Every year fans, scouts and media want to know who the sleepers are in the upcoming draft. By draft jargon the definition of a sleeper is a player who has very little hype or isn't well known by the general public. In this great day and age of information and communication through the Internet and media, sleepers have become less of a factor. Here are seven players that I feel have a definite shot at being in pre-draft camps or playing overseas.

The criteria necessary to qualify for this list: (1) Must be from a Division II, III or NAIA school. (2) Must be a Senior. no - underclassmen are listed.

Kerry Gibson - Wisconsin-Oshkosh - 7'1 245 - DIV III - C
53FG% 65FT% 0.4SPG 4.0BPG 7.3RPG 1.4APG 11.9PPG

During his high school career Gibson received solid offers from several Division 1 schools, most notably St. Louis. But Gibson elected to stay home and play alongside his brother Scott Gibson at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Kerry is a great athlete who unlike some 7-footers is fluid and not mechanical with his movements. He's worked on his post up skills and footwork to become more of an offensive presence this year. Gibson possesses what scouts love in a big man - a mean streak, and he doesn't back down from contact. He's also a tremendous shot blocker as demonstrated by his average of 4.0 per game. If he improves his timing a bit, it wouldn't be a stretch for him to average around 6 blocks per game. Gibson needs to work on rebounding out of position but should improve those numbers since he's worked on his upper body more this season. In a league devoid of centers, Gibson could catch on in the NBA's pre-draft camps and find himself in the draft.

Avis Wyatt's shot blocking is first rate and sets him apart from many others on this list. He has tremendous leaping ability, long arms, and top-notch timing. Wyatt was redshirted last year due to a leg injury and spent time in rehabilitation. By all appearances he will be ready to go as he used his time wisely, most importantly working on extending his range. Gaining more upper body strength and continuing to improve offensively with his back to the basket will help him greatly. Although a tremendous help defender, Wyatt needs to improve his on the ball defense. With the (local) Virginia based Portsmouth tournament, don't be surprised if this kid shows up on the invite list. Wyatt's upside and athleticism will put him on some scouts' radar.

Eric Dawson - Midwestern State - 6-9 235 - DIV II -PF
53FG% 37 3pt% 66FT% 2.7BPG 2.6SPG 9.8PPG 1.6APG 15.7PPG

Dawson is a tremendous athlete who has been described by many to have Big 12 conference athletic ability. He possesses extremely long arms and does an excellent job of not only shot blocking, but stealing the ball as well. Dawson may have the best post hands in Division II basketball. He has no problem catching any pass thrown into the post and shows range on his jumper, 12-15 feet from the basket. Dawson's post footwork is extremely refined with first-rate balance and mobility. He's also an excellent rebounder on the defensive side of the ball and adequate on the offensive side, and rapidly improving. He also continues be a great outlet passer. If there is an aspect that Dawson needs to work on it's his focus. There are times where he appears hazy, however, a higher level of competition could remedy this issue. With his combination of skill and size, Dawson should have a bright future somewhere in professional basketball.

Christian Burns - Philadelphia U - 6'9 240 - DIV II - PF
57FG% 67FT% 1.6SPG 2.2BPG 9.8 RPG 1.5APG 16.7PPG

Burns was an accomplished high jumper in high school. According to one league observer he "has a decathlon body type that is both very strong but still quick and agile". Burns was originally at Division I Quinnipiac, but after receiving modest playing time he wanted more. In the low post Burns has no problem getting in position or holding it thanks to his upper body strength. He shows good touch around the basket and can easily pass out of double teams. Defensively he shows above average skills in shot blocking. He needs to improve his decision making with the ball. Burns is a model citizen off the court.

Nicholas King - St. Augustine's - 6'7 195 - DIV II - SF
42FG% 43 3pt% 72FT% 1.6SPG 1.2BPG 7.5RPG 2.7APG 20.1PPG

Prior to last season, Nicholas King played at Division 1 Coppin State where he lead them in scoring, including dropping 22 points on Big East power West Virginia. Described as having NBA athleticism with good potential, King is a prospect that everyone should keep their eyes on. Standing at 6-7 he possesses legit three-point range and has become a much better defensive player this past season. King's biggest issue is his love for the 3-point shot. He needs to adjust by taking the ball to the basket more often. King's ball handling isn't bad but could stand some refinement.

Armand Ivory - West Virginia Tech - 6'3 180 - NAIA - SG
51FG% 29 3pt% 74FT% 2.0SPG 5.3RPG 2.0APG 22.9PPG

Armand Ivory is a big time scorer who dropped 50 points in several games last season. He's remarkably quick off his first step and gets very good separation from his defender. Although he currently lacks the point guard mindset, Ivory does have some of the essential physical tools like quickness and ball handling. Defensively he does an excellent job of anticipating passes. Besides working on his point guard skills, Ivory must develop better consistency and improve his streaky shooting from 3-point range. Physically he has a very solid upper body. With Ivory's scoring ability he should raise some eyebrows from overseas teams and NBA scouts alike.

Zack Whiting - Chaminade - 6-3 205 - DIVII - PG
51FG% 43 3pt% 71FT% 1.5SPG 5.0RPG 8.1APG 14.1PPG

Whiting has the size that the NBA covets. At 6-3 and 205 pounds few opposing point guards can physically match up with him. He's a very strong, physical player that enjoys initiating contact on his drives. Whiting possesses a solid all-around game and is capable of making an impact without scoring. He demonstrates good court vision and has no problem setting up the offense against high competition as witnessed by his 14 assists against Maryland last season. Whiting also has excellent shooting ability and can really stretch opposing defenses with his 3-point shot. He needs to learn to be more patient with his teammates when their shots aren't falling and has the habit of trying to take all the scoring upon himself. With an all-around game and shooting ability Whiting is a decent prospect to watch out for.

So there you have it - my small school, under the radar, sleeper picks. With only sixty selections in this year's draft one of these guys may be able to gain interest from an NBA team and earn a spot among those drafted. My choice from the list would either be Kerry Gibson, Eric Dawson or Avis Wyatt. These players really have what the NBA takes chances on in big men with size, mobility and shot blocking skills.