Somewhere in the Knicks' equipment room was a T-shirt fit for a 7-foot-5, 303-pound frame. The Knicks have been waiting a long time for a player to fill out the size XXXXL shirt.

Today, their dreams were fulfilled, at least for a day, when Pavel Podkolzine of Russia arrived for a workout. Less than two years ago, he was a relatively unknown player toiling for his hometown team, Novosibirsk, in the Russian B-League. Now he's one of the hottest commodities in the N.B.A. draft.

Podkolzine is likely to be selected before the Knicks pick at No. 9 in the June 26 draft.

Podkolzine was just as thrilled to meet an N.B.A. player for the first time, shaking hands with Allan Houston. He also spoke with the former Knick John Starks and the Liberty's Elena Baranova, a fellow Russian.

"He had a very good workout," said Scott Layden, the Knicks' president and general manager. "He ran very well. He's very agile for a guy his size, has good hands. He certainly has tremendous potential and is very skilled for a guy his size."