Pitt's Carl Krauser and West Virginia's Kevin Pittsnogle are hoping to play their way into the first round of the NBA draft this week at the invitation-only NBA pre-draft camp at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

Both players are considered second-round picks, at best, but there have been cases of players improving their stock with a big week at the Chicago camp.

A more likely scenario is that this week will be a learning experience for both players and will lay a foundation for next year's draft. Neither retained an agent, so both have until June 21 to declare their intention to return to school if they are not happy with their draft prospects.

"At this point, I think a guy like Krauser should use this camp as a learning tool for himself and find out what he needs to improve on in his game in order to become a first-rounder next year," said Chris Ekstand, who is a consultant to the NBA and specializes in scouting and the draft.

"Even with a big week, he probably won't be a first-rounder, which means there is no reason for him not to return to school. This camp will give him a real good idea of what he needs to work on and if he maximizes his experience and uses it to improve, he certainly could become a first-rounder next year."

The camp runs through Friday with two sessions each day -- one for drills and the other for games. Current NBA assistant coaches and a group of recently retired players will run camp.

The top players, such as Pitt's Chris Taft, will come to the camp Friday for the physical combine Saturday and Sunday, where all players will be measured and weighed and their athleticism and physical skills tested.

Ekstrand, who said Pittsnogle, like Krauser, probably would benefit from going back to school to work on his game, pointed to Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson as an example of a player who used the camp as a learning experience and then made improvements in his game his senior year to become a first-round pick.

"That happens a lot, so, hopefully, Krauser, who in talking to general managers and scouts around the league the sentiment is that he is clearly a second-round pick, will follow a similar path," Ekstrand said.

Krauser's athleticism, defense, intensity and toughness will be his ticket into the NBA, Ekstrand said, but his biggest liability is his consistency shooting the midrange jumpers.

Opinions on Pittsnogle seem to vary from team to team. Some love big guys who play a perimeter game and can shoot; others want them to play in the post. Ekstrand said Pittsnogle should return to West Virginia and take advantage of the fact that he'll have a bigger role next season. He said Pittsnogle needs to work on his rebounding and post defense.

Although Krauser likely would be a second-round pick, only first-rounders receive guaranteed money from the NBA draft. Second-round picks must make the team to receive a contract, and many end up looking for work in Europe or some lesser professional league in the United States before returning to the NBA.

Unlike Krauser, Taft, who is only a sophomore, has retained an agent and has forfeited his eligibility. But he is generally regarded as a high first-round pick, possibly even a lottery pick.

"The players who are invited to the camp for the interview part of it only are more known quantities," Ekstrand said. "NBA teams who have done their homework are very familiar with a player like Chris Taft and so there is no need to see him play at the camp. He's a guy who will be worked out individually by a lot of teams. Athletically, there is no doubt he is a lottery pick, but it takes more to be an NBA player than running fast and jumping high."