A region-by-region look at the top 2015 NBA Draft prospects competing in the NCAA Tournament.
There is no greater event in the realm of sports than the NCAA Tournament.
68 Teams. Win and advance. Does it get much better?
The NCAA Tournament represents a clash of styles, big wins for the little guys, and, of course, high potential matchups with large NBA Draft ramifications.
Every year, a talented player busts out with a dominant performance that forces scouts and league executives to re-evaluate previous reports from earlier in the season. Last year, it was Shabazz Napier, who led No. 7 seed UConn to the national title, and heard his name called in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft.
This year’s tournament will undoubtedly carry similar storylines with plenty of exciting games. It always does.
How does each region stack up, in terms of NBA prospects?
MIDWEST
The draft candidates in the Midwest region obviously start with Kentucky, which has 10 (yes, 10!) potentially draftable players on the roster: Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson, Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Tyler Ulis, Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee.
The Wildcats should roll through the first couple of games, though it should be intriguing to see which UK star steps up as the go to guy. A year ago, it was Aaron Harrison. This year? Look for Karl-Anthony Towns to step forward and make his claim as a potential No. 1 pick.
Key Prospects to Watch:
Jerian Grant PG/Notre Dame- Notre Dame is carrying significant momentum into the NCAA Tournament after its victory in the ACC Championship game, 90-82, over North Carolina. Grant is the best prospect on the roster, and should continue to put up big numbers in the tournament. Averaging nearly 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds per outing, a big tournament from Grant could cement his place in the lottery- especially if he can lead the Irish past Kentucky.
Myles Turner C/Texas- Turner has struggled to get consistent minutes for Rick Barnes at Texas, and is averaging just 22.4 minutes per game. He is posting terrific per-minute numbers, averaging 14 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per 30 minutes, and the NCAA Tournament presents a fantastic opportunity for Turner to show he is one of the elite prospects in all of college basketball. He currently ranks eighth on the Big Board, but could rise with a shining performance.
Kelly Oubre SG/Kansas- Oubre got off to a slow start in Lawrence, and had many puzzled early in the season over his lack of court time. The guard has exploded over the second half of the season, however, and Kansas is 7-1 when Oubre plays 29 minutes or more. He is recently removed from a season-high 25-point outing against TCU, and will have to be the go-to player for Kansas if the Jayhawks are destined to make a deep run.
Other draft prospects to watch in the Midwest regional (Sorted by team seed): Cliff Alexander (Kansas), Wayne Selden (Kansas), Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame), Jake Layman (Maryland), Melo Trimble (Maryland), Ron Baker (Wichita State), AJ Hammons (Purdue), James Blackmon (Indiana), Troy Williams (Indiana), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana), Jonathan Holmes (Texas), Isaiah Taylor (Texas)
EAST
The East regional is the weakest in the tournament in terms of NBA Draft prospects, with No. 1 seed Villanova playing without a first-round NBA prospect. Among the Wildcats’ top options offensively, senior Darrun Hilliard leads the team in scoring (14.4 points) but is not an elite athlete or elite shooter, and is a likely undrafted player. The best draft prospects on the team are sophomore Josh Hart, a 6-5 shooting guard hitting 46.8 percent of his 3’s, and junior Daniel Ochefu, a 6-11 center averaging 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Both are better prospects for the 2016 Draft and beyond.
Key Prospects to Watch:
Jarell Martin SF/LSU- Martin is among the best combo forwards in the NCAA Tournament- which can be a double-edged sword when it comes to his NBA Draft stock. Martin can score off the bounce and is a nightly double-double threat (16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds), but will need to be the focal point for LSU if it is going to get past NC State for a difficult matchup with Villanova. If he succeeds, he could essentially become a first-round lock.
Justin Anderson SG/Virginia- Anderson is an All-America caliber wing, and is one of the best corner-3 shooters in the country, but what Justin Anderson will Virginia get? The Hoos’ top draft prospect is coming off a broken finger and appendectomy, and looked like a shell of himself at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro last weekend. If he can return to his early season form, Anderson could regain momentum as a first-round talent.
Kris Dunn PG/Providence- Not many prospects have risen up draft boards as fast as Kris Dunn. The Providence floor general ranked second in the country with 7.6 assists per game, but fills the stat sheet with 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds as well. Dunn can be turnover prone, and could be a better perimeter shooter, but the NCAA Tournament provides another stage for Dunn to show he is a first-round talent.
Other draft prospects to watch in the East regional: Malcolm Brogdon (Virginia), Mike Tobey (Virginia), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Terry Rozier (Louisville), Montrezl Harrell (Louisville), Seth Tuttle (Northern Iowa), Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Anthony Barber (NC State), Jordan Mickey (LSU), Derrick Marks (Boise State), Larry Nance, Jr. (Wyoming), Mamadou N’Diaye (UC-Irvine),
SOUTH
Charlotte, North Carolina will boast the best draft prospects in the first weekend of the South regional, as projected No. 1 pick Jahlil Okafor and the Duke Blue Devils will look to avoid an upset for the second-straight season. Okafor is the best prospect in the country (ranking No. 1 on our Top-100 Big Board), and will face athletic options in the frontcourt against whichever second-round opponent Duke faces- St. John’s or San Diego State.
Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones are Duke’s other potential first round picks in 2015, and will both be looked upon to exploit matchups and get teammates involved. Winslow could rise into the top-10 with a big showing. Quinn Cook could lead the Blue Devils in scoring. A better candidate for future drafts, Grayson Allen could be a key piece off of Coach K’s bench.
Key Prospects to Watch:
Kevon Looney SF/UCLA- Looney had a statistically good freshman season, in which he posted averages of 11.8 points and 9.2 rebounds while intriguing scouts with a 22-for-48 mark from 3-point range. After suffering a facial fracture in the Pac-12 Tournament, Looney’s effectiveness could be in question, though as a likely one-and-done candidate the combo forward could help lead the Bruins over SMU for an 11/6 upset.
Delon Wright PG/Utah- Wright will be playing with a chip on his shoulder after missing out on Pac-12 Player of the Year honors to Oregon’s Joseph Young, and will lead an athletic and large Utah team against a popular upset choice in Stephen F. Austin- who knocked off VCU a year ago as a 12 seed- and into, potentially, a Sweet-16 matchup with Duke. Wright is among the most versatile players in the country, and the Utes will need him at full effectiveness to make the second weekend.
Tyler Harvey SG/Eastern Washington- Who? You have not heard? Eastern Washington’s sophomore shooting guard Tyler Harvey led the country in scoring with 22.9 points per game, shooting a terrific 43 percent from 3-point range. 6-4 and very thin, Harvey is likely heading for a selection in the 2016 draft, rather than the 2015 edition in June, but a big tournament performance could lead to a draft declaration sooner than expected. Look for Harvey to score 25-plus in the opening contest, leading Eastern Washington over Georgetown to face Utah in the round of 32.
Other draft prospects to watch in the South regional: Prezmek Karnowski (Gonzaga), Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Monte Morris (Iowa State), Georges Niang (Iowa State), Isaac Copeland (Georgetown), Jakob Poeltl (Utah), Tyler Kalinoski (Davidson), Norman Powell (UCLA), Tony Parker (UCLA)
WEST
Wisconsin and Arizona are on a crash course for the Elite Eight, pitting two teams with a wide array of draft talent against each other. Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker lead the charge for the Badgers, both of which are projected to be first round picks. Kaminsky could be a Channing Frye-type player at the next level, perhaps with better scoring instincts, and Dekker’s best case could be Chandler Parsons. Together with a sturdy defense, Kaminsky and Dekker’s squad will be tough to stop.
On the opposite end of the region, Arizona sports, perhaps, the best collection of draft talent in the tournament for a team not named Kentucky. Freshman phenom Stanley Johnson has slowly emerged as Sean Miller’s go-to option offensively, and is averaging a team-high 14.1 points per game to go with 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is another potential top-20 pick in 2015, while TJ McConnell and Brandon Ashley provide a veteran presence that will be felt in the tournament, and have NBA teams scouting for second-round picks. Dusan Ristic presents an option for future drafts.
Key Prospects to Watch:
D’Angelo Russell PG-SG/Ohio State- Russell is a lock to be drafted in the top-five of the 2015 draft. So why is he a key prospect? The Ohio State do-it-all guard will likely only have one or two games to impress NBA scouts, while his draft competition will be seen more frequently throughout the tournament. Proving to scouts he can handle Shaka Smart’s HAVOC defense could be beneficial in proving he can transition to a primary ball-handling role in the NBA.
Bobby Portis PF/Arkansas- The SEC was atrocious in 2014-15, outside of Kentucky. Portis went up against some good big men in league play and proved he was among the top interior players in the conference. A strong performance in the NCAA Tournament could boost Portis into the late lottery. Barring upset bids from Wofford and Harvard, circle Arkansas’ matchup with North Carolina in the third round as a game to watch.
RJ Hunter SG/Georgia State- Hunter is the top mid-major NBA Draft prospect in the country, though has battled inconsistent play all year, especially as it pertains to his shooting percentages. The Georgia State star finished the year shooting just 39.4 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from 3-point range- well below his career averages. Hunter recorded a pair of efficient 30-point performances in the Sun Belt Tournament, and will look to carry momentum into the big dance. Looking for a last-minute upset pick? Take the Panthers over Baylor in a 14/3 upset.
Other draft prospects to watch in the West regional: Rico Gathers (Baylor), Marcus Paige (North Carolina), Justin Jackson (North Carolina), Brice Johnson (North Carolina), JP Tokoto (North Carolina), Trevon Bluiett (Xavier), Treveon Graham (VCU), LeBryan Nash (Oklahoma State), Joseph Young (Oregon), Sam Thompson (Ohio State)
The NCAA Tournament Pick?
Final Four: Kentucky, Arizona, Virginia, Duke
National Champion: Arizona over Duke, 76-72
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