Ten NBA Draft Prospects to Watch During the NCAA Tournament

With the NCAA Tournament set, as the last of the conference tournament championship games were played on Sunday, followed by the unveiling of the at-large teams who did enough to secure a spot in the field of 68, it is safe to say, March Madness is here. Following recent allegations of a money scandal within the game of college basketball, the biggest time of year for the sport is in effect as the schedule transitions from the various conference tournaments around the country to the "Big Dance", where teams and players will look to create moments that go down in history and seem to live forever. All season, hundreds of teams and thousands of players have competed day in and day out, both with their teammates in daily practices and workouts and against opponents under the lights of the various gyms and arenas across the country. Those lights don't shine any brighter than at the venues that serve as the sites for the games of the NCAA Tournament, where open practice sessions can sometimes yield a larger crowd than some teams played in front of during games throughout the season.

The beauty of the NCAA Tournament and March Madness is that it allows for an opportunity that players, and even schools, fans may have never heard of to have their, "one shining moment" on the national stage. In 2012, two #15 seeds and low-to-mid major schools upset #2 seeds and national basketball powers, as Norfolk State, a historically black college/university, defeated Missouri, which featured future NBA players in guards Kim English and Phil Pressey.  On the same day, little known Lehigh, out of the Patriot League, defeated Duke 75-70. Though not it's most talented team of all time, that Duke roster featured several future NBA players in Austin Rivers, Miles and Mason Plumlee, Quinn Cook, and Seth Curry. On those Norfolk State and Lehigh teams were only one future NBA player a piece, as current New York Knicks forward/center Kyle O'Quinn put himself on the radar of NBA teams with his 26 point, 14 rebound performance before then being selected as the 49th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and CJ McCollum dazzled with his ball handling skills and outside shooting touch to a 30 point, six rebound, six assist game against Coach K and the mighty Blue Devils, before becoming the tenth overall pick the following year.

Other players have used the national stage that March Madness provides to elevate an already forming reputation, as future NBA All-Stars such as Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward led their teams on improbable runs to the National Championship, with Walker's UConn winning it all and Hayward's Butler squad falling narrowly to Duke, 61-59, when his half court heave hit off the backboard, then the rim, as the Blue Devils won their fourth national title. Both players ended up being taken ninth overall in the NBA Draft in successive years with Hayward being drafted in 2010 after his sophomore season and Walker leaving for the 2011 NBA Draft after completing his degree in three years.

More recently, point guards Shabazz Napier and Tyus Jones were named Most Outstanding Players of the NCAA Tournament having helped lead their teams to National Championships in 2014 and 2015, respectively.  Napier, who was a freshman on the same UConn team that won it all with Kemba Walker at the helm, put the Huskies on his back in similar fashion, then as a senior. Jones was a freshman on a Duke team that featured some other elite talented first-year players in future top ten picks in Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow. Both Napier and Jones parlayed the outstanding play in the NCAA Tournament to first round picks, being selected 24th overall in the NBA Draft the same years following their tournament run.

Certain teams have had their run during March Madness help elevate a number of players as they collectively made their run while reaping the benefits individually, as well.  In addition to Jones, Okafor, and Winslow, the 2015 National Championship Duke roster also had the aforementioned Quinn Cook and the youngest of the Plumlee brothers', Marshall, who both find themselves in the NBA despite going undrafted.  Also on that team was current Duke senior guard Grayson Allen who really came under the national spotlight with his play as the team's sixth man, having been mentioned as a potential first round pick at that time and in the following years since. A few years prior to that Kentucky won the National Championship on the back of Most Outstanding Player and number one overall pick Anthony Davis, on a team that also had five other players drafted that same year including second overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, as well as Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb, and Darius Miller.

The attention paid to NCAA Tournament and March Madness not only allows for teams to go down in history, but for players and potential NBA Draft prospects to create an identity on the national stage for which fans can follow for years to come as they continue their career at the professional level. Whether it be a rather obscure player who relishes the spotlight and plays at a level that it resonates across the country or a more known commodity across college basketball looking to takes the reins amidst the number of future NBA players in solidifying themselves as a future star, the NCAA Tournament provides a stage and platform for prospects across the entire country to put themselves squarely in the focus of fans and NBA teams in hopes of reaping the benefits come the NBA Draft in June. With that said let's take a look at ten prospects set to play in this year's NCAA Tournament who can potentially elevate and solidify their draft status with their play over the next few weeks.

