What NBA fans need to watch at prospect-loaded Champions Classic

The Champions Classic is the unofficial tip-off of the college basketball season, with four of the most historic programs -- guided by four Hall of Fame coaches -- being represented in one evening. The event has produced almost an entire NBA draft's worth of prospects since its inception in 2011, with 52 players hearing their name called in six years, including 38 first-rounders and 25 lottery picks.

That's a good explanation for why all 30 NBA teams (about 80 representatives in total, according to event media coordinator Charley Green) will be present at the United Center in Chicago, as it allows decision-makers to see a significant portion of the prospects who will make up the upcoming draft, in an NBA arena versus some of the best competition they'll face all season. It's also a great opportunity for casual fans to get to know some of the names and faces who will play a big part of the way the 2017-18 college basketball season will unfold. For NBA die-hards looking to get a glimpse at a large number of players who might be donning their favorite teams' jerseys down the road, this is an even better event to tune into than the NCAA Final Four.

To help prepare you for the double-header, and get a better feel for whom to hone in on, we prepared the following chart that can serve as a cheat sheet for the event. We also break down the five biggest things to watch in each matchup, with nine top-30 prospects on display:

As you can see, we are well on track to hit the event's historical average of 4.2 lottery picks and 6.3 first-rounders. In fact, this might be the most loaded Champions Classic in history if our early-top-100-prospect rankings are any indication. Not all these players will enter the 2018 NBA draft, though, and there is certain to be significant fluctuation as the year moves on.

Looking back at the outcomes of each of the Champions Classics since 2011, it's interesting to note how rare it is for the most highly touted prospects to have the biggest impact, something that is important to keep in mind when taking in this year's event.

As we can see, NBA teams don't tend to overreact to one great game this early in the season (the NCAA tournament might be a different story), although in hindsight, maybe more emphasis should have been placed on Seth Curry's outstanding performances. Older, more polished players are typically at an advantage here, as only five of the eventual 24 lottery picks are on this list.

Five things to watch for: Duke vs Michigan State (7 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN)

1. Battle of the frontcourt: Bagley vs. Jackson and Ward vs. Carter

Marvin Bagley effortlessly coasted through his first two collegiate games, averaging 24.5 points and 10.0 rebounds with a 62.9 true shooting percentage against Elon and Utah Valley. Scouts will keep a watchful eye on how Bagley adjusts to the length and athleticism of Michigan State's premier freshman, Jaren Jackson Jr. The 18-year-old Spartans big man figures to draw the assignment on Bagley, as he has quickly emerging as Tom Izzo's most versatile defender. At 6-foot-11, 240 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan and tremendous feet, Jackson has the tools to shadow Bagley on the perimeter and alter his shots around the rim, where Bagley has converted 80 percent so far. Jackson collected four blocks and two steals in 22 minutes during Michigan State's season opener and also blocked seven shots during a Spartans exhibition game.

Bagley's jumper is still a work in progress -- he's 1-of-3 from 3 and 2-of-9 from the free throw line through two games -- and the majority of his offense comes around the rim, with above-the-rim finishes, left-handed jump hooks or touch shots off the glass. How well Bagley can score in the half court against an NBA-level defender such as Jackson will be a significant point of interest for scouts. Bagley will also have to stay tuned in on the defensive end, as Jackson is capable of stepping out as a shooter and a driver. All eyes are on Bagley, but a strong defensive performance from Jackson could boost his draft stock.

While the Bagley-Jackson matchup is the headliner, how Duke freshman Wendell Carter Jr. fares against sophomore Nick Ward is an interesting subplot. Ward is a physical, aggressive, 6-8 sophomore center who had an extremely productive freshman season, averaging 28.0 points and 13.1 rebounds per 40 minutes while finishing eighth in the NCAA in player efficiency rating. At 250 pounds, with a 7-3 wingspan, Ward is a relentless offensive rebounder (seventh in the NCAA in offensive rebounding percentage) who runs the floor hard and does his work early for deep catches in the paint.

