The 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament is here, and 64 teams will be vying for a spot in the National Championship Game come early April. And while the typical excitement about the event surely exists, it has been something of a down year for star players, as there is no sure-fire collegiate prospect that is any kind of unanimous top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
5 NBA Prospects To Watch During March Madness
Does Reed Sheppard have a chance to become the #1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft? My discussion with @tatefrazier on @FanDuelTV: https://t.co/KNesa2WDXJ pic.twitter.com/aKRVfTWNOG
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) March 12, 2024
But there are a handful of players that have the potential to boost their stock over the next two weeks. Below, we take a look at five prospects playing in the tournament that could be considered for the top-10 in the upcoming NBA Draft:
Reed Sheppard – Kentucky
Sheppard is one of two Wildcats players that are projected to be top-10 picks, and both could go in the top-5 if Kentucky puts together a memorable tournament run. The 6 foot 3 inch freshman was one of the best sharpshooters in the country this year, hitting 52.5% of his 4.4 attempts per game, and is a dual threat as a passing point guard with 4.5 assists per. His measurables at the combine will be important, as he is seen as undersized if NBA teams view him as an off-guard.
Rob Dillingham – Kentucky
Dillingham is the other elite Wildcat prospect to watch for. He has physical measurements that line up with Sheppard’s, but Dillingham is thought of as more of a pure point guard, given his excellent ball handling skills and ability to lead an offense. He has come off of the bench in 30 of his 31 games this season, but was still the second-leading scorer on the team. In fact, Sheppard and Dillingham started just a combined 6 games in 2023-24.
Ja’Kobe Walter. 🔥🐻
That’s the tweet. pic.twitter.com/Wma9yj7hpn
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) March 15, 2024
Ja’Kobe Walter – Baylor
Walter doesn’t have any statistics that pop off of the page in comparison to some of the other prospects, but he excels on defense and is serviceable three point shooter at 34% on over 6 attempts per game. Being a 3-and-D guy is an attractive trait for NBA teams, so much of his draft position depends on how the final order of the teams.
Walter’s Baylor Bears are the 3-seed in the West bracket, and will play against Colgate in the opening round.
Stephon Castle – UConn
Castle is considered to be one of the more talented players on the best team in the country, but he is buried as the 5th option on a stacked Huskies squad. He is widely projected to be a top-10 pick, though, as it is thought that he has plenty of upside at the next level.
UConn is the #1 overall seed, and will begin the tournament by taking on 16th seeded Stetson.
Dalton Knecht – Tennessee
One of the few collegiate seniors that are being considered as first round picks, Knecht is easily the most productive player on a Tennessee team that finished 24-8 and in first place in the SEC. He has averaged over 20 points in each of the past two seasons, though he played at Northern Colorado from 2021 until 2023.
The Volunteers are the #2 seed in the Midwest region, and will take on Saint Peter’s in the opening round.
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