{"id":186994,"date":"2026-04-06T12:34:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=186994"},"modified":"2026-04-06T12:34:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:34:35","slug":"ncaa-national-title-prospects-grizzlies-fans-should-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/06\/ncaa-national-title-prospects-grizzlies-fans-should-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"NCAA National Title Prospects Grizzlies Fans Should Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Memphis Grizzlies fans should watch<\/a> the NCAA national title game closely, as recent history suggests at least one prospect will be prioritized. The participants, Michigan and UConn, have several prospects who fit the types of players Memphis has recently prioritized through the draft.<\/p>\n

That trend has become increasingly clear when looking at the Grizzlies\u2019 recent preference for players with deep postseason resumes, a list which includes Walter Clayton Jr.<\/span><\/span><\/a>, Zach Edey<\/span><\/span><\/a>, and Cam Spencer<\/span><\/span><\/a>. Edey and Spencer were drafted with the ninth and 53rd overall picks, respectively, in 2024. Though Clayton Jr. was a trade addition, he was on the Grizzlies’ radar in the 2025 NBA Draft before they traded up<\/a> to select Cedric Coward<\/a> with the 11th overall pick.<\/span><\/p>\n

NCAA National Title Prospects Grizzlies Fans Should Watch<\/h2>\n

For a franchise entering this offseason with three draft picks, history feels likely to repeat itself. There are six prospects Grizzlies fans should watch who could be wearing a Memphis uniform next season.<\/p>\n

Michigan Prospects to Watch<\/h3>\n

Michigan offers one of the more intriguing groups of prospects that Grizzlies fans should watch. Each of the following players brings a different archetype that Memphis could realistically value.<\/p>\n

F\/C Yaxel Lendeborg<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Yaxel Lendeborg<\/a> may be the most natural fit of the bunch. He brings toughness, rebounding, and a physical edge that fits Memphis’ DNA. He is also the highest-rated player<\/a> in the championship game. Lendeborg will be playing through MCL and ankle sprains<\/a>, displaying the toughness Grizzlies fans love. With their second 1st round pick projected in the teens, Lendeborg will be scouted at a position of need<\/a> for Memphis.<\/p>\n

C Aday Mara<\/h4>\n

Aday Mara<\/a> offers a different kind of intrigue. His size and interior skill set immediately stand out, and settle another need for the Grizzlies. He is projected in the latter half of the 1st round and at 7’3″, would make the Grizzlies’ center rotation the largest in the NBA. Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman has made a trade in every draft since 2019, so trading up to select Mara is possible.<\/p>\n

PF Morez Johnson Jr.<\/h4>\n

Morez Johnson Jr.<\/a>‘s physicality and motor make him one of the more compelling developmental bigs in the draft. He rebounds aggressively and brings a level of intensity that fits the team’s defensive identity<\/a>. He is a projected late first-round pick, so he presents another potential draft trade candidate.<\/p>\n

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UConn Prospects to Watch<\/h3>\n

Memphis drafted Spencer after he won a national championship with UConn in 2024. They know firsthand that the program has become one of college basketball\u2019s clearest pipelines for NBA-ready role players. Therefore, Grizzlies fans should watch these names accordingly.<\/p>\n

SG Braylon Mullins<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Braylon Mullins<\/a> stands out as a perimeter talent with offensive upside. Shooting, movement, and shot-confidence are all qualities Memphis can use more of. Specifically, his clutch shot-making should bring intrigue to a Grizzlies team that has struggled in the fourth quarter this season. He is projected as a mid-1st round pick, in the range that Memphis’ second first-round pick is projected to land<\/a>.<\/p>\n

C Tarris Reed Jr.<\/h4>\n

Tarris Reed Jr.<\/a> brings another archetype Memphis has historically valued. He is a rugged interior player who can rebound, defend, and hold up physically. At 6’11”, he fits the exact type of player Memphis needs behind Edey. Reed holds a second-round projection, right up the Grizzlies’ alley with their top second-round pick.<\/p>\n

SF Alex Karaban<\/h4>\n

Alex Karaban<\/a>\u2019s spacing and decision-making make him the kind of player the Grizzlies have pursued in recent drafts. He impacts the game without dominating the ball, which is a trait that matters a lot in Memphis. He also holds a second-round projection and could be added for additional wing rotation depth.<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a9 Junfu Han \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Memphis Grizzlies fans should watch the NCAA national title game closely, as recent history suggests at least one prospect will be prioritized. The participants, Michigan and UConn, have several prospects who fit the types of players Memphis has recently prioritized through the draft. That trend has become increasingly clear when looking at the Grizzlies\u2019 recent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5763,"featured_media":187282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32,1608,62,556],"tags":[98,481,832,50389],"class_list":["post-186994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grizzlies","category-basketball","category-nba","category-nba-draft","tag-nba-draft","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-tournament","tag-yaxel-lendeborg"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5763"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186994"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187284,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186994\/revisions\/187284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}