March 30, 2022
Five Future NBA Prospects
to Look Out for at March Madness
Figure 1 The
Wildcats could go all the way at March Madness
If you are a fan of the NBA or any of the other top professional
leagues around the world, you may not have that much time to keep up
with college basketball as well. But even if that is the case, you will
probably have taken some interest in the NCAA Division I Men’s
Basketball Tournament going on right now.
March Madness is loved even by fans who know nothing about college
hoops and one of the reasons why is that you get a chance to see future
NBA stars in action. Not all the winners go on to enjoy glittering
careers but their performances can have an effect on the best NBA betting sites
once they move up to the big league. Here are five March Madness stars
to keep an eye on.
Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
This 7-foot freshman might not look like he has the
strength to make it as a real star in the NBA but he is being tipped
for the very top and to be the number one overall pick in the draft.
The Bulldogs are favorite to win the championship as well – so it could
be a good year for Chet.
His defensive skills are some of the best in the NCAA and he has
already helped Gonzaga reach the Sweet 16 (as have all the players
profiled here). There seems to be no doubt that he will be a valuable
asset to any NBA team that takes him – and a championship ring would be
a great way to round things off with the Bulldogs.
Paolo Banchero, Duke
One player that could stop Holmgren from even making
it to the Final Four is Duke’s Paolo Banchero. The Blue Devils are
scheduled to meet Gonzaga in the Elite Eight if all goes well, and
Banchero will be eagerly looking forward to that match up after
dominating when the two teams met earlier in the season.
Banchero might not be playing quite as well as he was earlier in the
year but he is a highly skilled player and able to make quick decisions
when they are needed. He will never be as defensively strong as a
player like Holmgren but he does well enough - and could be a real star
if he perfects his jump shot.
Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Thanks to some early upsets in the East regional,
Purdue goes into the Sweet 16 as the highest ranked team – and that
should allow Jaden Ivey to prove even more why he is tipped to go early
in the NBA Draft. He should be the first guard picked and it would be
ideal to finish off with a Final Four performance for the Boilermakers.
Ivey is adept at a high-speed game, but can slow things down instantly
when required. He already has the physicality for the big league but
there have been some doubts about his leadership skills when things are
not going his way. But if he can improve his decision-making skills, he
should be a real asset.
Figure 2
Ivey has starred here - and could do the same in the NBA
Bennedict Mathurin,
Arizona
The Arizona Wildcats have used their
international roster to great effect this year and this Canadian
guard has been at the center of everything positive. He has come on
leaps and bounds from his freshman year and is now tipped to be a
lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Not the greatest defensively, Mathurin saves it all for the offense
side of the ball and has really improved his perimeter shooting this
season to take him to the next level. The Wildcats are one of those
teams you watch when you want to see some exciting basketball – and
Mathurin is a major reason for that.
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
Kansas may be one of the number one seeds at this
year’s March Madness but it is probably fair to say that its roster is
not as exciting as it has been in previous years. That being said, the
Jayhawks have made it to the Sweet 16 with little trouble and will feel
as though a friendly bracket will see them to the Final Four.
At the center of Kansas success is Ochai Agbaji, who might expect to go
as a lottery pick in the upcoming draft. This 6-foot-5 guard is, unlike
the other players profiled here, a senior and has steadily improved his
game in the four years in college hoops.
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