In an NBA draft class with little consensus outside the top two, big moments on the biggest stages of college basketball could be what breaks this year's young prospects into tiers of team draft boards. But unfortunately for NBA teams and fans, some of the top players in this draft will not be participating in the NCAA tournament, including four of the top five prospects in our top 100 (overseas, G League Ignite and Overtime Elite). Still, this upcoming week is a crucial and final opportunity for teams to get a live evaluation of many NBA hopefuls at the college level.
These final impressions can carry significant weight in the minds of executives, as not all NBA decision-makers have had opportunities to scout every player live over the course of the season. The tournaments create somewhat of a mad dash for scouts to see as many games and players as possible.
For some prospects on bad teams, the end of the season has felt inevitable and imminent for several weeks now. Still, finishing on a strong note would certainly benefit their draft stock as few NBA teams are actively looking to add players with question marks about competitiveness.
Along with our latest 2023 NBA mock, here are 12 players we'll likely be saying farewell to at the college level this week, barring a miraculous run in their conference tournament or an invite to the often-ignored NIT postseason tournament.
First round
Victor Wembanyama | Metropolitans 92 | PF/C | Age: 19.1
More: How to watch Wembanyama, his stats, schedule and news
Scoot Henderson | G League Ignite | PG | Age: 19.0
Brandon Miller | Alabama | SF | Age: 20.2
Amen Thompson | Overtime Elite | PG/SG | Age: 20.0
Ausar Thompson | Overtime Elite | SG/SF | Age: 20.0
Jarace Walker | Houston | PF | Age: 19.5
7. Utah Jazz
Nick Smith Jr. | Arkansas | PG/SG| Age: 18.8
Cam Whitmore | Villanova | SF/PF | Age: 18.6
9. Orlando Magic (from Chicago)
Keyonte George | Baylor | SG | Age: 19.3
Anthony Black | Arkansas | PG/SG | Age: 19.1
Gradey Dick | Kansas | SG/SF | Age: 19.2
Jalen Hood-Schifino | Indiana | PG/SG | Age: 19.7
Cason Wallace | Kentucky | PG/SG | Age: 19.3
14. Atlanta Hawks
Taylor Hendricks | UCF | PF | Age: 19.2
15. Toronto Raptors
Jett Howard | Michigan | SG/SF | Age: 19.4
16. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota)
Rayan Rupert | New Zealand Breakers | SG/SF | Age: 18.6
17. Miami Heat
Kyle Filipowski | Duke | PF/C | Age: 19.3
Brice Sensabaugh | Ohio St. | SF/PF | Age: 19.3
19. New York Knicks (from Dallas)
Kris Murray | Iowa | PF | Age: 22.5
20. Houston Rockets (from LA Clippers)
Dereck Lively II | Duke | C | Age: 19.0
21. Brooklyn Nets
Kobe Bufkin | Michigan | PG/SG | Age: 19.4
22. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix)
Leonard Miller | G League Ignite | SF/PF | Age: 19.2
23. Sacramento Kings
Jordan Hawkins | Connecticut | SG | Age: 20.8
Maxwell Lewis | Pepperdine | SF | Age: 20.5
25. Portland Trail Blazers (from New York)
James Nnaji | Barcelona | C | Age: 18.5
26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland)
Colby Jones | Xavier | SF | Age: 20.7
27. Utah Jazz (from Philadelphia)
Gregory Jackson II | South Carolina | PF/C | Age: 18.2
28. Indiana Pacers (from Boston)
Noah Clowney | Alabama | PF | Age: 18.6
29. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver)
Dariq Whitehead | Duke | SG/SF | Age: 18.5
30. LA Clippers (from Milwaukee)
Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana | PF/C | Age: 23.0
Second round
31. Detroit Pistons
Sidy Cissoko | G League Ignite | SG/SF | Age: 18.9
32. Indiana Pacers (from Houston)
Kel'el Ware | Oregon | C | Age: 18.8
Dillon Mitchell | Texas | PF | Age: 19.4
Terquavion Smith | NC State | SG | Age: 20.1
35. Orlando Magic
Marcus Sasser | Houston | PG/SG | Age: 22.4
36. Sacramento Kings (from Indiana)
Jaime Jaquez Jr. | UCLA | SF | Age: 22.0
37. Charlotte Hornets (from Utah)
Keyontae Johnson | Kansas St. | SF | Age: 22.5
Bilal Coulibaly | Metropolitans 92 | SF | Age: 18.6
39. Washington Wizards (from Chicago)
Brandin Podziemski | Santa Clara | SG | Age: 20.0
40. Boston Celtics (from Portland)
Mouhamed Gueye | Washington State | PF/C | Age: 20.3
41. Denver Nuggets (from Washington)
Ricky Council IV | Arkansas | SG/SF | Age: 21.5
Nikola Durisic | MEGA MIS | SG/SF | Age: 19.0
Coleman Hawkins | Illinois | PF | Age: 21.2
44. Portland Trail Blazers (from Atlanta)
Jalen Wilson | Kansas | SF/PF | Age: 22.3
45. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto)
Zach Edey | Purdue | C | Age: 20.8
46. Memphis Grizzlies (from Minnesota)
Adem Bona | UCLA | C | Age: 19.9
