For many NBA fans, the NCAA tournament is when they start to seriously seek the NBA draft.
It is the opposite for the NBA teams, who have already done most of their work (they care more about the Draft interviews and individual training than what is happening in March). The NBA teams have their recovery cards relatively far.
If you are a guy from the NBA with a college eye this week, which players should you watch? Here are 12 names to keep an eye on, starting with three Duke players who should show up in the top 10.
Duke top-10 top-10
Duke’s plays at 2:50 pm, Friday March 21, against the winner of the first match (CBS) by St. Mary’s vs American University Four (CBS)
Duke is more than Cooper Flagg. Make no mistake, Flagg is clear and removed from choice n ° 1 in this project, if he puts the foot on the ground or not for a second in the NCAA tournament because of an ankle sprain (he should play, perhaps limited minutes in the opening, but Sunday, expect a lot of flagg). As a scout told me, he could have “really screwed up his knee”, and that would not have changed the draft order. That said, Duke is more than an individual spectacle; They have three guys who should go to the top 10.
Cooper Flagg
Flagg has entered this season as a probable n ° 1 choice – in particular after a performance outside competition with the USA Select team during the summer – but with questions. He answered them. Everyone knew that he was a high -motor competitive defender with serious on -board protection. The question was that he could create his own blow – he showed improved handles, a shooting creation and has an average of 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 aids one match.
The Duke to watch game would be on Sunday, especially if Baylor is advancing and Flagg faces another top four player in this project of VJ Edgecombe.
Khaman Maluach
There is a market and a role in the NBA for the old-fashioned centers that can protect the edge and constitute a vertical threat to the Pick-And-Rolls (Jarrett Allen, Rudy Gobert, Zach Eddy) and Maluach can be one of these guys. He has 7’2 “with a scale of 7’6”, moves his feet on the defensive well and is considered a solid choice and high the floor so that the team takes it. It has an average of 8.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, pulling 68.8%.
Kon KNUPPEL
He entered the university with the reputation of a pure shooter and was up to him reaching 39.2% out of 3 this season, with an average of 14.4 points per game. His play as a shooting creator for Blue Devils impressed the scouts – a role in which he prospered at the ACC tournament with Flagg. The questions are on the way in which he will keep defensively at the next level – he was a solid defender for Duke this season, but the guards at the next level are much faster than in the ACC.
Others to watch
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Baylor faces the state of the Mississippi at 12:15 p.m. on Friday March 21 (CBS)
Despite some rough Stretches During the Season, the explosive 6’3 “Guard-probably the best pure athlete in this draft class-has solidified himself as a top-for pick. He’s a high-learl defnder who averanged 15 points, 5.6 Rebounds and 3.3 Assists A Game, Shooting 34.5% from Season, but his play as a shot creator and a as a 3-point shooter (39% in conference play) Improved as the Season Went on, Making Scouts Optimistic about his future.
VJ Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in this class, but also shows a little competence. He is a creator of defensively events who struck 39% of his 3 in Big 12 with the improvement of the creation of shooting and the prowess that goes well for its long -term development. pic.twitter.com/aiwf9egls4
– Jonathan Givony (@draftexpress) March 13, 2025
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Illinois played at 9:45 p.m. on Friday March 21 against the winner of the First-Quatre (TNT) match of the Xavier vs Texas (TNT)
The big ball manipulation guards are all the rage in the NBA and Jakucionis qualify: at 6’5 “It is the soil of the soil for the Italian but can work on or out of the ball. He is a gifted passer but not the kind of athlete who only blows by guys. On average 15 points per match (plus 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists), he only drew 32.9% and 44.8% in total, with an average of 3.6 reversals per game.
Liam McNeley, Uconn
Uconn faces Oklahoma at 9:25 p.m. HE Friday March 21 (TNT)
You cannot be mistaken in shooting of shooting and McNeeley is one of the best drafts in the draft, a plug-and-play guy at the next level. Of course, it has only reached 33% beyond the arc this season for the Huskies, but it is partly because of a sprained ankle raised at the start of the season, partly because of the construction of the alignment, which forced McNeley to be a main shooting creator for Dan Hurley. It is not his strong point, he is a guy to capture and a ball out of the ball (who can put the ball on the ground if there is a tight fence). McNeeley is another case where a strong performance in the tournament can help his project project, solidifying the late support of the lottery behind him.
Derik Queen, Maryland
Maryland faces the Grand Canyon at 4:35 p.m. on Friday March 21 (TBS)
At 6’10 “, Queen Brings size and is also one of the more skilled players in the draft – and he has been we tear agreeing the postseason. He could light up grand canyon (a good test for him). Teams have to bring the double to sweet him and he’s shown off some quality playmaking skills. He is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 Rebounds a game, Shooting 53.6% from the Floor (Howwever, He does not space the Floor Out to the Arc).
Be Johnson, Texas
Texas faces Xavier at 9:10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, in a first match (TRUTV); Win and he faces Illinois on Friday
Be Johnson is a bucket. He has an average of 19.8 points per game to lead a Texas team which was not really built to take advantage of his skills, and he draws 39.2% out of 3. He is entirely able to leave 40 on Xavier on Wednesday evening. However, he is a player who is everywhere in table paintings-from 5 to 10-12-because he does not do much for the longhorns beyond the score, at least not regularly. Showing skills beyond obtaining a bucket in the tournament would help its draft stock.
Danny Wolf, Michigan
Michigan faces UC San Diego at 10 p.m. HE on Thursday, March 20 (TBS)
Look at Danny Wolf to see where you come across one of the guys who are everywhere on the NBA draft paintings – some teams could take it between 20 and 30 in the first round, while others see it as someone taken in the 1940s in the second round. Wolf is a 7 feet that prefers to play on the perimeter, has good handles and on average 13.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. That said, he was not consistent and pulled 33.7% beyond the arc and had some overly reversals. Is he a five, a big three? The teams differ on its NBA adjustment. A great couple of tournament games could help their draft stock, at least in some minds.
Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Michigan State faces Bryant at 10 p.m. HE on Friday March 21 (TBS)
He is the son of the 13 -year -old veteran of the NBA, Jason Richardson, but do not confuse both – the style of Jase is very different from that of his father. Jase is a little point guard (6’2 “… perhaps) who plays with the rhythm, has an excellent feeling for the game and can enter the way and decompose the defenses – it is more fun to look. The guys who come out of the Michigan State of Tom Izzo. He could direct the Spartans during a deep race in the NCAA tournament.
Will Riley, Illinois
Illinois played at 9:45 p.m. on Friday March 21 against the winner of the First-Quatre (TNT) match of the Xavier vs Texas (TNT)
A wing of 6’8 “with a potential as a shooter will always catch up with the eyes of the scouts, and it is this potential that the scouts and the people of the front office will connect to what the illini continue to play. For the season, Riley has an average of 12.5 points per game, pulling only 32.1% of the line of 3 points, but he looks better. Let them thought it.
Nique Clifford, State of Colorado
The Colorado State faces Memphis at 2 p.m. HE on Friday March 21 (TBS)
He flew under the national radar but climbed on scout boards all season – a wing of 6’5 “which can shoot the rock, pass and defend will attract a lot of attention. Make everything for rams in the tournament – the scouts will look to see how it manages this – but in the NBA, its role will be smaller, a Swiss knife wing out of the bench.
