Right now, most basketball fans are agonizing over their bracket selections for the NCAA Tournament. With no clearcut favorite during March Madness this year, there are a lot of difficult decisions ahead before those brackets are finalized.
Every tournament has some breakout performers who garner national attention — and perhaps improve their NBA draft stock. Most of the projected lottery picks for the June draft will be in action this weekend, trying to lead their teams to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
Virtually all of those players are freshmen falling into the one-and-done category. The one who has received the most publicity is UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball. The precocious floor leader tops the nation in assists and is expected to be one of the top two picks in the draft along with Washington’s Markelle Fultz.
Using DraftExpress.com’s current rankings, there are three other freshmen in the top five on serious title contenders. Kansas small forward Josh Jackson was suspended for a game in the Big 12 tournament but it won’t affect his status for the NCAAs. He’s averaging 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists for that perennial powerhouse. Duke small forward Jayson Tatum posted slightly higher point and rebounding totals than Jackson, while Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox engineers the Wildcats’ high-octane attack.
Fox’s team, swingman Malik Monk, can score in bunches as his 20.4 point average attests. Arizona power forward Lauri Markkanen has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, while small forward Jonathan Isaac quickly emerged as one of the top players for No. 3 seed Florida State.
Still another freshman, Michigan State small forward Miles Bridges, carried the load for a team riddled with injuries to its veteran players. North Carolina’s leading scorer Justin Jackson breaks the mold by being a junior and he could move up a few spots if the Tar Heels make a deep run.
Of course, it’s not necessary to have a lottery-bound player to win the national championship, as Villanova showed last season. But we’re not asking for your bracket picks here, we’re looking for your opinion on these projected lottery picks.
This brings us to our question of the day: Which of the current projected lottery picks will make the biggest splash in the NCAA Tournament and why will they stand out?
Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.
I think Jayson Tatum will emerge as the best player in the country and lead Duke, along with Luke Kennard, to a national championship, while boosting him to a top 3 pick in the draft
Tatum was once thought to be the favorite for number 1 but injuries are the main reason he has dropped.
Tom Izzo always has the Spartans playing well in the tourney. They rely entirely on Miles Bridges. Stock is about to rise.
One not named is Allonzo Trier. Lost his luster due to injury last year and suspension this year. Practically unstoppable one on one. Arizona is probably going deep.
agreed. Trier is a sleeper. he can play!
Ball will be picked #2, yet not live up to the hype. That jumper will not fly in the NBA. It is broken big time. He shoots it like he still on the 10th grade.
Couldn’t agree more…he’s got “NBA bust” written all over him.
Although I have Seton Hall losing to UNC in the second round, I do think that Angel Delgado will do his best Tristan Thompson impersonation grabbing board after board, putting them back on the offensive end while protecting the rim like not many do. Although I don’t think he will enter the draft this year, I think people nation wide will finally learn who Angel Delgado is and his draft stock will rise considerably for 2018. Another guy is big Jock Landale for St Marys, same case as Delgado trying to make a name for 2018.
Did anyone watch Markkanen run up and down the court in that Oregon game? Painful. Looked like he was running with cement shoes. Only viable if he’s guarding a stiff all game.
He’s a hit or miss in my opinion. He could be dirk or he could be a less mobile olynyk
Lauri Markkanen is such a streaky shooter, that his last two games led me to picking Arizona to go far. He made 4 there’s his last two games and if he stays hot, his stock will boost like it did earlier in the season when he was hot.