We are officially entering conference tournament time with March Madness right around the corner. This time of year is especially important for NBA draft prospects hoping to increase their stock. In college basketball specifically, having big performances in postseason play can help to cement or elevate their status. So which college basketball players should we be looking out for?
Let’s take a look at college basketball’s best NBA draft prospects at this point in the season!
2024 NBA Draft Prospects To Watch In March Madness
1) Cody Williams: Colorado
Cody Williams has been rising up draft boards consistently and may still be the first collegiate player selected. Colorado is currently riding a winning streak and sits as a bubble team for March Madness play. The latest projections have them projected as one of the last four in. Either way, Williams will want to capitalize on the Pac-12 tournament and secure a spot in the big dance. He’s a six-foot-eight slender wing in his freshman season at Colorado this year. Williams is the younger brother of starting NBA guard Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s a smooth and fluid athlete who looks to have a very polished all-around game for his age. Young wings with production and upside like Williams are usually always at the top of the draft.
2) Rob Dillingham: Kentucky
Rob Dillingham is a twitchy scorer who plays with a lot of flash. The major concern for Dillingham coming into the season was exactly what role he could fill at the next level. Was he a spark-off-the-bench microwave scorer? Can he play true point guard? Dillingham answered these questions by mostly proving he can succeed at whatever role is needed. He’s thrived with just about any lineup on the floor. He’s been able to dish out assists, handle point guard responsibility, or even become an explosive scorer if that’s needed.
Dillingham will be one of the biggest prospects to watch in March Madness as he’s always capable of big game performances.
3) Reed Sheppard: Kentucky
Reed Sheppard was another surprise to draft boards and wasn’t expected to be one of the top prospects above other teammates at Kentucky. He’s only six-foot-three and doesn’t possess elite athleticism, but he’s shown that he can be a lethal shooter and high-IQ passer. He also has shown he’s an extremely adept team defender averaging a ridiculous 2.5 steals per game. Sheppard established himself as a top player on a loaded Kentucky team when not many expected him to. There’s more than enough reason to believe he’ll accomplish the same thing for an NBA team when finding a role.
Sheppard and Dillingham will be the best draft prospect tandem in March Madness. Sheppard will look to cement his lottery status with high-efficiency play.
4) Ja’Kobe Walter: Baylor
It’s an easy buy-in process when analyzing Ja’Kobe Walter’s skillset. He’s long, athletic, and can shoot the three-ball at a high clip. He uses this length and athleticism to be very effective on the defensive end as well. This 3-and-D archetype makes Walter one of the safer bets in this draft. He isn’t the strongest in the self-creation department, but he’s so solid at other aspects of the game that scouts can overlook it. Baylor’s preparing to make a deep run in the tournament, and Walter could use big game performances to increase stock.
5) Kyle Filipowski: Duke
Kyle Filipowski is a seven-foot big man with good perimeter skills. He’s shown much better percentages and overall play so far in his sophomore season at Duke. It’s helped place them as the number nine overall team in the country. His shooting touch and fundamentals for his size certainly all pass the eye test. He hopes to make a team in the back end of the lottery very happy on draft night.
Filipowski will play with other prospects looking to boost their stock in March Madness, but he’s the best prospect. He will hope to make a top-ten push with big-game performances.
6) Stephon Castle: UConn
Stephon Castle is another tall lead guard at six-foot-six. His physical tools allow him to be either a point guard with good size or a wing with good ball-handling ability. Castle has also shown he can compete on the defensive end of the floor as well. Right now, Castle’s stock is still based more on upside and projections rather than production. He’s missed some time due to injury but has also struggled to find a rhythm on a stacked UCONN team.
This stacked team should allow Castle plenty of opportunity in the spotlight however as they currently sit at number two in the country.
7) Dalton Knecht: Tennessee
Dalton Knecht is playing his best basketball down the stretch. He’s had big-game performances somewhat consistently. These outbursts have helped solidify questions about first-round potential, and have many believing him to be a lottery talent. He is a six-foot-six wing who’s a great perimeter shooter and also goes for highlight dunks when given a runway. Knecht has also shown he can provide great value as a cutter making him a good off-ball role player on offense. Currently, he isn’t the best lateral mover on defense, but there’s reason to believe he will be serviceable.
Knecht could be the most exciting prospect to watch in March Madness due to his affinity for big games. He also plays for a number four ranked Volunteers team that should make a deep run.
