March Madness: Sweet 16 Day 2

Freshman and potential lottery pick Justise Winslow had his way with the Utah Utes Friday night. 

In day two of Sweet Sixteen action, several NBA draft prospects took the floor including Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow, Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis, Utah’s Delon Wright and UCLA’s Norman Powell. After the conclusion of the four games, the Bulldogs and Blue Devils each earned spots in the Elite Eight along with the Louisville Cardinals and the Michigan State Spartans. Duke will face Gonzaga, while Michigan State will take on Louisville for the right to play in the Final Four in Indianapolis.

While some of the prospects did not disappoint, others struggled in the round of 16. Let’s take a look at who shined and who faltered.

Justise Winslow

Winslow entered Friday night’s game against Utah averaging 9.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game on 8 of 14 shooting from the field (57.1 percent). The freshman Blue Devil continued his positive momentum with a solid performance against the Utes, scoring 21 points on 8 of 13 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. After a slow start to the season, Winslow found his rhythm from the perimeter down the stretch, ending with a 39.8 percent 3-point shooting percentage. The freshman from Houston, TX will likely be the second lottery pick drafted from Duke behind Okafor.

Norman Powell

UCLA had its cinderella run cut short by Gonzaga Friday night, but the senior from San Diego, CA was a catalyst for the Bruins offensively, scoring 16 points on 8 of 19 shooting. Powell averaged 1.9 steals per game during the regular season, but he made his impact on the defensive end by protecting the rim, blocking three Zags shot attempts. The shooting guard has the ability to score quickly, but must continue developing his perimeter game; he shot only 31.9 percent from 3-point range this season. Powell will likely be selected late in round one.

Jahlil Okafor

Okafor did not play a significant role in Duke’s victory over Utah, but he has had a solid tournament performance thus far. The freshman from Chicago, IL scored 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting against Robert Morris and poured in 26 points on 12 of 16 shooting against San Diego State. The Simeon High School alumnus will almost certainly be drafted first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. Arguably the most talented player in the 2015 class, Okafor has the potential to be an elite NBA center with his combination of size and fundamentals.

Domantas Sabonis

The 18-year-old from Lithuania had strong performances in Gonzaga’s second and third round victories over North Dakota State and Iowa, averaging 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds over those two games. During the Zags’ Sweet Sixteen matchup against UCLA, Sabonis scored 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in 21 minutes. Fouls were an issue, however, as the freshman committed five total in the game. He averaged 2.7 fouls per game in 21.8 minutes during the regular season, so this is not a new issue for him. At 6-foot-10, 231 pounds, he possesses ideal height and size to play power forward in the NBA, but must work to become stronger defensively. Expect him to be a late first-round pick.

Delon Wright

The younger brother of Dorell Wright had the toughest night of the five prospects being discussed. While he tallied six rebounds, three assists and three steals, he missed 10 of his 15 shots in the game. A 52.2 percent shooter from the field in the regular season, Wright and the Utes found it tough navigating through the Blue Devils’ defense. However, Wright possesses good length at the guard position and can potentially be used as a combo guard at the next level if he develops a consistent 3-point shot. He will likely be drafted toward the end of the first round.