As a freshman, Ward shot the sixth-most free throws per 40 minutes in the country, so the pressure will be on Carter Jr. to use his impressive 257-pound frame and 7-3 wingspan to match Ward's physicality and defend without fouling. Carter, a skilled post scorer and aggressive offensive rebounder in his own right, showed some comfort in stepping out against Utah Valley and could have success pulling the less athletic Ward away from the rim. Carter has also done an excellent job protecting the rim through two games, which is where Ward finds most of his success. Who wins the frontcourt battle should go a long way in determining who leaves Chicago victorious.

2. Miles Bridges at the 3?

Michigan State's star sophomore did most of his damage at the 4 last season, with longer closeouts and more space to get to his jump shot, unleash his powerful explosiveness and showcase his all-around versatility. His best minutes in the NBA are likely to come as a small-ball power forward, as well, but Bridges played almost exclusively the 3 against Northern Florida, a trend that might continue for the better part of the year with Jackson and Ward inside. It will be interesting to see how many power forward minutes Izzo gives the Spartans' leader in a more competitive game, as Michigan State could give the Blue Devils problems with either a Bridges-Jackson pairing or a Bridges-Ward frontcourt. When at the 3, however, some of Bridges' shortcomings -- creating against athletes and shooting off the dribble -- are a little more pronounced.

The explosive, versatile Bridges figures to be defended by strong-framed freshman Gary Trent Jr. and could see even some time against Bagley and Javin Delaurier, depending on how many power forward minutes he plays. If Bridges does indeed see time at the 4, how he holds up versus a 6-11 power forward/center such as Bagley figures to carry weight among NBA scouts. The Flint, Michigan, native will certainly be motivated to avenge last year's Champions Classic performance that featured nine turnovers and 2-for-11 shooting in a 21-point loss to Kentucky.

3. Can Josh Langford slow Grayson Allen?

Duke senior leader Grayson Allen is 10-of-15 from 3 through two games, knocking down deep triples in transition, off the catch and out of the pick-and-roll. Spartans sophomore Josh Langford will likely be tasked with slowing the sharp-shooter. Langford has a similar physical profile to Allen and has done a nice job of playing with energy and toughness so far this season. Izzo could also use the more physical Bridges to slow Allen for stretches if he gets hot. Scouts will be watching to see how well Allen can separate versus athletes and whether or not he can finish over the length of Jackson Jr. and Ward. So far Allen is 0-for-4 on shots at the rim plus floaters in the half court, according to Synergy Sports.

4. Forcing Trevon Duval into a half-court game

Duke's freshman point guard has done a nice job of running the show so far, playing an unselfish brand to the tune of 20 assists and one turnover in 54 total minutes. Duval is far and away at his best in transition, with 11 of those 20 assists coming in the open floor, according to Synergy. He wants to push with pace and move the ball ahead through the air. Michigan State finished in the 97th percentile in transition defense last season, according to Synergy, and scouts will be watching to see how effective Duval can be in the half court. Although more physically imposing than Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston, Duval's lack of a perimeter jumper really handicaps him in the half court, and he's still gaining experience in ball-screen situations as a facilitator. With length waiting for him at the rim, Duval figures to have his hands full against a stout Spartans defense, while tracking the creative-passing Winston on the other end.

5. Gary Trent Jr. -- the 3 and D wing

At 6-6, 215 pounds, the 18-year-old Trent Jr. has the physicality to at least hang with Bridges while spacing the floor on the other end. The developed freshman has made 53.8 percent of his 3s through two games, providing much-needed shooting for the Blue Devils. Trent Jr., the son of former longtime NBA big man Gary Trent Sr. and a key cog in the USA basketball system since 2015, is still a bit limited off the dribble and can improve his decision-making and defensive consistency. A strong game versus Bridges and the Spartans would certainly play a role in improving Trent Jr.'s draft stock.

--Mike Schmitz

Five things to watch for: Kentucky vs. Kansas (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN)

1. Size versus space

Kansas continued with their highly successful blueprint from last season, starting four guards and one center in their season-opening 92-56 rout of Tennessee State. Lagerald Vick -- 6-foot-5, 190 pounds -- is the nominal power forward playing the Josh Jackson role. He combined with small forward Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk to make seven 3-pointers, giving Kansas tremendous spacing from the perimeter for big man Udoka Azubuike or guards Devonte' Graham, Malik Newman and Marcus Garrett to take advantage of inside the paint. Almost half of Kansas' field goal attempts in their opener came from beyond the arc.

