NBA PROSPECTS ABOUND AT THE SOUTH REGIONAL
There are different reasons to be interested in the NCAA tournament: seeing the best college basketball teams going toe-to-toe in a high-stakes setting. The general excitement of a one-and-done tournament. If you have a rooting interest in a particular school. And, of course, the universal concern that unites hardcore and casual watchers alike: brackets.
But there’s at least one more, especially if you’re an NBA fan who doesn’t follow the college game closely in the regular season: a chance to get acquainted with the next batch of pros ahead of the summer’s NBA draft. (Where, for the moment at least, the Grizzlies will not have a pick.)
In this regard, the NCAA South Regional being held in Memphis FridaySunday presents a rare bounty. While underdog four-seed Butler doesn’t boast any obvious pros, the three blue-chip programs — North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA — on the grid share among them three consensus Top 10 picks, five other potential first-round picks, and a few others further down the radar.
NBA scouting eyes will be on Memphis this weekend, particularly on Friday’s Kentucky-UCLA rematch. A look at the top prospects in town, with their prospect rankings from ESPN and Draft Express:
Lonzo Ball, UCLA (ESPN: 2, Draft Express: 2): The heralded (and not just by his father) Ball has been a stat-sheet stuffer in his lone season at UCLA. A 6’5” do-it-all guard considered a sure-fire top two pick and potential franchise player at the next level, Ball’s potential is described as “Jason Kidd with a jumper” by ESPN’s Chad Ford. With fellow top-two contender Markelle Fultz, a guard for non-tourney-team Washington, done for the season, Ball has a chance to seize the spotlight and build on his No. 1 pick resume in Memphis.
De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky (ESPN: 6, Draft Express: 5): While not as polished an offensive player as Ball, Fox has electric speed at 6’4” and projects as an elite defender, athletic markers that could allow him to blossom even more at the next level. Something that doesn’t hurt: John Calipari has put an awful lot of lead guards (John Wall, Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, Derrick Rose, Tyler Ulis) in the NBA.
Malik Monk, Kentucky (ESPN: 7, Draft Express: 10): At 6’3”, Fox’s teammate Monk is a little undersized for an NBA shooting guard, but has been such a prolific bucket getter that he might thrive in the more wide-open pro game anyway, even if he might be as likely to be a volume-scoring sixth man as a star. Ford says Monk “might be the best scorer in this draft class.” He’s struggled so far in the tourney, scoring only 26 points on 621 scoring in two games and could use a rebound in Memphis to help keep him in the high-lottery mix.
T.J. Leaf, UCLA (ESPN: 17, Draft Express: 29): At 6’9” with 3-point range and good passing ability, Leaf profiles as a quality offensive player in the “stretch four” mold at the next level, but there’s a lot of question about whether he’ll have the strength or athleticism to ably defend either forward position. A combination of 46 percent 3-point shooting and more than 8 rebounds a game as a college freshman for an elite program is the kind of production that gets the attention of pro talent evaluators.
Justin Jackson, North Carolina (ESPN: 35, Draft Express: 14): The only non-freshman on the list, this junior small forward’s draft stock is unsettled, as the divergent ratings from ESPN and Draft Express suggest. Jackson isn’t a great athlete, but his size (6’8” with a 6’11” wingspan), production against top college competition (he jumped from 12 to 18 points per game this season), and coveted ability to spread the floor (39% threepoint shooting on 7 attempts per game) should get him a first-round look in a league starved for talent on the wing. (See: Grizzlies, Memphis.) Jackson has had a good tournament so far, hitting 8 of 14 threes.
Edrice Adebayo, Kentucky (ESPN: 19, Draft Express: 31): Unlike Leaf, Adebayo has an NBA-ready body at age 19 but still needs to fine-tune his skills. Adebayo has shown the ability to defend both in the paint and along the perimeter. He had double-doubles in each of this first two tourney games. A similarly productive performance against UCLA could help him solidify a spot in the first round.
Ike Anigbogu, UCLA (ESPN: 30, Draft Express: 20): Similar to Adebayo, Anigbogu is a ruggedly built big man whose offensive skills are still a work in progress. But the even younger Anigbogu (he’d still be 18 when NBA training camps opened this fall) is further behind developmentally. Probably the most likely of these prospects to return to college next season. Has only played seven minutes so far in the tournament.
Tony Bradley, North Carolina (ESPN: 27, Draft Express: 51): A center with soft hands and a 7’4” wingspan. Only a part-timer as a college freshman (he scored 7 points in 12 minutes in the second round against Arkansas), but would likely be drafted on potential if he decides to come out, especially with the NBA expanding its developmental league next season.
Other draft prospects: Wenyen Gabriel (Kentucky), Aaron Holiday (UCLA), Joel Berry (North Carolina), Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky), Isaiah Hicks (North Carolina).