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ESPN- NBA draft analyst and writer
Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
The first weekend of the NCAA men's tournament is in the books. Several prospects possibly played in their last college games while two of the projected top-three NBA draft picks advanced to the Sweet 16.
As the tournament advances, the matchups will continue to be more compelling as scouts will take notice of prospects playing against stiffer competition. Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren has already faced one test in a highly anticipated matchup against Memphis, getting the best of fellow freshman center Jalen Duren on Saturday night in a game where both projected lottery picks were in foul trouble.
Paolo Banchero and Duke advanced, with Banchero (19 points, seven rebounds, four assists) hitting several big shots as the Blue Devils avoided a scare against Michigan State.
Meanwhile, Auburn's Jabari Smith had his worst offensive game of the season as No. 2 seed Auburn was upset by No. 10 seed Miami.
ESPN's NBA draft experts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have been glued to the March Madness action all weekend. Givony's updated NBA mock draft is below and Givony and Schmitz provide the latest observations on Holmgren, Banchero, Smith, Duren, Baylor's Jeremy Sochan and more.
Note: The projected 2022 draft order is based on ESPN BPI draft projections as of Saturday. The full 1-58 order also reflects picks owed and owned.
Jonathan Givony's NBA mock draft
Chet Holmgren | Gonzaga | 7-0 | PF | Age: 19.8
Jabari Smith | Auburn | 6-10 | SF/PF | Age: 18.8
Paolo Banchero | Duke | 6-10 | PF/C | Age: 19.3
Jaden Ivey | Purdue | 6-4 | PG/SG | Age: 20.0
Keegan Murray | Iowa | 6-9 | PF/C | Age: 21.5
Shaedon Sharpe | Kentucky | 6-6 | SG | Age: 18.8
Jalen Duren | Memphis | 6-10 | C | Age: 18.3
AJ Griffin | Duke | 6-6 | SF/PF | Age: 18.5
9. New Orleans Pelicans (from Lakers)
Johnny Davis | Wisconsin | 6-5 | PG/SG | Age: 20.0
Dyson Daniels | G League Ignite | 6-6 | PG/SG | Age: 19.0
11. New York Knicks
Bennedict Mathurin | Arizona | 6-6 | SF | Age: 19.7
12. Portland Trail Blazers (from Pelicans)
Ochai Agbaji | Kansas | 6-6 | SF | Age: 21.9
13. Atlanta Hawks
Jeremy Sochan | Baylor | 6-9 | PF | Age: 18.8
14. Charlotte Hornets (Hawks if 19-30)
TyTy Washington Jr. | Kentucky | 6-4 | PG/SG | Age: 20.3
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
Tari Eason | LSU | 6-8 | PF | Age: 20.8
16. Houston Rockets (from Nets)
Malaki Branham | Ohio St. | 6-5 | SG | Age: 18.8
17. Indiana Pacers
Kennedy Chandler | Tennessee | 6-1 | PG | Age: 19.5
18. Chicago Bulls
E.J. Liddell | Ohio St. | 6-7 | PF | Age: 21.2
Ousmane Dieng | NZ Breakers | 6-10 | SF/PF | Age: 18.8
20. San Antonio Spurs (from Raptors)
Blake Wesley | Notre Dame | 6-5 | SG | Age: 19.0
21. Brooklyn Nets (from 76ers)
Mark Williams | Duke | 7-1 | C | Age: 20.2
22. San Antonio Spurs (from Celtics)
Nikola Jovic | Mega Mozzart | 6-10 | SF | Age: 18.7
23. Denver Nuggets
MarJon Beauchamp | G League Ignite | 6-6 | SG/SF | Age: 21.4
24. Memphis Grizzlies (from Jazz)
Walker Kessler | Auburn | 7-1 | C | Age: 20.6
25. Dallas Mavericks
Kendall Brown | Baylor | 6-8 | SF | Age: 18.8
26. Milwaukee Bucks
Jaden Hardy | G League Ignite | 6-4 | SG | Age: 19.7
Trevor Keels | Duke | 6-5 | PG/SG | Age: 18.5
28. Miami Heat