47. Boston Celtics (from Miami)
Julian Phillips | Tennessee | SF | Age: 19.3
48. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State)
Tristan Vukcevic | Partizan | PF/C | Age: 19.9
49. Denver Nuggets (from Dallas)
Terrence Shannon Jr. | Illinois | SG/SF | Age: 22.6
50. LA Clippers
Reece Beekman | Virginia | PG | Age: 21.4
51. Brooklyn Nets
Andre Jackson | UConn | SG/SF | Age: 21.3
52. Phoenix Suns
Emoni Bates | Eastern Michigan | SG/SF | Age: 19.1
53. Sacramento Kings
Baylor Scheierman | Creighton | SF | Age: 22.4
Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton | C | Age: 21.1
55. Minnesota Timberwolves (from New York)
Jaylen Clark | UCLA | SG/SF | Age: 21.3
56. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland)
Kobe Brown | Missouri | PF/C | Age: 23.1
57. Washington Wizards (from Boston)
Julian Strawther | Gonzaga | SF | Age: 20.7
58. Milwaukee Bucks
Kevin McCullar Jr. | Kansas | SF | Age: 21.8
Note: The Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers each forfeited a 2023 second-round draft pick.
Cam Whitmore | 6-foot-7 | SF | Age: 18.6 | Villanova | No. 8 in Top 100
As documented last month, it has been an up-and-down season for Villanova (16-15) and Whitmore, the Wildcats' highly touted freshman. They'll need to win three more games in three days at the Big East tournament to avoid missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. Nevertheless, there's a lot to like about what Whitmore offers from a physical standpoint and the flashes he has shown as a shot-creator and shot-maker. Additionally, he doesn't turn 19 until July.
Cam Whitmore puts an exclamation point on Villanova's upset win over Creighton with a massive dunk.
After Whitmore played some of his best basketball over the past few games, NBA teams hope to see him progress as a passer, perimeter shooter and defender in what are likely to be the final games of his college career. Those are all areas he has been inconsistent with this season. How much urgency Whitmore has to offer under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden will be a point of interest, as his intensity level disappointed at times this season.
Taylor Hendricks | 6-9 | PF | Age: 19.2 | UCF | No. 13 in Top 100
UCF showed some early promise but ultimately faded, finished 8-10 in AAC play and fell to the No. 7 seed in the AAC conference tournament. It now faces the daunting task of winning four games in four days to prolong its season.
It's tough to lay much blame for that on Hendricks, who has been easily one of the most productive (and consistent) freshmen in college basketball, giving him a clear case for lottery consideration as an explosive, energetic, 6-9 multipositional defender who is shooting 42% from 3. Unlike some surprise under-the-radar underclassmen, Hendricks' productivity only increased as the season moved on, even against better competition that he mostly excelled against.
Finishing on a strong note would be helpful, as a handful of executives might be getting their first live look at Hendricks this weekend, but his body of work is strong after 30 games.
Jett Howard | 6-8 | SG/SF | Age: 19.4 | Michigan | No. 15 in Top 100
Kobe Bufkin | 6-4 | PG/SG | Age: 19.4 | Michigan | No. 24 in Top 100
Two Big Ten tournament wins over Rutgers and Purdue on Thursday and Friday seem to be needed to give Michigan any hope of earning a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Howard, in particular, could benefit from a strong end to the season to solidify his standing with NBA teams, as he has struggled at times in Big Ten action, shooting just 42% from 2-point range in 17 conference games while not bringing enough as a rebounder or defender to compensate for his inability to create efficient offense inside the arc.
Howard has still flashed what makes him an intriguing NBA prospect as a 6-8 wing with dynamic shooting ability and range, ability to pull up off the dribble and impressive vision passing on the move, but he has been somewhat passive inserting himself into games. His exceptionally poor playmaking numbers defensively (0.5 steals, 0.9 blocks, 3.6 rebounds per 40) are certain to hurt him with NBA analytics models. Some teams wonder, however, whether he will return to school for his sophomore season considering his father, Juwan, is his coach and he wasn't initially considered a one-and-done candidate. Missing the NCAA tournament could accelerate that process, and potentially cause teammates Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson to consider doing the same.
