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Yet both are facing criticisms that could force them to slip, none particularly tied to their basketball abilities.
The 6-foot-10 Favors is considered an outstanding athlete, but perhaps far from NBA-ready after averaging just 12.4 points in his lone season at Georgia Tech.
"A lot of people question me about that, about my age and how long it'll take for me to be a regular contributor," the 18-year-old Favors said. "But I think it just all depends on how hard I work during this offseason and next season."
The 6-11 Cousins has the potential to become a dominant big man in a league where there are fewer every year, and his size and skill would seem to make him a lock to be taken in the first few picks.
But questions about his attitude and coachability could sound enough alarms to make him fall back, a drop that could prove costly with the NBA's rookie salary scale.
"I really don't listen to it," Cousins said. "I'm not in it for the money. I'm here to play ball. I'm trying to be the greatest big man to play."
The quicker adjustment to the league lately has come from the little guys. The last two Rookie of the Year winners, Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans, were point guards, and the Wizards will be hoping for the same instant impact from Wall.
He delivered it in college, helping the Wildcats rebound from a miserable 2008-09 season to the brink of the Final Four in his lone year in Lexington. He's looking forward to doing the same for a Washington team that endured the Gilbert Arenas gun fiasco and traded away fellow stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison.
"I feel that if they pick me, I can come in and do a great job," Wall said. "Basically kind of like Kentucky, but on a different level."
[Associated Press;
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