Jean Montero | Overtime Elite | 6-2 | PG/SG | Age: 18.7
29. Memphis Grizzlies
Patrick Baldwin Jr. | Milwaukee | 6-9 | SF/PF | Age: 19.3
30. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Suns)
Bryce McGowens | Nebraska | 6-6 | SG | Age: 19.3
31. Indiana Pacers (from Cavaliers via Rockets)
David Roddy | Colorado St. | 6-5 | PF | Age: 20.9
32. Orlando Magic
Hugo Besson | NZ Breakers | 6-5 | PG/SG| Age: 20.8
33. Orlando Magic (from Pacers)
Christian Braun | Kansas | 6-6 | SG/SF | Age: 20.9
34. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wendell Moore Jr. | Duke | 6-6 | SF | Age: 20.5
35. Toronto Raptors (from Pistons)
Justin Lewis | Marquette | 6-7 | SF/PF | Age: 19.9
36. Sacramento Kings
Ismael Kamagate | Paris | 6-11 | C | Age: 21.1
37. Portland Trail Blazers
Christian Koloko | Arizona | 7-1 | C | Age: 21.7
38. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Spurs)
JD Davison | Alabama | 6-3 | PG | Age: 19.4
39. San Antonio Spurs (from Lakers)
Khalifa Diop | Gran Canaria | 7-0 | C | Age: 20.1
40. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Cavaliers via Wizards)
Jake LaRavia | Wake Forest | 6-8 | PF | Age: 20.3
41. New York Knicks
Max Christie | Michigan St. | 6-6 | SG | Age: 19.1
42. Charlotte Hornets (from Pelicans)
Oscar Tshiebwe | Kentucky | 6-9 | C | Age: 22.3
43. Atlanta Hawks
Yannick Nzosa | Unicaja Malaga | 6-11 | C | Age: 18.3
44. Charlotte Hornets
Keon Ellis | Alabama | 6-6 | SG/SF | Age: 22.1
45. LA Clippers
Trevion Williams | Purdue | 6-10 | C | Age: 21.5
46. Detroit Pistons (from Nets)
Dalen Terry | Arizona | 6-7 | PG/SG | Age: 19.6
47. New Orleans Pelicans (from Cavaliers)
Andrew Nembhard | Gonzaga | 6-4 | PG | Age: 22.1
48. Sacramento Kings (from Bulls)
Jalen Williams | Santa Clara | 6-6 | SF | Age: 20.9
49. Minnesota Timberwolves
Drew Timme | Gonzaga | 6-10 | PF/C | Age: 21.5
50. Golden State Warriors (from Raptors)
Matteo Spagnolo | Cremona | 6-5 | PG | Age: 19.1
Gabriele Procida | Fortitudo Bologna | 6-7 | SG | Age: 19.8
52. Boston Celtics
Jaime Jaquez Jr. | UCLA | 6-6 | SG | Age: 21.0
53. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nuggets)
Alondes Williams | Wake Forest | 6-5 | PG/SG | Age: 22.7
54. New Orleans Pelicans (from Jazz)
Michael Foster | G League Ignite | 6-9 | PF | Age: 19.1
55. Washington Wizards (from Mavericks)
Dominick Barlow | Overtime Elite | 6-9 | PF/C | Age: 18.8
56. Golden State Warriors
Julian Champagnie | St. John's | 6-8 | SF/PF | Age: 20.7
57. Portland Trail Blazers (from Grizzlies)
Ron Harper Jr. | Rutgers | 6-6 | SF/PF | Age: 21.9
58. Indiana Pacers (from Suns)
Jabari Walker | Colorado | 6-8 | PF | Age: 19.6
Chet Holmgren | 7-1 | PF | Gonzaga | Age: 19.8 | Mock draft: No. 1
Gonzaga escaped with a win against freshman center Jalen Duren and a powerful Memphis squad that put quite a scare into the NCAA tournament's No. 1 overall seed, with Holmgren having a somewhat underwhelming performance by his lofty standards.
It started with real fireworks between the projected top-10 picks, with Holmgren stifling Duren repeatedly inside the post, showing impressive toughness and fight despite giving up more than 50 pounds, along with his extraordinary length and timing challenging him at the rim. Foul trouble prevented the two from seeing as much head-to-head action as scouts may have liked, with both players in foul trouble, but Holmgren still clearly got the best of the matchup.
