Darius Miles says he never intended to be a trendsetter when--like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Rashard Lewis--he chose to bypass college.

At the time, Miles became the NBA's highest-drafted high school player when the Los Angeles Clippers took him with the No. 3 pick in 2000.

"I just did what I felt was best for me,'' said Miles, a 6-9 reserve forward who played at East St. Louis High School. "I felt I was ready to go pro. My mother [Ethel, 45] had a triple-bypass heart operation, which is something that runs in my family, and I felt it was time for me to retire her from work and take care of her.''

So at 18, Miles became his family's breadwinner. He was all smiles when the Clippers took him at No. 3.

"I'm proud that I'm the highest-drafted high school player in history,'' he said. "But one day soon, you're going to see a high school player drafted No. 1.''

Sure enough, this summer, 6-11 Kwame Brown of Glynn Academy (Ga.) and 7-1 Tyson Chandler of Dominguez High School in Compton, Calif., were drafted 1-2 by the Washington Wizards and the Clippers, and 6-11 Eddy Curry of Thornwood High School in South Holland was drafted No. 4 by the Bulls. The Bulls then traded star forward Elton Brand to get Chandler.

Many believe that Miles had a lot to do with Brown, Chandler and Curry being drafted so high.

"Darius removed a lot of fear in team's minds that high school players were ready to be the top pick,'' Clippers teammate Lamar Odom said. "Before him, Garnett, McGrady and Bryant showed it was possible, even though it took them time to develop and adjust. But most teams were still not sure they should take too many chances.''

"Kobe skipped college [but he] learned to listen to his coaches and to adjust his game to make his teammates better,'' Indiana Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said. "Too many young players don't have the maturity to do that. Leon Smith is the latest example of a young man who was ready physically, but not mentally, for the NBA.''