Rawle Alkins, Guard (Arizona)

While much of the attention surrounding Arizona is focused around tremendously talented freshman big man DeAndre Ayton, who is the potential number one overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, no player on the Wildcat team may be more important than Alkins. Selected Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, the 6'5 guard from Brooklyn, NY per game averages of 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks, all are either second or third on the Arizona team.  Alkins combination of being able to score from different parts of the floor, be a playmaker and create for his talented teammates, as well as his ability to defend any opposing player on the perimeter make him an invaluable piece of this Arizona team, similar to former Wildcat and current Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala, that will need him to do all those things in order to fulfill their National Championship aspirations.  His ability to operate in both the open and half court, as well as finish with authority at the basket are potential momentum changers that can turn the tide of an NCAA Tournament game in a heartbeat.

Mo Bamba, Center (Texas)

Though the NCAA Tournament is largely considered to revolve around guard play and guys who can consistently find ways to score the ball, defense and the ability to get stops when needed are also crucial during the event. At seven feet tall, with a near eight foot wingspan, and the movement ability of a wing player, Mo Bamba is capable of changing any game with his defensive prowess. While most big men are relegated to the paint, Bamba has the ability to extend out to the perimeter defensively to switch and hedge on ball screens, and stay in front of guards off the dribble, while being quick and athletic enough to sink back into the paint and either block or effect pretty much any shot that is taken near the rim. While the focus of the tournament will be on players who often have the ball in their hands, Bamba possess the ability to effect the game the most without having it in his hands, both from the offensive and defensive side of the ball, averaging 10.4 rebounds (3.2 offensive) and 3.7 blocks, per game. He has the ability to change the game at the college level similar to former number one overall pick Anthony Davis. Similar to Davis, Bamba can become the first overall pick in the NBA Draft with his excellent defensive ability and budding offensive potential. 

Daniel Gafford, Forward/Center (Arkansas)

Ranked the 39th best player in the country in the high school class of 2017, per 247 Sports, Daniel Gafford has since surpassed some of his classmates as he continues to improve nearly daily as a basketball player. A long, lengthy 6'11 versatile big, Gafford effects the game in various ways with his tremendous wingspan and bouncy style of play, particularly around the rim.  After coming off the bench in the first eight games of the season, Gafford entered the starting lineup on December 9, when he made all eight attempts from the field in a 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks performance in a victory over Minnesota. In the only game Gafford hasn't started since then on February 27, he had 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 block game against then #14 in the country Arkansas. If Arkansas is going to make a run in the tournament on a team that plays five seniors it's going to need it's freshman to step up to deliver key moments. And if he does, Gafford could potentially play his way into a lottery pick as he is currently projected to go 19th overall in the upcoming draft, according to nbadraft.net.

Devonte' Graham, Guard (Kansas)

After being a respected player, but mostly going under the radar during his first three seasons at Kansas, Graham performed in the national spotlight all season becoming a first-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. Graham is in a similar mold of former Jayhawk lead guards in Mario Chalmers and Frank Mason, whom Graham shared the backcourt during his first three seasons and took the sole reins over the team this his senior season. Graham, like Chalmers was, is always a threat for a big three point basket as he's made 284 during his career while shooting at more than efficient clip of 41 percent. In leading Kansas to an unprecedented 14th straight Big 12 regular season title he averaged 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 7.5 assists, per game, while also being named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team, as the Jayhawks also doubled as champions of the conference tournament. Graham and Kansas will begin their quest for another National Championship on Wednesday against Penn, in a very fan friendly neutral site game in Wichita, Kansas.

Aaron Holiday, Guard (UCLA)

To say Aaron Holiday has had an interesting college career would hardly describe the path has taken during his time in Westwood. Having started in all 32 games his freshman season alongside coach's son Bryce Alford, Holiday came off the bench in all 36 contests last season as Lonzo Ball spent his only year at UCLA before becoming the second overall pick in last year's NBA Draft.  Still Holiday was productive as he put up his second straight season of double digit scoring, upping his average from 10.3 to 12.3 as well as his efficiency shooting 48.5 percent from the field up from below 40 percent the year prior, while also averaging 4.4 assists. This season with both Alford and Ball departed Holiday put together an excellent season leading the Pac-12 in scoring at 20.3 points per game, while also averaging 5.8 assists in starting all 32 games. If Holiday can have a few more performances similar to the one he did against Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament — 34 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 5 of 9 from three — then he may soon find himself in the NBA along with his brothers Justin and Jrue, a former UCLA guard, himself.

