NBA Draft Watch: 'On the Scene Team', Six Prospects that Stood Out Last Weekend, February 15th-17th
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| Ja Morant, Murray State |
A wild week of college basketball, which saw some striking comebacks and intriguing individual performances was culimnated with a complete weekend of competitive matchups. With Monday thru Thursday already having offered a number of appealing games, granting a few frenzied finishes for fans to bare witness to, Friday thru Sunday — highlighting the holiday weekend — spotted a number of standout showings from stars in the numerous scheduled games who were the driving force in deciding the final result for their respective squads.
As the schedule for teams around the country dwindles down to the last handful of games before conference tournament competition comes into play signaling the beginning of March Madness, the magnitude of each passing performance by indivdual players increasingly intensifies. Not only in terms of taking control of their team's potential NCAA Tournament chances, prospects are now looking at a limited number of remaining opportunities down the stretch of the season to impress NBA scouts and front office executives in hopes of heightening their draft status.
In the following segment, fans may swivel their attention to six prospects who stood out with their play over the weekend in steering their respective teams to victory.
- RJ Barrett, Duke
Often acclaimed as an aggressive, attacking wing with a scorer's mentality, RJ Barrett brought the Blue Devils a balanced attack on Saturday in their 94-78 win over North Carolina State. Putting up a stat line of 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, the freshman recorded just the fourth triple-double in Duke's storied basketball history — the first since former big man Shelden Williams in 2006.
Playing the part of the primary facilitator for the now first ranked team in college basketball, Barrett made a number of fine feeds on the evening, including a handful of precise post-entry passes that led to 2 points. In his other passes that led to scoring opportunities for his teammates, the 6'7, 202-pound freshman from Canada saw over the top of the defense to find fellow first-year player and usual playmaker Tre Jones in the corner for an open 3, as well as making a couple plays in transition, inlcuding an accurate lob pass to forward Jack White for an alley-oop slam.
In scoring the ball Barrett did his usual thing with determined drives to the basket, attacking the defense from out near the top of the key, as well as from the wing. Once in the lane, the fab freshman was able to find his way to the basket, stepping through defenders for difficult finishes at the rim, in addition to flaunting a running floater which found the net. All the more august of his offensive output was the fact that he didn't have any turnovers in accumulating the numbers to attain the triple-double.
Undoubtedly, one of the best players in college basketball all season and a lock to be an All-American, Barrett has set the bar high for himself with an eye towards a sure future in the NBA. While a teammate of his has taken the basketball world by storm and by all means looks like a lock for the first overall pick, the lefty who left high school a year early is one of the couple, if not only prospect who has a chance to challenge for the top spot in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Playing the part of the primary facilitator for the now first ranked team in college basketball, Barrett made a number of fine feeds on the evening, including a handful of precise post-entry passes that led to 2 points. In his other passes that led to scoring opportunities for his teammates, the 6'7, 202-pound freshman from Canada saw over the top of the defense to find fellow first-year player and usual playmaker Tre Jones in the corner for an open 3, as well as making a couple plays in transition, inlcuding an accurate lob pass to forward Jack White for an alley-oop slam.
In scoring the ball Barrett did his usual thing with determined drives to the basket, attacking the defense from out near the top of the key, as well as from the wing. Once in the lane, the fab freshman was able to find his way to the basket, stepping through defenders for difficult finishes at the rim, in addition to flaunting a running floater which found the net. All the more august of his offensive output was the fact that he didn't have any turnovers in accumulating the numbers to attain the triple-double.
Undoubtedly, one of the best players in college basketball all season and a lock to be an All-American, Barrett has set the bar high for himself with an eye towards a sure future in the NBA. While a teammate of his has taken the basketball world by storm and by all means looks like a lock for the first overall pick, the lefty who left high school a year early is one of the couple, if not only prospect who has a chance to challenge for the top spot in the 2019 NBA Draft.