Holmgren was somewhat passive offensively by his recent standards, not looking to push the ball off the defensive glass or exploit mismatches in short-roll situations as aggressively as in previous showings. His outside shot wasn't falling either, as he's hit a bit of a cold streak, converting just 1 of his last 14 attempts from 3, but is still at 39% from 3 on the season. He also missed two of his three free throws, including the front end of a key 1-and-1, which is uncharacteristic. While nerves may have been a factor, he also seemed to be deferring to the experience of upperclassmen stars Drew Timme and Andrew Nembhard, who were both having huge games and carrying the team in different stretches.
Clipped up Chet Holmgren's defense vs Memphis -- the good and the bad -- broken down into 1 on 1 defense, pick + roll defense, rim protection + defensive rebounding. Some bright spots using his length + some struggles vs physicality. Holmgren ultimately finished a team-high +18. pic.twitter.com/QWN4bWiL1J
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) March 20, 2022
Despite his relatively muted impact offensively, Holmgren was a huge factor defensively as usual, blocking four shots, challenging countless others and finishing +18 in a game Gonzaga won by four. Naysayers will point to the struggles he had dealing with physicality, as he got pushed around on the glass at times and dunked on emphatically by Duren while attempting to draw a charge. Holmgren moves onto the Sweet 16, where he'll face another formidable opponent in Arkansas, with the No. 1 defense in the SEC, another great opportunity to solidify his standing at the top of the draft against top-level competition. -- Jonathan Givony
Jeremy Sochan does work in the paint then gets air for a massive dunk.
Jabari Smith | 6-10 | SF/PF | Auburn | Age: 18.8 | Mock draft: No. 2
Smith built his candidacy as a potential No. 1 pick by making impossible shots look easy all season. Those shots stopped falling at the worst time possible in a frenetic, up-tempo, small-ball game that saw Auburn completely fall apart in a loss to Miami, shooting 30% from the field and trailing from the opening tip.
Smith had easily his worst offensive game of the season, shooting 1-for-8 from 3 and 2-for-8 from 2, looking discombobulated by Miami's unorthodox style, and never finding any type of rhythm, like the rest of his team. Variance, and the extremely high degree of difficulty of attempts he lives off with his sped-up style will lead to nights like this on occasion, but it was still shocking to see it play out.
After 34 games, playing against an elite strength of schedule, NBA teams know exactly the type of prospect Smith is. Still, only two players over 6-6 have ever been drafted in the lottery after shooting under 45% from 2-point range (Cam Reddish and Ziaire Williams), and Smith's lack of explosiveness, extreme reliance on difficult jumpers and inability to create easy shots for himself or others inside the arc reared its head several times in this game, as it has all season.
On the positive side, Smith didn't go down without a fight, grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds, posting three blocks and showing terrific effort all game long sliding his feet on the perimeter and covering ground all over the floor. He was obviously distraught in defeat, and can't be solely blamed for the loss, as his entire team (and coaching staff) had a very poor showing.
Smith will still be a top-3 draft pick ultimately, but his chances of going No. 1 got a little bit smaller with this surprising upset, even if he'll surely still receive strong consideration depending on which team gets the pick. -- Givony
Paolo Banchero | 6-10 | PF/C | Duke | Age: 19.3 | Mock draft: No. 3
Banchero had some ups and downs but played a huge role in Duke's comeback win over Michigan State, making several important plays down the stretch. Despite looking indecisive at times in the first half, Banchero ramped up the aggression and unleashed his talent in a major way with several skillful one-on-one baskets in the final minutes, scoring on a fluid, rangy spin-move from the perimeter over Marcus Bingham Jr., and then powering through Joey Hauser with a series of crossovers and hesitation moves to give the Blue Devils the lead for good.
Banchero also showed his ability to find teammates for open shots, and had an impressive block on Hauser -- sliding his feet on the perimeter and meeting him at the rim -- showing excellent mobility and timing on the defensive end. Banchero's tendency to overthink open jumpers and shy away from physicality on both ends of the floor has been frustrating for scouts to watch at times this season, but there was very little to criticize in this game as he finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a trip to the Sweet 16. Duke will face the No. 1 defensive team in college basketball, Texas Tech, which should provide a major test for coach Mike Krzyzewski's young squad. -- Givony
Jalen Duren | 6-11 | C | Memphis | Age: 22.1 | Mock draft: No. 7
While Memphis put up an impressive fight against No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga and projected No. 1 pick Holmgren, Duren wasn't able to move the needle with his individual play, battling foul trouble on his way to seven points, seven rebounds on 3-for-11 shooting in 19 minutes.
