Antoine Diot won't be a member of the 2010 NBA Draft class. The French player is injured and has withdrawn his name from the lottery, according to his agent Bouna N?Diaye.

Diot spent the season with Le Mans, in Pro A and will be sidelined for the next two months for a herniated vertebral disk.

Agent Mark Bartelstein "would not be surprised" if Gordon Hayward, one of his newest clients, was among the first 10 players picked in next month's NBA Draft.

Hayward already has workouts scheduled with the Kings, Warriors, Clippers, Jazz and Pacers, who are all in the top 10.

Hayward will also meet with the Hornets, Raptors, Bulls and Bucks.

Players from small schools are garnering more attention from NBA GMs and scouts than they did in the past.

"I don't think it matters any longer, the way it once did. Ultimately, you see the small-school guys," said David Kahn, the Timberwolves president of basketball operations. "It's really hard [to miss a player] these days."

Wake Forest forward Al-Farouq Aminu believes that some are confusing his laid-back demeanor with a lazy attitude.

"Because I'm a real laid-back kind of guy, they think I'm real lazy," Aminu said at the NBA's draft combine. "Certain things come to me easy, and that makes people think I'm not going as hard as I can."

Aminu is projected as a top-seven pick in next month's NBA Draft.

He will likely be a combo forward, switching between the three and four because of his size. He's 6'8" and more fluid and rugged.

Eric Bledsoe played a lot of shooting guard during his freshman season at Kentucky, but projects as a point guard.

"I'm a pass first point guard," said Bledsoe when I asked him to describe the type of point guard he is.  "I like to push the ball up the floor. I'm an up tempo point guard. Me and John kind of did the same on the court."

Bledsoe cited Chris Paul as a point guard he modeled his game after.

During the week, I asked DeMarcus Cousins to offer his opinion on Bledsoe as a point guard.

"He's a true point guard," said Cousins. "He couldn't show that a lot because John (Wall) was there, but he's a true point guard."

Cole Aldrich is one of the top center prospects in the draft, as he's arguably the best shotblocker.

Aldrich has an unorthodox jump shot where he brings the ball back behind his head, which is something I asked him about on Friday.

"I started playing basketball in the fourth or fifth grade and I think I kind of came from the soccer throw with over the head out of bounds," said Aldrich. "Somehow it evolved from that. It's ugly but it has a soft touch to it.

I asked Aldrich if he has any plans to change it at all.

"We've made some minor things to it, just to kind of clean it up a little bit. It goes in quite a bit of time, so we don't want to mess with it too much."

Longhorns center Dexter Pittman left the NBA draft combine in Chicago on Friday after learning of his brother's death.

Pittman's 15-year-old brother, Darius Johnson, was shot in the head and killed in a dispute in his garage Thursday night in Houston.

He was informed that his brother was shot at midnight Thursday and was told to fly home to Houston on Friday morning, according to agent Mark Bartelstein.

Pittman arrived in Houston and was informed by his mother that his brother had died.

As Daniel Orton began his media session, DeMarcus Cousins was leaving and jokingly yelled out 'Dan-iel.'

I asked Orton what it was like to go up against Cousins in practice.

"It's fun," said Orton. "It's a battle everyday."

He was later asked to describe the personality of Cousins.

"Umm, yeah. That's the best way i can describe it. Unpredictable.

"He's a funny guy, a great guy to be around. People don't realize it, but he's a loving spirit; sometimes," Orton jokingly said.

"I've seen it get out of hand, but he can control it. It's kind of like watching a kid throw a temper tantrum."

By Christopher Reina

John Wall is widely considered the top overall prospect in this draft and is expected to be drafted No. 1 by the Washington Wizards.

During Thursday's interview session, Wall talked a little about legacy, so I asked him if it is his goal to eventually be considered a top-10 or even a top-five point guard of all-time when his career is over.

"That's the key," said Wall. "Growing up, I thought if you want to be a point guard, you want to be one of the top. You have guys like Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas that played and you have guys like Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose who are the top point guards now.

"It takes time studying the film and watching games and just working hard."

I also asked Wall to describe his court vision, which I feel is the most extraordinary part of his game.

"It's basically, you know you got to have (vision) the way LeBron sees guys. It's the vision, you have to have your head up at all times.

"You have to read and react to the defense ahead of time.

"There might be one play where I get a charge call, if i do the same play, I can tell what the defense is going to do and If your teammates moving into right position, you just have to deliver the ball to him."

Luke Babbitt of Nevada has become a player considered to be rising on team's draft boards.

I asked Babbitt what position he sees himself defending on the NBA level.

"I see myself as a three man," said Babbitt. "Defending the three, with also the ability to be a four man.

"The NBA phenomenon of a stretch four is growing, so I think I can do both."