- Kerry Blackshear, Virginia Tech
With senior guard Justin Robinson out and a potential lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Nickeil Alexander-Walker held to a single-digit scoring effort, Kerry Blackshear, Jr. stepped up for 20th ranked (then 22nd) Virginia Tech on the road in a 70-64 win verse Pittsburgh. Standing 6'10, 250-pounds the big man for the Hokies had a heck of a game, setting a career-high with 29 points, adding 9 rebounds, and 3 assists.
In nearly reaching the 30-point mark, Blackshear was remarkably efficient going 8-9 on shots from the floor, while shooting a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. Successfully scoring the ball from various spots on the floor, the sophomore showed off his soft touch from outside the 3-point line sinking a catch and shoot opportunity from just past the top of the key on a drive and kick from Alexander-Walker, as well as on a pick and pop action.
Stepping inside the 3-point line, Blackshear featured a fluid fallaway jumper off one foot with the defense on his back after having initially posted up and then made an excellent move on a following possession to turn and face from the elbow and immediately find teammate Ahmed Hill cutting from the corner with an on-point bounce pass which led to a vicious 2-hand slam.
Not just having scored within the construction of the offense, Blackshear was excellent in adding extra possessions for Virginia Tech in grabbing six offensive rebounds, four of which led to second-chance points. Of the four rebounds that he gathered which led to points for the Hokies, twice he was able to put the ball back up himself to convert on layups.
Playing with a palpable physicality in the paint allowed him to draw plenty of fouls against Pittsburgh, as he went to the free throw line and made his opportunities count — dropping in 10-11 free throws. Extending his shooting touch from the paint, to the 3-point line, and at the charity stripe.
Though his name has yet to receive mention around draft circles throughout television and social media, you can bet Kerry Blackshear, Jr. is a prospect that NBA teams will soon have their eye on — if they haven't already. Supplying both sufficient size and a sound skill set, the sophomore big man has the potential to become a draft pick whenever his time at Virginia Tech is complete.
In nearly reaching the 30-point mark, Blackshear was remarkably efficient going 8-9 on shots from the floor, while shooting a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. Successfully scoring the ball from various spots on the floor, the sophomore showed off his soft touch from outside the 3-point line sinking a catch and shoot opportunity from just past the top of the key on a drive and kick from Alexander-Walker, as well as on a pick and pop action.
Stepping inside the 3-point line, Blackshear featured a fluid fallaway jumper off one foot with the defense on his back after having initially posted up and then made an excellent move on a following possession to turn and face from the elbow and immediately find teammate Ahmed Hill cutting from the corner with an on-point bounce pass which led to a vicious 2-hand slam.
Not just having scored within the construction of the offense, Blackshear was excellent in adding extra possessions for Virginia Tech in grabbing six offensive rebounds, four of which led to second-chance points. Of the four rebounds that he gathered which led to points for the Hokies, twice he was able to put the ball back up himself to convert on layups.
Playing with a palpable physicality in the paint allowed him to draw plenty of fouls against Pittsburgh, as he went to the free throw line and made his opportunities count — dropping in 10-11 free throws. Extending his shooting touch from the paint, to the 3-point line, and at the charity stripe.
Though his name has yet to receive mention around draft circles throughout television and social media, you can bet Kerry Blackshear, Jr. is a prospect that NBA teams will soon have their eye on — if they haven't already. Supplying both sufficient size and a sound skill set, the sophomore big man has the potential to become a draft pick whenever his time at Virginia Tech is complete.
- Kyle Lofton, St. Bonaventure
A 6'3, 180-pound freshman from Hillside, NJ, Kyle Lofton has stepped into the spot of former St. Bonaventure star guard Jaylen Adams, who is now a rookie in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks. While first-year point guards Tre Jones of Duke and Devon Dotson of Kansas have garnered attention across the country in running the show for nationally acclaimed college programs, Lofton has proven to be deserving of mention himself. Surfacing as a major factor at a mid-major program.
In a home game against George Mason on Sunday, Lofton allowed the Bonnies to leak out to an early 16-0 lead in the opening four minutes of the first game, putting up a quick 11 points, spotlighted by three 3-point baskets in the early going and assisting on another. His first make signaled that it might be a superb night for the freshman floor general, banking in a trey from the right wing. He would then follow that a few possessions later with a steal and a driving contested finish on a fastbreak, before going on to drain consecutive 3-point baskets from each side of the top of the key.