Duren used his powerful 250-pound frame to wedge Holmgren under the rim on the offensive glass several times, leading to four offensive rebounds -- his best NBA skill at this stage. He took advantage of a Holmgren flop for an explosive dunk out of the post. He finished a lob well above the rim that was far more indicative of the type of spacing he'll have at the next level. He made a couple heady high-low passes. He also stymied guard Andrew Nembhard on a couple switches, recovered well to Holmgren out of short roll situations to take away shot attempts and put together a couple strong defensive possessions on Drew Timme, who still found ways to score in the midst of an unbelievable display of tough shot-making.
Duren struggled to finish around the rim against Holmgren's length both on put-backs and post isolations, not always going up with the amount of ferocity as his tools suggest. He forced up a contested mid-range jumper halfway through the shot clock that missed. He committed avoidable fouls on the glass, as a screener and reaching on the perimeter. Duren also had underwhelming moments guarding in space, which was also the case against Boise State. For as vertically explosive as he is, Duren doesn't have great technique defending away from the rim, as he doesn't sit down in a stance like he could and often opens his hips too quickly.
His urgency on both ends still fluctuates, as he doesn't always sprint the floor, and he'll get boxed out of shot-blocking situations with deep seals defensively. Although he was unable to completely outplay Holmgren and put together a true signature performance, Duren has shown enough to warrant his standing as a potential pick between No. 6-10.
Getting to know Duren personally and determining whether or not he can be more than a run-and-jump big will go a long way in deciding just how high the 18-year-old big man with Dwight Howard-like tools will ultimately go, and if he can be more than an NBA starter. -- Mike Schmitz
Jeremy Sochan | 6-9 | PF | Baylor | Age: 18.8 | Mock draft: No. 13
Although Baylor's valiant 25-point comeback fell short against North Carolina in overtime, Sochan showed quite a bit of character during the Bears' short-lived NCAA tournament run, averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes while shooting 50% from 2 and 3-of-9 from 3. Sochan's energy, competitiveness, defensive versatility and toughness shined through in the second half against UNC and it's become increasingly clear that he's not only the best NBA prospect on his team, but a potential lottery pick if he can convince teams of his shooting throughout the pre-draft process. He fought until the bitter end against the Tar Heels, flying around at the top of the Baylor press, switching onto guards, battling inside, crashing the offensive glass, diving on the floor for loose balls and trying to change shots around the rim.
Sochan naysayers will question his elite NBA skill, which is fair. He has nice size at around 6-9 and 230 pounds with solid agility, yet he's not long (7-0 wingspan), isn't overly quick or vertically explosive and he's not much of a threat to score in the half court, which we saw against the Tar Heels. UNC bigs Armando Bacot and Brady Manek regularly closed out short and dared him to beat them from 3, which limited Sochan's downhill attacks and led to some underwhelming possessions that highlighted his lack of a reliable jumper and somewhat limited burst off the bounce (4-for-14 from the field).
Analytics models will flag his 58.9% free throw clip and sub-30% 3-point shooting. Sochan's 14.3 points per 40 minutes also rank in the bottom 15 among ESPN's top-100. Yet, Sochan attempting 4.3 threes per 40 minutes this season is encouraging as far as his confidence is concerned, and watching him shoot in person several times, he has touch and solid mechanics, even showing the ability to knock down pull-ups and mid-post turnarounds on occasion. If he can turn himself into a league-average shooter, then he'll be able to unleash the ballhandling and passing we saw this season and so regularly with the Polish junior national team.
Sochan has a chance to be an instant NBA contributor defensively as he's comfortable switching out onto guards, tracking big wings and has at least shown the willingness to slide up to the small-ball 5. He doesn't quite have the sheer reach and bounce to be a full-time protector at the 5, but the instincts are there (2.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per 40 minutes), and he's a solid positional rebounder who gravitates toward the ball and isn't afraid to mix it up in traffic. Being able to shift up to the 5 also makes him a far tougher cover offensively.
