Tracking This Year’s NBA Draft Class: 5 Prospects Whose Stock Improved In March Madness

Each Wednesday, we’ll be assessing how the top prospects of the 2013 NBA Draft are faring in college and overseas. Stick with us each week for assorted thoughts, including the biggest risers and fallers, the standouts, the sleepers and what we know and don’t know about the next NBA Draft class…

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It isn’t until after the National Championship Game that the NBA Draft takes off into full swing. Top prospects begin to declare, tournaments and combines are filled up, and the class starts to take form. Here is a post-Tournament report for fans of the NBA’s cellar dwellers.

Here is the NBA Draft Fast Five.

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ONE: Who Has Declared?
Typically the 48 hours following the National Championship Game is a time frame where the top prospects in the NBA Draft begin to announce their decisions. So far of the Top 14 prospects on my Big Board, Ben McLemore (No. 2), Anthony Bennett (No. 5), Victor Oladipo (No. 10) and Cody Zeller (No. 11) have all announced they have declared for the 2013 NBA Draft. No surprises there.

The expectation is that Nerlens Noel (No. 1), Marcus Smart (No. 3), Michael Carter-Williams (No. 6), Trey Burke (No. 7) and Shabazz Muhammad (No. 12) will all declare as well. With this draft lacking stars at the top, as many as six different prospects could go No. 1 overall after talking to NBA scouts.

TWO: Who Is Expected To Stay?
There is a chance that Alex Len (No. 8) of Maryland, Isaiah Austin (No. 9) of Baylor, Glenn Robinson III (No. 13) of Michigan, and Adreian Payne (No. 15) of Michigan State could all return to school. They all have lottery potential in this year’s class.

THREE: Portsmouth Invitational
This is typically the showcase for seniors that are not expected to be invited to the Chicago Combine (more on that below) and want to boost their stock. It is a quality tournament that features teams coached by former NBA players as well as NBA caliber coaches. The best players at this year’s PIT are D.J. Cooper of Ohio, Kenny Boynton of Florida, Robert Covington of Tennessee State, Brandon Davies of BYU, Khalif Wyatt of Temple, and Elston Turner Jr. of Texas A&M.

FOUR: Chicago Combine
The 60 prospect participant list will not be released for a while with the combine not happening until mid-May (16-17), but the list is typically an indication of who NBA decision-makers feel will be drafted. Last year, 10 invitees were not drafted, but the wildcard of the international prospect was the reason, with seven of the final 13 picks being from outside of the country — none of which have played an NBA minute.

Keep reading to see which five prospects raised their stock the most throughout March Madness…

FIVE: Quick Hitter
Every year the NCAA Tournament makes a star or two for the right reasons and, at times, the wrong reasons. Most recently the likes of Omar Samhan, Kyle O’Quinn and Jimmer Fredette all became household names through March Madness, and saw their NBA stock grow to undeserving all-time highs. This year, it’ll surely happen again. Despite past mistakes, there will still be a few college basketball players that become the next Samhan because of March Madness.

But when a prospect is on the radar of NBA decision-makers and has an explosive Tournament showing to raise their stock? That’s another story. Below are players that fit that mold as prospects that were already on the radar. Some names that were not but had solid showings, like Luke Hancock or Malcolm Armstead, got national attention, which could lead to calls from agents and teams for workouts.

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Top 5 Prospects That Raised Their Stock In The NCAA Tournament

1. Mitch McGary: 6-9, 263 pounds – Fresh., Michigan
Tourney Stats (6 Games): 14.3 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.0 BPG, 67.8 percent FG
During the media sessions at the Elite Eight, McGary was definitive that he was returning to school, but those decisions can change in a snap. With his play in the Tournament, scouts are hot on him as a first-round pick.

2. Russ Smith: 6-0 165 pounds – Junior, Louisville
Tourney Stats (6 Games): 22.3 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 SPG, 45.3 percent FG
Five straight games with 20-plus points in the Tournament had not been accomplished in nearly 14 years until Smith went off this year. He is an erratic decision-maker, but scores in bunches, which has value at the next level.

3. Trey Burke: 6-1, 190 pounds – Soph, Michigan
Tourney Stats (6 Games): 15.5 PPG, 6.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 35.3 percent FG, 30.5 percent 3PT
Looking strictly at the shooting numbers and the number of poor shots he took, Burke should not be in this category. But he hit the most important of those tough shots and nearly won a National Championship with the ball in his hands on just about every play.

4. Vander Blue: 6-4, 190 pounds – Junior, Marquette
Tourney Stats (4 Games): 18.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 42.1 percent FG
The run Marquette made hinged on the play of Blue, who stepped up and into the leadership role on both ends of the floor. Known more as a lockdown defender, Blue was able to score consistently and in clutch situations.

5. Seth Curry: 6-2, 180 pounds – Senior, Duke
Tourney Stats (4 Games): 21.0 PPG, 0.8 APG, 47.2 percent FG, 50 percent 3PT
Those Currys can shoot. Seth is not the exception, either, as he made 12 three-point shots while Duke ran to the Elite Eight behind his scoring.

Who impressed you the most in the NCAA Tournament?

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