Lofton would continue to have an excellent all-around performance in leading St. Bonaventure to a 79-56 win over their conference opponent, scoring 32 points (shooting 10-15 from the floor, 7-8 on 3-point shots, 5-5 at the free throw line) dishing 7 assists, tallying 3 rebounds, and 2 steals for the game. His poise and pace when in possession of the ball allowed him to find teammates for both open 3-point shots on the perimeter, as well as setting up some easy looks from inside.
He also would add another sweet 3-point shot in the second half by way of a slick crossover out near the top of the key that shook the defender, before setting his feet and calmly drilling one of the lucky seven 3's he put on the board for the Bonnies.
In just his first season at the college level, Lofton is leading the Atlantic 10 Conference in minutes at 37.4 per game, while only turning the ball over just twice per contest, with an assist-to-turnover ratio that is nearly 2-to-1 (94 to 53, 1.8), and is averaging a solid 14.9 points per game on 45.6 shooting from the field. Though he may remain at St. Bonaventure for a few years, Lofton has the look of someone who should continue to strike fear into the opponents of the A10 and potentially become the next St. Bonaventure guard to play in the NBA.
In a home game against George Mason on Sunday, Lofton allowed the Bonnies to leak out to an early 16-0 lead in the opening four minutes of the first game, putting up a quick 11 points, spotlighted by three 3-point baskets in the early going and assisting on another. His first make signaled that it might be a superb night for the freshman floor general, banking in a trey from the right wing. He would then follow that a few possessions later with a steal and a driving contested finish on a fastbreak, before going on to drain consecutive 3-point baskets from each side of the top of the key.
Lofton would continue to have an excellent all-around performance in leading St. Bonaventure to a 79-56 win over their conference opponent, scoring 32 points (shooting 10-15 from the floor, 7-8 on 3-point shots, 5-5 at the free throw line) dishing 7 assists, tallying 3 rebounds, and 2 steals for the game. His poise and pace when in possession of the ball allowed him to find teammates for both open 3-point shots on the perimeter, as well as setting up some easy looks from inside.
He also would add another sweet 3-point shot in the second half by way of a slick crossover out near the top of the key that shook the defender, before setting his feet and calmly drilling one of the lucky seven 3's he put on the board for the Bonnies.
In just his first season at the college level, Lofton is leading the Atlantic 10 Conference in minutes at 37.4 per game, while only turning the ball over just twice per contest, with an assist-to-turnover ratio that is nearly 2-to-1 (94 to 53, 1.8), and is averaging a solid 14.9 points per game on 45.6 shooting from the field. Though he may remain at St. Bonaventure for a few years, Lofton has the look of someone who should continue to strike fear into the opponents of the A10 and potentially become the next St. Bonaventure guard to play in the NBA.
- Ja Morant, Murray State
In what has been an astounding season already, Ja Morant added another amazing performance in Murray State's win on the road against Eastern Kentucky, solidifying the special status that he has set for himself. Putting up a 25 point, 14 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block performance the 6'3, 175-pound point guard set the record for most assists during a single-season in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
Accumulating those eye-popping numbers on Saturday evening, Morant made plenty of plays for himself and his teammates, both in the open floor and in a half-court set. Pushing the tempo to a speed that only he can and elevating his team's ability to get out on the break, the sophomore star made a handful of flashy passes which led to easy points for teammates.
Included amongst the numerous assists he picked up in transition were a couple of lobs that went nearly the length of the floor finding teammates ahead of the defense, specifically one from the opponent's 3-point line that was on target and converted by teammate Devin Fillmore for an alley-oop dunk. His persistence in putting pressure on the defense also allowed him to connect with teammates in transition for successful in-rhythm shots from beyond the arc.
In scoring the ball himself, Morant made a few highlight-worthy shots — draining a deep 3-point shot from out past NBA-range as the defender guarding him went under an on-ball screen, also finishing a nifty running flip shot for 2 after faking a pass prior to going up with the attempt, as well as blocking an opponent's 3-point shot which led to a rim-rattling reverse 2-hand finish on a fastbreak.
