COURT SIDE
Top NBA draft prospects to watch during March Madness ... Wade, Davis, Walker sure made their shining moments count ... Brandon Jennings back with a bang
March Madness is here again, but is it just us, or have all of the scandals and bad press put a damper on the hype this time around?
Regardless of any of the distractions, this is always a fun time of the year. The upsets, mistakes and nerves make it worth watching.
Since this is an NBA space, this week we take a look at the tourney’s top potential pros. NBA front offices tend to inexplicably fall in love with prospects based on what they do in these few weeks, but these guys have been bringing it all year (with on exception):
TRAE YOUNG, OKLAHOMA
Young was the great single story of the NCAA’s season’s early going. He was doing the best Stephen Curry imitation we’ve seen, scoring at will from anywhere on the court, while also delivering breathtaking passes. He cooled down substantially and is no longer a potential top 3 pick in a draft loaded with outstanding big man, but he’s still a treat to watch. Oklahoma barely got in and will have to upset No. 7 Rhode Island to keep rolling.
DEANDRE AYTON, ARIZONA
The favourite to go No. 1 (unless European standout Luka Doncic proves too tempting to pass up) has been compared to everybody from Karl-Anthony
Towns to David West.
There’s little Ayton can’t do, provided he feels like it.
MO BAMBA, TEXAS
Bamba is a freak of nature, impossibly long and athletic, he completely locks down the paint. He might go in the top five even without an offensive game.
JAREN JACKSON JR., MICHIGAN STATE
Did you know his dad played guard for the Raptors? So did the father of Villanova’s Jalen Brunson.
Both of those kids are going to be way better NBAers than their dads and Jackson, in particular, projects as an excellent pro because he can do it at both ends. Being coached by Tom
Izzo won’t hurt either.
COLLIN SEXTON, ALABAMA
Sexton was a bit of a sleeper who some felt could drop out of the top 10. That was before four huge games in a row elevated his stock potentially even ahead of Young’s. The combo guard is just fun to watch.
MARVIN BAGLEY III AND WENDELL CARTER, DUKE
These big Blue Devils have been too much for most opponents to handle all year and Bagley in particular looks like a stud in waiting.
MICHAEL PORTER JR., MISSOURI
That exception we mentioned, Porter was considered perhaps the biggest talent in his high school class, but a severe spinal injury cut his freshman season to 25 minutes (two in the season-opener, and 23 in his recent comeback).
He’s only at 60 or 70% right now, but can still turn heads.
SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, KENTUCKY
The top Canadian to watch, Hamilton’s own Gilgeous-Alexander was the MVP of the SEC Tournament and can contribute in a variety of ways.
There’s others to keep an eye on, but that list is a good start.
Enjoy the madness.
PAST STANDOUTS
A brief list of current NBAers who had extreme coming out parties at the tournament: Anthony
Davis (a monster today, a monster back when he led Kentucky to its first national title in ages); Dwyane Wade
(Wade at Marquette became one of the biggest tourney supernovas ever); Carmelo Anthony (Wade’s draft-mate did even better, leading Syracuse to its only crown in a freshman season for the ages, though Hakim
Warrick supplied the most memorable moment with his block); Kemba Walker
(UConn had no business winning night after night, but Walker refused to miss when games were on the line); Gordon Hayward (Remember when he led then unknown Butler within
inches of the biggest underdog triumph ever?); Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer (Billy Donovan’s
back-to-back Florida title teams were powered by the defence provided by this triumvirate); Frank Kaminsky
(Frank the Tank had it going for Wisconsin in 2014 and 2015, but unlike the other names on this list, hasn’t carried it over to the NBA).
WELCOME BACK
Brandon Jennings has had a fascinating career. From going to Italy instead of the NCAA, to a rookie season that saw him score 55 points in just his seventh game, Jennings eventually became a journeyman and eventually left to play in China.
Jennings returned to North America last month, playing for Wisconsin, of the G-League, before being called up by Milwaukee, the team that originally drafted him back in 2009.
On Monday, in his first NBA appearance in over a year, Jennings had 16 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in a win over Memphis.
AROUND THE RIM
Golden State has lost a few games lately but doesn’t seem too concerned. The team cancelled practice on Tuesday after what looked to be quite a night celebrating Curry’s 30th birthday … Clippers guard Avery Bradley will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a couple of muscle issues … Dallas veteran is also done for the year due to a broken leg.