out this season until he broke a bone in his foot.

29. James Cotton, 6-5, 200, Jr., Long Beach State--Big guard with a good shot at the ’98 lottery.

Right there, or could be, starting with some local favorites:

Charles O’Bannon, UCLA--Great athlete who’s finishing big, but it’s hard to see a starting NBA guard in him.

J.R. Henderson, UCLA--Still has the skills that wowed pros when he was a freshman but doesn’t do enough with them. Scouts question how much he wants it.

Mike Bibby, Arizona--No, he’s not Jason Kidd with a jumper, but the Wildcat freshman is a fine point guard and he can shoot.

Corey Benjamin, Oregon State--Explosive freshman from Fontana High. If you haven’t heard of him, you will.

Baron Davis, Santa Monica Crossroads--Already on the radar screen, rated a Stephon Marbury-level talent.

Chris Burgess, Irvine Woodbridge--The other prep the pros have noticed, he’s Duke-bound.

Also: Anthony Parker, Bradley; Keith Booth, Maryland; Thaddeus Delaney, College of Charleston; Bonzi Wells, Ball State; Kelvin Cato, Iowa State; Andre Woolridge, Iowa; Kiwane Garris, Illinois; Alvin Williams, Villanova; Reggie Freeman, Texas; Matt Harpring, Georgia Tech, Reggie Freeman, Texas; Keon Clark, Nevada Las Vegas; Jeff Capel, Duke; Charles Smith, New Mexico; A.J. Guyton and Andrae Patterson, Indiana; Vince Carter, North Carolina.

NAMES AND NUMBERS

More from the non-honeymoon: Dennis Rodman was suspended one game for elbowing Milwaukee’s Joe Wolf in the groin, proving that David Stern is merciful, since even Chicago Coach Phil Jackson had suggested that Rodman’s next problem might be his last. . . . In other news from the Rodman front, a GQ writer, accompanying Rodman after a game, saw him drink sake at dinner, then at least six shots in an hour at a night spot. Rodman has missed several practices this season but the Bulls haven’t made an issue of them, Jackson giving out cover stories, such as Dennis was “recovering from a nasty encounter with some bad sushi.�

The Portland Trail Blazers were indignant at a New York Daily News report that Coach P.J. Carlesimo would be fired--but not indignant enough to commit themselves to keeping him for the last two years of his contract, worth $1.4 million each. “If and when I do an evaluation of the job P.J. is doing, I’ll sit down with him,� General Manager Bob Whitsitt said. “Obviously, we haven’t had a conversation. P.J. has two more years left on his contract. . . . But looking at the big picture, we’re very happy with a lot of development that has been going on with the young players.