4 players who boosted NBA Draft stock during March Madness run

13/04/2024 00:24

With March Madness complete and all eyes on the transfer portal and coaching carousel, college basketball fans must also pay attention to which players are entering the NBA Draft. Indian’s Kel’el Ware and Duke’s Jared McCain are among the players who have already terminated their college eligibility to go pro. Who will join them?

Here are four players who raised their NBA Draft stock during the NCAA Tournament.

N’Faly Dante (Center), Oregon

After missing the better part of two months with a knee injury, Oregon center N’Faly Dante showed why he is one of the best big men in the country during March. Dante was a perfect 12-12 from the field with 25 points in the Ducks’ Pac-12 Championship Game victory over Colorado and continued his dominance in the NCAA Tournament. The senior averaged 25.5 PPG across two March Madness appearances, asserting himself in various ways.

Against South Carolina, Dante went to the free throw line 15 times. Versus Creighton, he shot 11-15 at the rim while pulling down a career-high 20 rebounds. The native of Mali also had two blocks and two steals in each contest.

Dante stands 6-11 with a 7-5 wingspan with the athleticism to match. The 22-year-old still needs to improve his post moves and overall offensive technique, but N’Faly Dante proved he has the skills to be a second-round pick in the NBA Draft with considerable upside.

KJ Simpson (Guard), Colorado

NBA scouts always have an inherent bias against smaller guards, but it is difficult to look past KJ Simpson’s performances in the NCAA Tournament. Simpson had at least 20 points in each of his March Madness appearances while averaging six assists and five boards per contest. Though he struggled from deep in the tournament, Simpson shot 43.4% from beyond the arc on the year.

At 6-2, 189 pounds, Simpson does not have the physicality to be an NBA star, but the Colorado point guard is the ideal sixth man to serve as an offensive creator off the bench.

Zach Edey (C), Purdue

If any doubters of Zach Edey existed entering the NCAA Tournament, Purdue’s big man silenced their measly concerns. The seven-footer averaged 29.5 points/game in the NCAA Tournament while grabbing no fewer than 10 boards in a contest. This includes a 40-point showing against Tennessee’s elite defense and 37 points against projected NBA Draft lottery pick and fellow seven-foot giant Donovan Clingan. Edey demonstrated his endless motor, sitting for just four minutes total across his final four contests.

Though he has improved his foot speed, questions remain about Edey’s athleticism at the pro level. Can he hold his in pick-and-roll situations — an area UConn was able to take advantage of in the National Championship Game? Will an NBA team be willing to slow down its tempo for the 7-4 Purdue center? While these concerns are valid, Zach Edey’s dominance in the NCAA Tournament proves he is still valuable even if he is not a multi-dimensional player.

Tyler Kolek (Guard), Marquette

After a somewhat up-and-down campaign and a worrisome late-season injury, Marquette guard Tyler Kolek quieted any concerns about his NBA Draft stock during the NCAA Tournament. The junior notched 11-assist double-doubles in each of his first two contests, supplanting his assist total with games of 18 and 21 points. That assist total would have been higher in game three if his teammates went better than 4-31 from three.

Kolek’s ability to create for others and distribute is unlike any other player in the NBA Draft this year, making him a potential first-round pick.

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