As the Elite 8 tips off Saturday evening, NBA scouts will rush far and wide to assess the college ranks’ premier talent. Underneath, The Crossover presents some game-by-game guide, for NBA fans to evaluate the greater part of the tournament’s outstanding prospects during the current year’s draft and beyond.
Some of the Best Prospects Remaining
Gonzaga
Zach Collins | C | Freshman
The 7-foot Las Vegas native may possess the most noteworthy upside of any big man in this draft. Playing just 17 minutes for each game, Collins’ numbers don’t promptly bounce off the page. In any case, through two tournament games, he’s found the middle value and insane 12 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in only 21 minutes for each night. The defensive potential what NBA scouts are genuinely amped up for. Collins can appear out against a persistent, attacking Xavier offense.
Nigel Williams-Goss | PG | Senior
At 6’4 with a 6’6 wingspan, Williams-Goss fits the prototypical profile of a cutting edge NBA point guard. The senior poses a more constrained upside at 22—he redshirted last season, in the wake of transferring from Washington—but can stroke from deep and is a master of the pick-and-roll. He delivered 1.028 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball handler this season. Xavier’s fiesty guards will be a decent test to contend with.
Przemek Karnowski | C | Senior
At 23, the 7’1 goliath bridles significantly smaller upside than his classmate, yet it’s difficult to teach the touch and feel Karnowski displays with normality—averaging 1.9 assists for each game—for a man that large. He’s underwhelming on the glass and at the line, but there’s just a similarity of a NBA player at his current 300-pound weight. Xavier’s tenacious attack will likewise be a proven tough task.
Josh Perkins | G | Sophomore
After a freak accident kick broke his jaw and rashly finished his freshman season, Perkins has given reliable scoring punch to the Zags in the past two years, drilling 38.9% of his 280 three-point tries. A point guard in terms of trade, Perkins will have a chance to grandstand his creation capacities Xavier’s defense.
Killian Tillie | F | Freshman
You won’t see quite a bit of 6’10 Frenchman on Thursday, yet Tillie gave some profitable energy minutes to the Bulldogs against Northwestern. He can shoot it from deep, attack the glass and secure the rim. Tillie isn’t prepared for this June, yet could surge up draft boards next season with additional playing time.
Xavier
Trevon Bluiett | G | Junior
Bluiett stepped forward this season, when an injury required somebody to shoulder to a greater extent of a scoring load. After a sizeable uptick in three-point conversion from his freshman to sophomore year, the 6’6 scorer proved his stroke is genuine this season, emptying 37.7% out of deep. He’s been relentless this tournament, averaging 25 points per game. In the event that he can light Gonzaga’s endless supply of perimeter pests, Bluiett will proceed with ascend from the back end of the second round.
Tyrique Jones | F | Freshman
The 6’9 leaper has played sparingly this season, however flashed his enticing potential in the second round against Florida State. He smashed the glass and finished with authority while beginning and playing 17 minutes. Jones saw 14 minutes to battle Lauri Markkanen in the Sweet 16, and will probably again see major role against Collins and Karnowski. A solid effort against a top-NBA prospect will start talent evaluators’ consideration for the 2018 draft.
Jordan Bell | PF | Junior
Oregon’s whole defense spins around Bell: he eats up rebounds, protects the rim, hops in passing lanes and can switch onto any frontcourt opponent. He’ll have the chance to glimmer that defensive vitality against Kansas, where he’ll without a doubt match up against both the stout Landen Lucas and the dangerous Josh Jackson. Bell could sneak his way into the first round if he resolves his jumper amid pre-draft training. That is improbable, but in any case, he’s an exciting, uber athletic prospect who as of now has a defined role.
Dillon Brooks | F | Junior
Brooks hugely enhanced his jump shot this season, taking off from 34% over his first two years to a 40.9% clasp as an upper-class-men. Confronting Kansas’ three-point-happy offense, the Ducks will probably hope to lift from deep also, exhibiting Brooks a chance to associate from deep, and parlay his jumper into dribble drives and the vicious attacks on the rim that he showcased this season. That assorted skillset has made NBA scouts more fascinated this campaign than in years past.
Tyler Dorsey | SG | Sophomore
The 6’5 sharpshooter has reliably rained more than 40% of his threes, on about 400 attempts amid his first two seasons at Oregon. Be that as it may, at 23, bragging just a 6’3 wingspan on a thin edge, there’s very little else to get amped up for. He can flourish against Kansas for an indistinguishable reasons from Brooks. The stage can introduce a platform to exhibit some playmaking capacities scouts have not seen quite a bit of. Dorsey could ascend sheets in 2018 once Bell and Brooks leave this spring.
Payton Pritchard | PG | Freshman
Another more extended term prospect, Pritchard hasn’t posted grandiose numbers this season, however has looked like an ace style point guard. He’s converted over 36% of his outside tries, can complete among the trees at the rim and has created for team mates. Pritchard controls defences like a veteran. Squaring off with a feline speedy senior in Frank Mason will be a decent barometer.
Kansas
Josh Jackson | F | Kansas
In the event that you don’t realize what Jackson does well right now, you haven’t been giving careful consideration to the Jayhawks. In the Elite 8, it will captivate to watch if Jackson can reproduce the amazing scoring frenzy he used to thump out Michigan State. The fresh man scored 15 points and got 12 rebounds against Purdue. It won’t be simple for Jackson to cut through Oregon’s niggardly barrier, and pour in off-the-bounce jumpers as he did against the Spartans. Success around there will be something to monitor.
Devonte’ Graham | PG | Junior
At 22, Graham is old for a junior; however he had a huge season back at Kansas. The Jayhawks’ two-headed point guard attack has led their offense all season, and it’s worked to a great extent because of the reality Graham is an outright expert marksman shooting off the ball. Oregon’s defense begins at the highest point of the key. In what capacity will Graham react to the pressure?
Blunt Mason III | PG | Senior
The diminutive point watch is the straw that blends the drink for Kansas, and he’s burnt contradicting defences all the season: shooting, finishing at the rim, creating for others. His size will keep on limiting his NBA prospects, but success without wanting to just support his stock.