Not only setting the single-season assist record in the OVC, Morant also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career at Murray State in the contest — coming in less than two full seasons.
Arguably the biggest star in college basketball outside of projected first overall pick Zion Williamson, Ja Morant along with RJ Barrett is likely the only prospect that should garner serious attention from the team that ends up with the top selection in the 2019 NBA Draft — and will likely be one of the first three picks in the class along with the two aforementioned Duke players.
Accumulating those eye-popping numbers on Saturday evening, Morant made plenty of plays for himself and his teammates, both in the open floor and in a half-court set. Pushing the tempo to a speed that only he can and elevating his team's ability to get out on the break, the sophomore star made a handful of flashy passes which led to easy points for teammates.
Included amongst the numerous assists he picked up in transition were a couple of lobs that went nearly the length of the floor finding teammates ahead of the defense, specifically one from the opponent's 3-point line that was on target and converted by teammate Devin Fillmore for an alley-oop dunk. His persistence in putting pressure on the defense also allowed him to connect with teammates in transition for successful in-rhythm shots from beyond the arc.
In scoring the ball himself, Morant made a few highlight-worthy shots — draining a deep 3-point shot from out past NBA-range as the defender guarding him went under an on-ball screen, also finishing a nifty running flip shot for 2 after faking a pass prior to going up with the attempt, as well as blocking an opponent's 3-point shot which led to a rim-rattling reverse 2-hand finish on a fastbreak.
Not only setting the single-season assist record in the OVC, Morant also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career at Murray State in the contest — coming in less than two full seasons.
Arguably the biggest star in college basketball outside of projected first overall pick Zion Williamson, Ja Morant along with RJ Barrett is likely the only prospect that should garner serious attention from the team that ends up with the top selection in the 2019 NBA Draft — and will likely be one of the first three picks in the class along with the two aforementioned Duke players.
- Lindell Wigginton, Iowa State
Having settled quite smoothly into the role of the sixth man for the Cyclones since returning from an injury that kept him out to begin the season, Lindell Wigginton looked like he might just be hitting his stride with his performance against Kansas State on Saturday. Coming off the bench to play 24 minutes in the 79-66 win on the road against the 18th ranked team in the country, Wigginton scored 23 points, shooting 7-9 from the floor, including 5-6 beyond the 3-point line, while going 4-6 on free throws.
Operating often as a catch and shoot option on the unselfish, quality passing Iowa State team, the 6'2, 189-pound sophomore combo guard made each of his 3-point baskets off assists from teammates — sinking a trey from each side of the top of the key and in both corners. His final made 3-point basket came from out near 30 feet away from the goal, that he confidently stepped into and sunk without hesitation as the defense couldn't close out in enough time to deter him from taking the deep look.
While it was his 3-point prowess that powered his offensive performance, Wigginton also got into the lane a couple times to put points on the board as well. On one drive during the first half, the Canadian-native navigated his way to the rim down the left lane, adjusting his body in the air for a tough finish at the rim. He would add another 2 points getting into the paint for an attempt that fell off the mark, but immediately followed it with a layup after grabbing the rebound off his own miss.
Also adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, Wigginton would put up a nice-looking lob on a drive to the rim, pefectly leading teammate Cameron Lard that the fellow sophomore finished with a strong 2-hand alley-oop dunk.
Having entered the season as the most noteworthy NBA prospect on a talented Iowa State team, Wigginton has unselfishly and effectively taken to being a successful scoring combo guard off the bench, which is a role he should transition to well at the next level. As it stands, the sophomore could return to school for another season following this year. Though he does have the talent and ability to positively impact an NBA team in a role similar to the one he is functioning in now as a potential second-round pick in the 2019 draft class.
Operating often as a catch and shoot option on the unselfish, quality passing Iowa State team, the 6'2, 189-pound sophomore combo guard made each of his 3-point baskets off assists from teammates — sinking a trey from each side of the top of the key and in both corners. His final made 3-point basket came from out near 30 feet away from the goal, that he confidently stepped into and sunk without hesitation as the defense couldn't close out in enough time to deter him from taking the deep look.