At 18 years old with the type of versatility NBA teams covet, I'd fully expect Sochan to be a potential riser in the pre-draft process as teams get to know him, dive into his FIBA tape and unearth his shooting potential. Even if he doesn't evolve into a reliable half-court scorer, Sochan could thrive in a Boris Diaw-like role as a playmaking forward who makes his teammates better, adds value with his defensive versatility and does a lot of the little things that impact winning. -- Schmitz
TyTy Washington Jr. | 6-4 | PG | Kentucky | Age: 20.3 | Mock draft: No. 14
Kentucky suffered one of the most shocking NCAA tournament upsets in recent memory, losing to No. 15 seed Saint Peter's, with their highly regarded freshman Washington having his worst game of the season at the most inopportune time possible, scoring five points on 2-for-10 shooting with more turnovers than assists, and several poor defensive possessions.
Washington simply hasn't been the same player since suffering an ankle injury two months ago in a loss at Auburn, seeing his scoring production and efficiency fall off. How healthy he was the past two months and what caused this precipitous drop in production will be a major point of conversation for lottery teams the next three months.
Rewatching the Kentucky loss and this play stood out. TyTy Washington turns the corner out of PNR...and runs into 4 opponents, as both non-shooting Kentucky bigs are clogging the paint. Almost no one (successful) plays this style of cramped offense anymore, anywhere in the world. pic.twitter.com/mv7tr3WeCR
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 18, 2022
Watching the ease in which Kentucky's entire offense was grinded to a halt by a MAAC team with a simple, but highly effective game plan will raise many of the same questions NBA teams have asked about other John Calipari guards in the past. Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson, Hamidou Diallo, Immanuel Quickley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Brandon Boston Jr. and others all ended up being under-drafted after looking vastly more comfortable in the NBA than they did in college, which has caused scouts to openly discuss grading future Kentucky prospects on a curve, operating under the assumption that they simply won't be used to their full potential in college.
Were Washington's weaknesses similarly accentuated by the extreme lack of shooting and spacing surrounding him? And will being placed in a more modern offensive system not built around post-ups, offensive rebounds and mid-range jumpers help solve some of the issues he faced this season with his struggles beating opponents off the dribble and finishing in traffic?
Outside of one week in which Sahvir Wheeler was injured (where Washington broke John Wall and Kentucky's single-game record with 17 assists), we never quite got to see what Washington would look like as a full-time point guard, something NBA teams would surely like to know more about. Washington's ability to make reads out of ball-screens is arguably his biggest strength, but he averaged less than six pick and rolls per game, ranked 467th among division one players, per Synergy Sports Technology. Prior to Washington's injuries, he was the most efficient pick and roll player in college basketball, but he fell off the past two months.
Excuses aside, it's safe to say Washington should have done better with the opportunities he had, especially with his team's season on the brink against an overmatched opponent, and certainly on the defensive end where he actually had some nice progress relative to where he started. He'll now move onto the pre-draft process, where several polarizing guard prospects, including himself, will attempt to position themselves for consideration in the No. 10 to No. 20 portion of the draft. -- Givony
Malaki Branham | 6-5 | SG | Ohio State | Age: 18.8 | Mock draft: No. 16
Branham looked like the best player on the floor against Villanova, despite only being a freshman. Ohio State has gradually shifted most of their offense to run through him as the season has progressed, and he did a great job of making shots keep the game close before the Buckeyes eventually bowed out. Branham's size, frame, length, scoring instincts and shot-making prowess off the dribble (44% FG%) and with his feet set (43%) make his game look seamlessly translatable for what the NBA is looking for at his position. He got to his spots in the mid-range and rose up beautifully with his high release point, and showed he can do a little more than that too by facilitating for others and showing competitiveness defensively one-on-one. While he has some things to work with as a ball handler and off-ball defender, the fact that he's 18 years old, has made such impressive strides as the season moved on and plays with a unique combination of aggressiveness and poise could put him in lottery conversations. -- Givony
Kennedy Chandler | 6-1 | PG | Tennessee | Age: 19.5 | Mock draft: No. 17
No. 3 seed Tennessee lost in the Round of 32 to No. 11 seed Michigan, but it's difficult to call Chandler's performance over the past two months anything but a major win, as he clearly established himself as one of the best point guards in college basketball after an up-and-down start.
Chandler has played mistake-free, highly efficient basketball over the past 15 games, looking on another level confidence-wise, shooting 47% from beyond the arc and playing lockdown defense. Winners of 13 of their past 14 games going into Saturday, Tennessee shot just 2-for-18 from 3, with Wolverines coach Juwan Howard electing to send a series of aggressive traps and double teams at Chandler and force anyone but him to beat them, something that proved to be a winning strategy.
