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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The spectacle that is the NCAA Tournament has played its way down to the Final Four teams vying for a national championship. How does your bracket look? Each team is led by an array of talent: lottery picks as well as some rising prospects in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Here is the NBA Draft Fast Five.
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ONE: Who Are The Top Remaining Prospects?
Three potential lottery picks, another first-round talent, and a handful of second-round prospects remain.
Arguably the two best point guards in college will square off head-to-head in Trey Burke (Michigan) and Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse) where they will be judged against each other despite not guarding each other throughout the game itself. Most likely Burke will be matched up with Brandon Triche and Carter-Williams with Tim Hardaway Jr.
Each lead guard is flanked with talented support in the likes of Hardaway Jr., Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary and Nik Stauskas for Michigan and C.J. Fair, Triche, James Southerland and Rakeem Christmas for Syracuse. In this game alone, there are three potential lottery picks and seven second-round talents.
Louisville has Gorgui Dieng, a first-round pick this year, as well as Russ Smith, Peyton Siva, Chane Behanan and Wayne Blackshear. All of those are NBA quality talents, but may not be 2013 prospects outside of the seniors and Dieng.
TWO: A Look At Wichita State
The Shockers are not some no-talent Cinderella that fell into this. They beat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in their region to get here. They are led by Oregon transfer Malcolm Armstead, who was in a major conference, contributing, before leading this mid-major to the Final Four. Fellow senior Carl Hall does the work inside the paint defending the rim, scoring and rebounding with hustle. The centerpiece of the offense that balances the play of Armstead and Hall is Cleanthony Early. He is a junior in his first year with the Shockers, able to score inside and out with solid size and shooting ability.
THREE: Who Has The Most To Gain?
How good is Peyton Siva? Maybe more importantly, how undervalued is Peyton Siva? He is the leader of one of the best teams in the country over the past five years, has taken his team to two Final Fours, and is 8-2 as the starting point guard in the NCAA Tournament. When I watch him play, the leadership and intelligence is immeasurable, but the athleticism and skill are giving me the feel of a Jameer Nelson-type NBA player. He is not going to be an elite-level point guard at the next level, but he is showcasing that he has value as a second-round pick.
FOUR: Who Has The Most To Lose
There is not a lot to lose at this point in the tournament. All prospects have had a chance to shine, play well, and do enough to impress NBA scouts. That is one thing that needs to be mentioned as much as possible. NBA scouts and decision-makers do not value the NCAA Tournament as much as fans do. If Burke, MCW, or GR3 lay an egg, it does very little to move the needle in a negative way.
FIVE: Quick Hitter
The emergence of Louisville junior guard Russ Smith has been a quality surprise. When most college pundits and scouts talked about Smith last year it wasn’t about how talented he was, but how erratic his play can be.
This season, Smith has become a quality control expert learning how to control the quality of his own play. On the season, the Cardinals are 15-2 (4-0 in the Tournament) when Smith scores 20-plus points. To be fair, they are 18-3 when he scores under 20 points, but they are a different team when Smith is the aggressor, scoring and keeping the defense off-balance. He has really opened the eyes of NBA scouts this season with the exclamation point being this run in March. Smith is an undersized scorer, but there is no doubt he can score on any level and will be the difference in the Final Four to determine whether or not his team can become champions.
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Top 5 Prospects In The Final Four
1. Michael Carter-Williams: 6-6, 185 pounds – Soph., Syracuse
Tournament Stats: 13.0 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.5 RPG, 2.75 SPG, 48.7 percent FG
Two different styles of play at the same position makes the MCW-Burke matchup as intriguing as they come. He has played well after a stretch of poor performances, regaining his confidence and showing an ability to score the ball.
2. Trey Burke: 6-1, 190 pounds – Soph., Michigan
Tournament Stats: 11.8 PPG, 7.8 APG, 3.0 RPG, 34.9 percent FG
During this tournament, Burke has been spectacular, including the comeback win over Kansas. He has shown the ability to set the offense, score when needed, and play the pick-n-roll as well (if not better) as some NBA point guards.
3. Glenn Robinson III: 6-6, 210 pounds – Fresh., Michigan
Tournament Stats: 13.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 62.1 percent FG
The flashes that GR3 has shown all season have turned into full games in the tournament. His athleticism and shooting have allowed him to make plays everywhere on the court.
4. Gorgui Dieng: 6-11, 245 pounds – Junior, Louisville
Tournament Stats: 11.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 83.3 percent FG
There is speculation that Dieng will be leaving for the NBA Draft no matter the results of the Final Four and there is nothing wrong with that. He has accomplished everything possible in college, improved his game, and become a legitimate center prospect.
5. Tim Hardaway Jr.: 6-6, 205 pounds – Junior, Michigan
Tournament Stats: 13.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 41.6 percent FG
This tournament, Hardaway Jr. has been asked to wear many different hats. He has shown the ability to handle the ball, make plays, shoot and attack the rim. All four will be needed this Saturday.
Other Prospects To Watch: C.J. Fair (Syracuse), Peyton Siva (Louisville), Chane Behanan (Louisville), Nik Stauskas (Michigan), Brandon Triche (Syracuse), and Mitch McGary (Michigan)
Who is the best prospect in the Final Four?
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