Theo Pinson, Guard/Forward (North Carolina)

After an illustrious career at the high school level where he won Mr. Basketball in the state of North Carolina, as well as playing in the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald's All-American Game, Pinson came to Chapel Hill along with future first round Justin Jackson, as UNC's top two recruits in 2014.  Pinson's career wasn't like that of some McDonald's All Americans that spend one year at the college level before leaving for the NBA. Battling through a broken foot that caused him to miss 14 games, Pinson found his way into the rotation his freshman season that featured future NBA Draft picks at the guard and wing spots in Marcus Paige, J.P. Tokoto, Justin Jackson, and Brice Johnson. After averaging 2.8 points per game while only earning one start his freshman season, Pinson has upped his averages across the board each year throughout his four year career. While his career hasn't been without injury as he suffered a break in his other foot last season which limited him to 21 games in 2016-17, as UNC were 18-3 when he was on the floor. Although Pinson's impact goes beyond numbers he showed his ability to fill the sheet averaging 7.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists in the two games during the Final Four last year. This year Pinson has assumed a similar role though his impact is at a career high as are his numbers in minutes played, starts, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, points, rebounds, assists, steals, and assists. Pinson won't be a first round pick and there is a distinct possibility he could go undrafted, but should he perform similar to how he did last year's NCAA Tournament while maintaining the impact he's had this season he could become a steal for someone during the second round of the NBA Draft.

Michael Porter, Forward (Missouri)

As this fabulous freshman class has produced potential top overall picks in DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, and Jaren Jackson Jr., it can be easy to forget that Michael Porter was the number one ranked player in their class before Bagley decided to skip his senior year of high school to enter college a year early.  At 6'10 with natural perimeter skills and scoring ability, Porter has received comparisons to players from Danilo Galinari and Joe Johnson to Brandon Ingram and Kevin Durant. Porter missed all but one game this season as he suffered a spinal disc injury that required surgery that was expected to keep him out the entire year. Porter returned to the court in Missouri's game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament where he struggled to find a rhythm in a loss to Georgia, as he shot 5 of 17 from the field, accentuated by a couple of balls that didn't connect with the rim, in a 12 point, 8 rebound performance. With Missouri's second leading scorer and rebounder in swingman Jordan Barnett out for the NCAA Tournament, it may be up to Porter to fill his void and then some to help lead the Tigers on a run along with his brother and freshman big man Jontay. 

Collin Sexton, Guard (Alabama)

With the way Collin Sexton plays basketball he was almost tailor made for the scene of the NCAA Tournament. His energy and relentless, fearless style of play at the lead guard spot is contagious and the type that can ignite a memorable run in March Madness for a team that will rely heavily on his output for them to advance in the tournament. Sexton has already had one of the moments — if not the first — of this year's version of March Madness when he sank a game winning buzzer beater against Texas A&M just a couple of days ago in the SEC Tournament, to cap a 27 point performance. Though more of a streaky, sometimes subpar, shooter from outside, Sexton showed that he can stroke it from three when need be as he sank 3 of 6 against Texas A&M, before making 6 of 8 behind the arc, while scoring 31 points in the following game, a victory over Auburn. At 6'3, with a high usage rate and a propensity to attack the paint aggressively, Sexton gives some people a Russell Westbrook vibe, while others feel his game best resembles another NBA point guard, Eric Bledsoe. Either way, Sexton has the ability to leave school early and enter the NBA Draft after playing in the NCAA Tournament, as did Westbrook and Bledsoe. Currently, Sexton is projected to be the eighth overall pick and first guard chosen in the 2018 NBA Draft, ahead of our next prospect to watch during the NCAA Tournament.

Trae Young, Guard (Oklahoma)

After dazzling crowds and captivating fans with his Stephy Curry-esque range beyond the three point line and style of play that is reminiscent of the legendary Hall of Famer, "Pistol" Pete Maravich, Trae Young, along with his Oklahoma Sooners' squad, didn't play nearly as effective down the stretch of the regular season, nearly costing them an opportunity at the NCAA Tournament. Young and the Sooners opened the season 15-5 being ranked as high as #7 in the country, during that time he averaged 31.8 points and 10 assists per game, while shooting 38.6 percent from three, with a near two-to one assist to turnover ratio (10.0/5.5). Over the next 11 games Young averages dropped to 19.3 points and 6.5 assists per game, while his three point percentage dropped to 31.0 from 38.6, as Oklahoma went 3-8, including a six game losing streak.  Fortunately for Oklahoma and America, Young will have a chance to lead them to a potential magical run in March Madness. If Young is able to catch fire and play as effectively as he did during the early portion of the season, Oklahoma could very well find themselves in the Final Four and Young mentioned amongst the players potentially considered for the top picks in the NBA Draft.