Chandler proved his point, showing the type of burst, ball-handling, creativity and aggressiveness every NBA covets. He did a masterful job of playing off hesitation moves and changing gears to get anywhere he wanted on the floor, dished out nine assists, hit an array of pull-up jumpers, finished skillfully around the basket and got in passing lanes repeatedly. Although his team didn't win, it was encouraging to see how assertive Chandler was all game long after being criticized earlier in the season for being too tentative on the floor and too quiet off it -- areas he's made major strides with.
After a roller-coaster start, Chandler's draft stock is back where it started at the beginning of the season, vying to be the first point guard off the board after Jaden Ivey. NBA teams have long been reluctant to hand the keys of their team over to smaller guards, which is why measurements and the way he performs in workouts against other touted prospects at his position will ultimately determine when his name is called. Chandler took a circuitous route but appears to have come out a much better player after a strong development season that will likely position him well going into his NBA rookie season. -- Givony
Blake Wesley | 6-5 | SG | Notre Dame | Age: 19.0 | Mock draft: No. 20
Notre Dame's surprise NCAA tournament run came to an end as the No. 1 defense in college basketball, Texas Tech, held potential first-round pick Wesley to just 3-for-14 shooting in 32 minutes, putting an end to a freshman campaign that featured everything from remarkable highlights to head-scratching lows. Wesley shot 13-for-37 from 2 and 0-for-8 from 3 against Rutgers, Alabama and the Red Raiders while committing more turnovers than assists. While he tried to relentlessly attack Texas Tech with downhill attacks, Wesley ran out of gas, showing where he has the most room to improve in the process.
Despite the inefficiency, Wesley's talent still popped, particularly in Notre Dame's win over Alabama (18 points on 14 shots), where he looked like the best prospect on the floor. He has NBA-caliber burst off the bounce, proved comfortable rising up in mid-range spots. He's looked far more competitive defensively as the year has gone on, using that quickness, length and solid instincts to add value both on and off the ball, making plays in the passing lanes, blowing up handoffs and proving more than capable containing the ball in 1-on-1 situations.
But the game still moves too quickly for the 19-year-old -- Wesley committed several costly turnovers in the last five minutes of Sunday's loss. He's still searching for the right blend between scoring and playmaking, as he regularly missed kick outs or drop offs once he got a piece of the paint. Among the 143 players to take at least 130 shots at the rim in the half court, Wesley ranks 142nd in efficiency. He will also have to prove himself as a perimeter shooter throughout the pre-draft process, as he finished the year at 30.3% from 3.
Wesley is a big-time talent who has NBA feet and shift off the dribble, can get a piece of the paint at will and has at least shown enough off the dribble shooting potential to suggest there's room to improve. With a strong pre-draft process, it's not out of the question that Wesley gets looks throughout the teens, especially if he shoots the ball well. But for those who were skeptical about his NBA readiness and consistent impact, Wesley's showing against Texas Tech didn't do anything to ease those concerns. -- Schmitz
Kendall Brown | 6-8 | SF/PF | Baylor | Age: 18.8 | Mock draft: No. 25
Down 67-42 with 10:47 left in the second half, Baylor nearly pulled off one of the great comebacks in NCAA tournament history in an overtime loss to North Carolina. They did it almost exclusively with the highly regarded freshman Brown glued to the bench. Brown's offensive weaknesses were put on full display by North Carolina's game plan, which was to ignore him on the perimeter and dare him to take open jump shots, which Brown happily did, going 0-for-4 from 3. Brown's shaky ball-handling ability and feel for the game were also put to the test, as well as his lack of awareness and physicality defensively. Brown was repeatedly late rotating in both the half court and transition while getting beaten up on the glass and fighting over screens, as the game simply moved too fast for him at times. Baylor's coaching staff finally pulled the plug with 13 minutes left, and the team then went on a huge run when UNC forward Brady Manek was ejected on a highly questionable call, leading Brown to finish minus-23.
