New York ? Maybyner “Nene” Hilario could become the “Next Nowitzki” the term used by NBA draftniks to describe a relatively unknown overseas player who can be turned into an All-Star.

The 6-foot-11 Brazilian power forward’s stock has been rising in the days leading up to Wednesday night’s NBA draft, and his agent said Monday that he does not expect Hilario to remain on the board past the seventh pick.

“Miami called today and asked what they can do to get him. I told them to make a deal with Cleveland (for the sixth overall pick) so they can get him before New York does,” agent Michael Coyne said.

Much of the intrigue surrounding this year’s draft begins with the fourth pick.

Houston is expected to select 7-foot-5 center Yao Ming of China with the first choice, with Duke guard Jay Williams going to Chicago with the second pick and Duke forward Mike Dunleavy being selected No. 3 by Golden State.

The Memphis Grizzlies and new team president Jerry West will choose fourth, and they could surprise everyone by taking a chance on the 19-year-old who has played professionally the past two seasons for Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro.

Hilario remains under contract to his Brazilian team through the fall of 2003, but his representatives claim the team breached it by failing to pay Hilario part of his $20,000 salary last season. An arbitration hearing has been tentatively scheduled for later this summer in London to resolve the matter, Coyne said.

“The case is overwhelmingly in his favor,” the agent said.

Coyne also revealed that the Knicks and their attorneys have gone over the details of Hilario’s Brazilian contract, going so far as to consult with Jeffrey Mishkin, the former chief attorney for the NBA.

Coyne said the Knicks, after being impressed by his speed and strength in workouts, put Hilario up in a Manhattan hotel over the past weekend.

“Our approach is to pick a player that can come in and continue to work and improve on their game, players that are self-starters and want to get better,” said Knicks general manager Scott Layden, who has tried unsuccessfully to move up in the draft for a pick higher than seventh.

Among the players projected to be selected with picks 4-10 are Kansas University forward Drew Gooden, Connecticut forward Caron Butler, Memphis guard Dajuan Wagner, JUCO forward Qyntel Woods, Maryland forward Chris Wilcox and center Nikoloz Tskitishvili, a 7-footer from the republic of Georgia who played professionally with Benetton Treviso (Italy) last season.

Maybyner Nene Hilario, a Brazilian candidate for the NBA draft, listens to his translator during a news conference Monday. Foreign players, like Hilario, have become the draft's unknown, a coveted piece.

Other foreign players expected to be mid-to-low first-round picks are Jiri Welsch of Olympija-Ljubljana (Slovenia) and forward Bostjan Nachbar of Benetton Treviso.

Coyne said the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns were among the teams trying to move up to have a shot at selecting Hilario.

Interest in foreigners has increased in recent years as players such as Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey) and Peja Stojakovic (Yugoslavia) have entered the league and thrived.

The trend was even more pronounced last season as Pau Gasol (Spain), Tony Parker (France) and Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) were selected to the All-Rookie first team.

A year ago teams were willing to take a chance on a high school player, and four of them (Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and DeSagana Diop) were selected among the first eight picks.

This year, much of the scouting focus has been directed at China, Europe and South America.

Hilario moved to Cleveland in midwinter he arrived after a blizzard had dropped 3 feet of snow, the first time he had ever seen it with his sights set on possibly becoming a top 20 pick.

But as more coaches and players have observed and commented on his game his strengths are his rebounding, shot-blocking and speed he has continued to move higher and higher in mock drafts.

Hilario held a workout for the Grizzlies, and West was said to be effusive in his praise of “Nene” whose nickname means “little one” or “baby” in Portuguese.

“In fact, he called him THE best athlete in the draft,” Coyne quoted West as saying.

Hilario and his family were feted at the Brazilian Consulate on Monday, with the 260-pound teen-ager saying he wouldn’t mind playing in New York, Chicago, Miami or Dallas. Hilario, whose game has been compared to that of Detroit’s Ben Wallace, listed Jermaine O’Neal, Kenyon Martin and Steve Nash among his favorite players.

Wearing a light olive shirt with the top three buttons open, answering questions in Portuguese and hobnobbing with consular officials, he was a snapshot Wednesday of how different the draft has become.

Five years ago, only one player (Australian center Chris Anstey) was chosen in the first round. On Wednesday night, there could be three foreigners among the top eight.

“He will be a success. We know that,” said Flavio Miragaia Perri, the Consul General of Brazil.

Lots of NBA teams seem to think so, too.