15 NBA Draft prospects to watch out for during March Madness

Sports Illustrated and other outlets have commented on the weak 2024 NBA Draft class, but March Madness gives prospects an opportunity to shine on the biggest stage college basketball has to offer. We’ll take a look at 15 players fans should keep an eye on as they watch the 2024 NCAA Tournament. All statistics sourced from Sports Reference.

It was a race to the finish for Williams and the Colorado Buffaloes, who just snuck into the NCAA Tournament. Sports Illustrated and ESPN believe that Williams, who is the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, has the potential to go first overall in the NBA Draft. The freshman has a prototypical build for the modern NBA at 6'8".

With the Volunteers this season, Knecht has proven that he can put the ball in the basket as well as anyone in the country. He started his college career in the Big Sky with Northern Colorado, but has been a lights out three point shooter at Tennessee this year. Having played two years of junior college before his Northern Colorado days, Knecht is one of the older prospects in the draft.

Robinson has been a bit of a late bloomer, but he’s had a solid year for BYU. His game has evolved as a scorer, and profiles as a 6’7” NBA swingman. He might need to get a little stronger at the next level, but Robinson’s play in the Big 12 Conference have put him on NBA Draft Net’s map as a second round selection.

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His athleticism and physical profile won’t blow anyone away, but Sheppard has a knack for making the right play at the right time. He made a buzzer-beater against Mississippi State in February that gave Kentucky a huge win down the stretch. According to CBS Sports, Sheppard’s intangibles have him in play as a top-five NBA Draft pick.

Dillingham is the more tantalizing upside player in Kentucky’s backcourt. FanSided projects him as a potential number one option at the next level, with shifty ability to get into the paint at will. He has a bit of a slight frame, but Dillingham’s physical talent gives him a chance to rip off points in bunches in March.

Whether it’s LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler, Keyonte George or now Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor seems to have a knack for recruiting and developing talented guards in recent seasons. He’s started every game for Scott Drew as a freshman, proving that the coaching staff has complete trust in the dynamic guard.

Castle had a lot of pressure entering his freshman season with the Huskies, as the program came off winning the national championship a year ago. He’s done a nice job this year, holding down the fort in the backcourt while some of UConn’s more experienced players take over. Castle will have a chance to put his stamp on this season as a primary ballhandler in the NCAA Tournament.

Yahoo Sports detailed some off-the-court allegations against Shannon that forced him to miss some games this season, but it’s hard to deny his scoring ability on the floor. He was a decorated player in the Big 12 with Texas Tech, and is doing more of the same from an offensive standpoint with the Fighting Illini.

Filipkowski’s name might be more familiar to stories about court storming than anything else this spring, but Duke’s big man is going to have a great opportunity to show out this March. The sophomore has been a steady presence for the Blue Devils, and he might have more supporters than usual this spring considering the incident that happened to him at Wake Forest.

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Clingan has excellent size at 7’2”, 265 pounds, but will be asked to play a major role in UConn’s national championship defense this year. Clingan was solid off the bench during their run last year, and was solid this year as a starter. He may have to raise his game to another level to improve his draft prospects, though, as NBA Draft Net currently pegs him as a second rounder.

Speaking of gargantuan centers, Edey might have the most pressure on him heading into this year’s NCAA Tournament. The 7’4”, 285 pound mammoth will look to rebound from a crushing loss he and his team suffered to the 16^th seeded Farleigh Dickinson. They decided to go small against Purdue, which completely threw Edey off his game. He’ll hope to redeem himself this year.

McCullar has been a steady player for the Jayhawks this season. He’s averaged 19 points per game, and contributed across the board with solid percentages. He doesn’t really have a weakness in his game, which might help the senior contribute right away at the next level.

Although Bleacher Report compare Dalton Knecht to Max Strus with good reason, the Cavaliers swingman might also compare favorably to the skillset Karaban has. He’s shown he can stretch the floor reliably with UConn, and his ability to create spacing for his teammates is a big reason why the Huskies have a chance to cut down the nets for a second consecutive year.

Alexander has gotten better and better every year for the Blue Jays, as his field goal percentage from two, points per game, assists and rebounds have improved each year. He hasn’t shot it as well from deep this season, however, so it’ll be interesting to see if teams play off of him during the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas is chock full (pun intended) of young talent and veteran experience, and Furphy falls into the former category. His numbers don’t jump off of the page, so it’s going to be interesting to see whether Furphy has a performance during the NCAA Tournament that gives him enough confidence to declare for the draft. He might also be better served staying in school.

Ighodaro’s impact comes on the defensive end, and might a perfect fit for the modern day NBA. Sports Illustrated comments on his ability to move laterally to defend in space, but also provide resistance in the paint. His versatility might come in handy for Marquette in the weeks to come.

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