Stars audition, teams sweat. (College Basketball).

Short of the Final Four, the most important competition of the 2003-04 season will be conducted in Chicago. Next week. You may think no games of importance will be played until November. Not true. At the NBA predraft camp, expect at least a dozen players to participate who have the option until June 19 of returning to college. All are essential to their teams' plans.

For the first time, players can have their expenses paid by the NBA and not damage their amateur standing. That is good for the players, who can participate against top competition and in instructional sessions. But it is a tough deal for their college teams.

Three programs are in position to lose their point guards, who also are their leading returning scorers. That's a lot on the line for a three-day tryout camp.

Notre Dame

Player: Chris Thomas.

Projected draft position: Second round.

College situation: Since arriving at Notre Dame, Thomas has been a point-producing machine, both as a scorer and as a distributor. Thomas, though, may be undermined by the NBA's fascination with foreign big men and a glut of similarly pint-sized point guards. He also has struggled as a defender.