While it was his 3-point prowess that powered his offensive performance, Wigginton also got into the lane a couple times to put points on the board as well. On one drive during the first half, the Canadian-native navigated his way to the rim down the left lane, adjusting his body in the air for a tough finish at the rim. He would add another 2 points getting into the paint for an attempt that fell off the mark, but immediately followed it with a layup after grabbing the rebound off his own miss.
Also adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, Wigginton would put up a nice-looking lob on a drive to the rim, pefectly leading teammate Cameron Lard that the fellow sophomore finished with a strong 2-hand alley-oop dunk.
Having entered the season as the most noteworthy NBA prospect on a talented Iowa State team, Wigginton has unselfishly and effectively taken to being a successful scoring combo guard off the bench, which is a role he should transition to well at the next level. As it stands, the sophomore could return to school for another season following this year. Though he does have the talent and ability to positively impact an NBA team in a role similar to the one he is functioning in now as a potential second-round pick in the 2019 draft class.
- Cameron Young, Quinnipiac
On the floor for all but one minute of Quinnipiac's 107-100, triple-overtime win against Siena, Cameron Young scored a point for each minute of the game, putting up 55 points, — setting multiple records. His double-nickel scoring performance established a new season-high for points in a game this season in college basketball, set the record for most points in a Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game, and is the third highest total at the Division I level over the last 20 years.
A 6'6, 190-pound guard/wing, Young was efficient in his outstanding offensive effort, shooting 15 of 24 from the floor, including dropping in 9 of 13, 3-point attempts, as well as going a healthy 16 of 20 from the free throw line.
Supported by a smooth handle, the senior star set himself up to score from each level of the floor throughout the game, with only three of his made field goals (each a 3-pointer) coming via an assist from a teammate. He showcased a series of moves, including stepbacks, hesitation dribbles, and other select ball-handling moves to create space for him to get his shot off, in addition to slicing through the defense on a number dribble-drive deuces in the paint.
Of his 55 points on the evening, none were more important than the 3-point basket he made with 24 seconds left in the second overtime to tie the game at 93 and send it into another period past regulation.
While he didn't miss many of his attempts on the evening, Young made it a point to gain possession of shots that fell off the mark, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds (5 offensive). Having possession of the ball plenty throughout the contest, he impressively only turned the ball over twice, and also added 2 assists.
Already averaging 22 points per game, Young had yet to receive the notice of many as a potential NBA player. Though now with the country on notice as a result of his highlight performance, the senior scorer can continue to carry the momentum he's gained — with the possibility of prolonging it into March Madness as Quinnipiac currently is currently in first place of the MAAC.
A 6'6, 190-pound guard/wing, Young was efficient in his outstanding offensive effort, shooting 15 of 24 from the floor, including dropping in 9 of 13, 3-point attempts, as well as going a healthy 16 of 20 from the free throw line.
Supported by a smooth handle, the senior star set himself up to score from each level of the floor throughout the game, with only three of his made field goals (each a 3-pointer) coming via an assist from a teammate. He showcased a series of moves, including stepbacks, hesitation dribbles, and other select ball-handling moves to create space for him to get his shot off, in addition to slicing through the defense on a number dribble-drive deuces in the paint.
Of his 55 points on the evening, none were more important than the 3-point basket he made with 24 seconds left in the second overtime to tie the game at 93 and send it into another period past regulation.
While he didn't miss many of his attempts on the evening, Young made it a point to gain possession of shots that fell off the mark, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds (5 offensive). Having possession of the ball plenty throughout the contest, he impressively only turned the ball over twice, and also added 2 assists.
Already averaging 22 points per game, Young had yet to receive the notice of many as a potential NBA player. Though now with the country on notice as a result of his highlight performance, the senior scorer can continue to carry the momentum he's gained — with the possibility of prolonging it into March Madness as Quinnipiac currently is currently in first place of the MAAC.
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