No one knows for certain what type of NBA player Dwyane Wade will be, but it appears a sure thing he'll be selected in the Top 10 picks of Thursday's NBA Draft.

Wade's star has risen rapidly since he took the floor for Marquette at the beginning of the 2001-02 season, but it was the brightest constellation in the sky during the Midwest Regional final against Kentucky on March 30. On that memorable day, the junior guard notched just the third triple-double in NCAA Tournament history against the best team in college basketball. After that, it became more a matter of when, not if, he would announce he was forgoing his senior season in Milwaukee.

Wade made the latter official on May 1 -- now it's just a matter of where he lands.

Early on, conventional wisdom placed Wade somewhere on the fringe of the top 10, but he now seems a lock to go in at least the top seven. It will be interesting to see if Milwaukee nabs Wade if he's still around at No. 8, though Chicago will probably take him with the pick before if he's still available.

The Bulls are suddenly and tragically in the market for another guard after last week's motorcycle injury to second-year point man Jay Williams. Williams and Jamal Crawford gave the Bulls depth at that position until the accident, which will likely keep the former Duke star off the court for at least a year. Wade -- typecast as a shooting guard in college, yet with the wingspan of at least a small forward -- suddenly looks like he could fit in with Chicago at either the 1 or 2 guard position.

Chicago Tribune NBA analyst Sam Smith thinks the Bulls will now take Wade, while both ESPN.com and sportingnews.com have the L.A. Clippers selecting him at No. 6. Two of three CBS Sportsline analysts send him to L.A., the third to Chicago. NBADraft.net pushes Wade up even higher, forecasting Pat Riley and the Heat will take him at No. 5. {INSERT_RELATED}

If the Clippers do select Wade, they've kept a stern poker face until now. Of the lottery teams, only the Clip Show and the Bucks haven't had Wade in for a visit. Meanwhile, he's done two sets of personal rounds with the Bulls in Chicago, and he's also a Chicagoland native.

The Clippers have a history of drafting talented players like Wade and then making the least of them, though there is light at the end of the tunnel with the current team. But does Wade fit in well with a team that already has "tweener" guard Quentin Richardson on the roster, as well as traditional point guard Andre Miller?

Wade's best fit may be an up-tempo team that doesn't have a true point. Crawford is an emerging star in Chicago, but he's not a classic point guard in the John Stockton or Miller mold. Wade fits in well here, as he's always been a splendid passer who can also find his way to the bucket. The latter attribute, of course, is prized in the pros.

This makes him an even more logical selection for the Bulls. New GM John Paxson seemed to be interested in Wade before Williams' injury, and now the puzzle seems to fit together more snugly. Wade would be the latest young talent on a team that features Crawford, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, all of whom made strides as the Bulls won 30 games last year.

Plus, Marquette fans would get to see him a whole lot more if he were playing in Chicago, though he has the potential to become a thorn in the Bucks' side for a long time.

But what if Wade slips to No. 8 -- do the Bucks take him? Unfortunately, what Wade has, the Bucks don't need. Even if Gary Payton leaves the shores of Lake Michigan in his quest for championship jewelry, Milwaukee's not in the market for a 6'4" in-between guard; if so, the Ray Allen trade for Desmond Mason and Payton was an utter waste. And they're already heavy on slashing and shooting types. Milwaukee needs either a traditional drive-and-dish point guard or a shot-swatting big man.

The former could be remedied if Texas' T.J. Ford slides to No. 8, suddenly a possibility on many mock draft boards. But if he doesn't and Wade is still available, the Bucks will have a decision on their hands. Kansas' Kirk Hinrich has been mentioned by numerous analysts as a likely Milwaukee selection, but if it came down to him and Wade, who would you take?

With Desmond Mason in tow, Hinrich is more logical. But while Hinrich should become a solid NBA player, Wade has more star potential. Decisions like these go a long way toward explaining the lack of job security in NBA front offices.

OTHER BUCKS OPTIONS: Last month I suggested the Bucks select Polish national Maciej Lampe at No. 8. Lampe could apparently go anywhere from 5 to 15 in the first round, but the Bucks haven't shown any urgent interest in him over the last few weeks.

Kansas seniors Nick Collison and Hinrich are both options. Hinrich appears to be a classic example of a great college player who may fall short in the NBA, but nearly every scouting report raves about him. Collison is big and had a nice collegiate career, but is he a difference-maker inside?

The other big man option appears to be Central Michigan's Chris Kaman. Projected to go as early as No. 4 last month, the buzz has died down a bit around the 7-footer from the MAC.

France's Mickael Pietrus has also slid on some draft boards, though Chicago seemed to have a lot of interest before the Williams accident. At 6-6, though, he also falls in between what the Bucks need -- either a point to replace Payton or a true center.

Hinrich looks like the consensus right now, but I'd be surprised if the Bucks didn't take Ford if he's still on the board at No. 8.