Not turning 19 until May, Brown's raw offensive skill set and struggles defensively aren't shocking considering his lack of experience, and he still has several intriguing attributes to hang his hat on as arguably the most explosive leaper in this draft class, with a 6-11 wingspan and some real flashes of passing and ability to defend one-on-one. Still, there are real question marks about what exactly Brown's role will be early in his NBA career, and whether he has the touch to develop his jump shot, which will be a major key to his long-term development. -- Givony
Justin Lewis | 6-7 | PF | Marquette | Age: 19.9 | Mock draft: No. 35
Entering the NCAA tournament as a fringe first-round prospect, the 19-year-old Lewis was unable to solidify his stock as he turned in an uninspiring 2-for-15 performance in an ugly 32-point loss to North Carolina. Despite big games against DePaul (26 points,10 rebounds) and St. John's (28 points, seven rebounds) down the stretch of the season, Lewis ends his sophomore campaign as one of the more perplexing prospects in this class given the stark difference between his best and worst games.
The Golden Eagles had no answer for Caleb Love's 21-point first half, and Lewis struggled to knock down slip-out 3s (2-for-7), finishing the year at 35% from beyond the arc on 5.2 attempts per game. Lewis is still very much learning when to take spot-up 3s versus when to attack off the bounce, as he tends to rely on out-of-rhythm jumpers or forced drives to the rim, where he's more strong and powerful than quick and explosive. Lewis' lack of elite burst showed on downhill attacks against the Tar Heels, and he missed a few bunnies in traffic (0-for-8 from 2), bringing his finishing percentage to 47.1%, which ranks 198th out of 203 players in the NCAA to take over 120 shots at the rim in the half court.
Lewis did change several shots at the rim with his 7-2 wingspan, suggesting he can play some small-ball 5 at the next level such as Charlotte's P.J. Washington. The small center role might ultimately be Lewis' most advantageous position as he's not quick-footed or consistently locked in guarding the perimeter (on and off the ball) and needs to still improve as an offensive decision-maker, finding more ways to add value when he's not making shots. There's no question that Lewis made a huge jump this season, and the fact that he's still 19 years old with NBA length and strength, a projectable shooting stroke and solid ball skills for a player his size makes him undoubtedly interesting to scouts. But Lewis didn't help himself against the Tar Heels, and he'll surely have to have a strong pre-draft process to prove he's worthy of a June first-round selection -- Schmitz
Andrew Nembhard | 6-4 | PG | Gonzaga | Age: 22.1 | Mock draft: No. 47
Nembhard showed why he's one of the best point guards in college on Saturday night, scoring 10 points in the last 4:37 to cap off a 23-point, 5-assist game in an 82-78 win over Memphis. Every time the Tigers made a run, Nembhard made a play, making two of his five 3s down the stretch while proving he's capable of punishing teams for darting under screens.
Nembhard is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 15.0 points, 7.0 assists, and just 1.9 turnovers per games over his past 10 games while shooting 50% from 2 and 41% from 3. Nembhard has always been touted for his stellar basketball acumen and poise, but it's the improvements he's made as a shooter that has NBA teams looking at him with more clarity than in the past. Too often not even looking at the rim from 3 in previous years, Nembhard is even pulling from beyond NBA range on occasion, which has forced teams over the top of screens in pick and roll, allowing him to utilize his size and vision to either hit the roll man or spray the ball out to shooters with either hand.
Nembhard also looks quicker with the ball in the open court as the conductor to Gonzaga's high-octane offense that ranks in the top-five in both pace and efficiency according to KenPom.com.
Where Nembhard does need to prove he can add value is on the defensive end, where Gonzaga will hide him at times, in part to conserve his energy -- he's sat out less than five total minutes over his last five games. Although strong at 6-4 with the ability to hold his own in the post, which he did at times against a wing such as Memphis' Landers Nolley II, Nembhard isn't overly active off the ball, regularly standing straight up and down when he should be tagging or sinking inside the big to take away a drop off or offensive rebound. His on-ball focus and energy very much comes and goes. He's still not overly shifty with the ball in the half court on offense, which we saw on several Memphis switches when he either had to kill his dribble inside the arc or get off the ball.
But Nembhard's recent surge -- particularly as a shooter -- should earn him looks in the mid to early second round, especially if he can lead the Bulldogs to a national title with a signature performance against a team such as Duke (a potential Elite 8 foe) along the way. -- Schmitz
Jonathan Givony is an NBA Draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.
Mike Schmitz is an NBA Draft expert and a contributor to DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.