Part of that was out of necessity, due to the one-game suspension of 6-10 freshman Billy Preston. But Preston's low motor and bad habits were always going to be an odd fit on a Bill Self roster regardless, meaning we shouldn't expect him to be counted on much against Kentucky unless Self has no other alternative.

Kentucky, on the other hand, takes exactly the opposite approach. The Wildcats are the fifth-tallest team in college basketball, according to KenPom, and shoot very few 3-pointers. They will need to overcome their lack of ballhandling, shooting and playmaking by manhandling Kansas on the offensive glass, getting Azubuike in foul trouble, forcing turnovers and finding easy baskets in transition.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes Kentucky to discover that its best lineups likely revolve around P.J. Washington at center, Kevin Knox at power forward and another guard at small forward. The Wildcats have scored only five total points out of pick-and-rolls or isolations through two games so far, so they will likely have to find a way to manufacture points in the half court at some point.

Vick looks to be on the verge of a breakout season, if his improved jumper (4-7 for 3 in the opener) is indeed for real. He's a long-armed, quick-twitch athlete who has always excelled defensively and might be turning the corner with his skill level and feel for the game. He has perhaps more to gain than anyone in this game with a strong showing against Washington and Knox.

2. Backcourt matchups

Kentucky struggled at times to contain dribble penetration in both games it has played so far, something that could be an issue going up against an athletic Kansas backcourt. The Wildcats' offense has looked much better with Quade Green running the show, but his lack of size, length and experience could be problematic when asking him to match up with Graham. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an absolute terror manning the point of attack defensively at 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, but his rigid handle, inability to operate out of ball screens and streaky jumper might make it very difficult for Kentucky to score in the half court outside of just pounding the ball into the paint.

3. Hamidou's jumper

Considered a non-shooter for much of his career (21 percent from 3 in 44 games in our database), Hamidou Diallo looks to have made strides with his jumper in the offseason. He looked comfortable hitting a number of pull-up and spot-up jumpers from inside and outside the arc in Kentucky's first two contests. Prone to streakiness with his decision-making and overall consistency, Kentucky will need Diallo at his best to have any chance of overcoming Kansas' experience. Expect NBA scouts to hone in on Diallo's shooting in warm-ups to get a better feel for his mechanics and touch.

4. Kevin Knox's performance

The highest-ranked prospect in this game is Kentucky combo forward Kevin Knox, who has had a bit of a rough start to the season offensively. He is 6-of-23 from the field early on, appearing to be pressing with his shot-selection and decision-making. The poor spacing of Kentucky's offense, with Knox operating at small forward, hasn't helped matters much, as the paint has been extremely congested. With that said, Knox is extremely versatile and has found ways to contribute with his rebounding, defense and ability to push the ball in the open court, and he remains a significant talent. Considering he just turned 18 in August, NBA scouts won't overreact to his slow start.

5. Nick Richards and P.J. Washington vs. Udoka Azubuike

Kentucky's distinct advantage comes with its size, strength and length inside, and it will be interesting to track how the freshmen starters, Richards and Washington, fare in the paint. The duo will need to be asked to establish a firm presence with their backs to the basket, while also protecting the rim and dominating the glass.

Richards has looked raw and tentative early on in the season, as it looks like it will take him some time to catch up to the speed of the college game. It's not out of the question that the long-armed physical specimen will need another year at Kentucky to maximize his NBA draft stock, and this game will help scouts start to gauge just how far off he is from being ready to contribute.

Washington, on the other hand, is considered the more polished prospect. Head coach John Calipari has gotten on him early in the season for his at-times lackluster intensity level and defense. He played poorly against Utah Valley but bounced back against Vermont. Washington is a skilled player with tremendous rebounding instincts. He'll have to be focused and productive for Kentucky to have any chance of coming away with a win.

--Jonathan Givony