Stanford freshman making his presence felt on the court.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

STANFORD, Calif. _ The second thing you notice about Stanford freshman forward Josh Childress is his talent.

The first, of course, is his Afro.

Big and bold, it's 18 months old. Childress grew it late in his junior year of high school, along with pals Cedric Bozeman (now at UCLA) and Jamal Sampson (Cal). It is a great source of pride for Childress _ part style, part statement.

"A lot of guys go with braids, but I'm staying with the `fro," Childress said Tuesday. "I wish it was bigger, like Dr. J in his ABA days, but that's too hard to maintain....I like to be different."

In coif, and on the court.

A McDonald's All-American ...