The NCAA Tournament not only showcases the best college teams in the country, but it also showcases some of the top prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft. Here are eight future pros worth watching in this weekend's Elite 8 matchups:
8 ) Montrezl Harrell, 6’8″, 230 lbs, PF/C – Jr., Louisville
Stats: 15.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg
Harrell is a defensive and rebounding menace, and is offensive game has shown signs of improvement. He won't kill anyone with his low-post game, but his athleticism and energy remind teams of Kenneth Faried.
7) Jerian Grant – 6’5″, 202 lbs, PG/SG – Sr., Notre Dame
Stats: 16.8 ppg, 6.6 apg
Grant has tremendous size for a point guard, and his leadership and ability to make his teammates better are the biggest reasons why Notre Dame is in the Elite 8. He has tremendous vision and is a versatile scorer on the offensive end, and his length allows him to be an above-average defender.
6) Frank Kaminsky – 7’0″, 234 lbs, C – Sr., Wisconsin
Stats: 18.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Kaminsky is one of the most polished big man in the country with the ability to stretch the defense with his range. Kaminsky won’t go at the top of the draft because he’s not very athletic, but whoever drafts him will be someone who will make an immediate impact.
5) Justise Winslow – 6’6″, 221 lbs, SF – Fr., Duke
Stats: 12.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg
Winslow is great at attacking the rim, and has shown an improved jump shot that has scouts drooling. He went through a slump in the middle of the season, but he's carried Duke through the NCAA Tournament and has shown the athleticism and skill on both ends of the floor that ensures he'll be a top ten pick.
4) Stanley Johnson – 6’7″, 245 lbs, SF – Fr., Arizona
Stats: 14.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Johnson has been the most productive wing player among all freshman, and has been the lockdown perimeter defender scouts wanted to see. Couple that with his athleticism and improved shooting stroke, and it’s easy to see why many think he’ll be able to make an impact in the NBA right away.
3) Willie Cauley-Stein – 7’0″, 244 lbs, C – Jr., Kentucky
Stats: 9.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Cauley-Stein is undoubtedly the nation's best defender because of his ability to shut anyone down - from point guards to centers - at seven-feet tall. His offensive game is still a bit unpolished, but his defense and athleticism should put him in the top five or six of the draft.
2) Karl-Anthony Towns – 7’0″, 248 lbs, PF/C – Fr., Kentucky
Stats: 9.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.4 bpg
It takes a lot for someone to stand out on Kentucky’s talented roster, but that’s what Towns does every time he steps on the floor. Some mock drafts have him going No. 1 overall now that he's developed a reliable post game to go along with his dominant defense. We don’t know how he’ll respond to being the focal point of an offensive or defensive attack, but he’s shown that he’s a team-first player franchises love.
1) Jahlil Okafor - 6’11″, 272 lbs, C – Fr., Duke
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Okafor quickly emerged as one of the best players in the country, and some scouts think he’s a better prospect than Andrew Wiggins. He has a fully developed post game, quick feet, soft hands, and runs the floor well. Okafor has also developed into a solid defender at Duke, and he seems destined to be the next great NBA big man.
Back to the NBA Newsfeed