Jett Howard increases Michigan's lead over Indiana with a 3-pointer.
While Howard has been streaky, Bufkin has taken his game to another level over the past 10 games, ramping up his aggressiveness significantly, improving his perimeter shooting (45% 3P%) and emerging as one of the most disruptive defenders in the Big Ten. With his outstanding open-court speed and increasing comfort as a ball handler, decision-maker and pull-up shooter in the half court -- and because he's the same age or younger than many freshmen projected to be one-and-done -- there's a lot to like about Bufkin's long-term outlook.
For Michigan to prolong its season, it'll need Bufkin to continue to attack defenses as relentlessly as he has over the past two-plus months.
Regardless of how the season ends, teams are certain to be interested in what Bufkin elects to do this spring despite his thin frame and still-developing playmaking ability.
Brice Sensabaugh | 6-6 | SF/PF | Age: 19.3 | Ohio State | No. 18 in Top 100
At 5-15 in Big Ten play, Ohio State is in the midst of its worst season in 25 years. That's something NBA scouts will certainly weigh when evaluating the gaudy scoring production of super freshman Sensabaugh, who has hit a wall over the past 10 games from an efficiency standpoint, shooting 30% for 3 and 50% inside the arc.
Even with Sensabaugh's recent struggles, he's still the second-most-prolific per-minute scorer in college basketball among projected draft picks, trailing only runaway National Player of the Year favorite Zach Edey. Sensabaugh has a clear case to be considered the best perimeter shooter in this draft in terms of volume and accuracy (42% 3P%) and is far from being just a shooter, also showing quite a bit of potential in the pick-and-roll, when creating one-on-one and as a post-scorer; he's capable of putting the ball in the basket from anywhere on the floor.
Brice Sensabaugh gets the 3-pointer to fall as Ohio State trails vs. Purdue.
The biggest questions revolve around his defense, where he's stuck between positions as a 6-6 power forward with average length, a husky frame and inconsistent intensity and awareness that causes him to be frequently targeted and scored on by opponents.
As the No. 13 seed in the loaded Big Ten tournament, just advancing another day or two would be considered a major success for the Buckeyes, something Sensabaugh will play a large role in on both ends of the floor. How much progress Sensabaugh can make with his body during the pre-draft process (assuming he elects to enter the draft) will be even more crucial, as NBA teams want to see him get in much better shape to take him as seriously as his outstanding scoring production suggests they should.
Maxwell Lewis | 6-7 | SG | Age: 20.6 | Pepperdine | No. 25 in Top 100
Lewis' season is already finished after Pepperdine limped to a 2-14 record in WCC play and a first-round exit in the conference tournament to lowly Pacific.
Lewis looked like he elected to enter the NBA draft in January and simply forgot to tell anyone, as he seemingly just went through the motions for much of conference play, shooting an alarming 47% from 2-point range and 26% from 3 with more turnovers than assists while playing even less defense than usual, even by his porous standards. Lewis will now need to answer difficult questions to convince teams in workouts and interviews that he's a better competitor than what he displayed, and that his situation and coaching staff had as much to do with his underachieving play.
Despite the red flags, there will be a long line of NBA teams looking to learn more about Lewis during the pre-draft process. Everyone is looking for fluid, long-armed 6-7 wings with shot creation, shot-making versatility and upside, especially late bloomers like him.
Gregory Jackson II | 6-9 | PF | Age: 18.2 | South Carolina | No. 26 in Top 100
Jackson clearly wasn't ready to be a featured option as a just-turned-18-year-old in the SEC, shooting an abysmal 38% from 2-point range and 29% from 3 with nearly three times as many turnovers as assists in conference play. NBA teams say he's one of the more difficult evaluations they've seen in recent years, as it has been difficult to stay optimistic about his long-term outlook considering the poor decision-making, defense and production he has displayed for much of the season.
Even more alarming has been the way Jackson has responded to his own struggles, be it calling out his coaching staff on social media from the locker room or displaying poor body language on the sidelines on multiple occasions, indicating a distinct lack of maturity. Jackson has gone from being the No. 1 recruit in his high school class to no sure thing as far as hearing his name called in the first round, meaning he has a significant amount of work ahead of him during the pre-draft process to alleviate the concerns around him if he indeed elects to enter the NBA draft.
Terquavion Smith | 6-4 | SG | Age: 20.1 | N.C. State | No. 32 in Top 100
NC State had some work to do at the ACC tournament to ensure its spot in the NCAA tournament but managed to blow out Virginia Tech to likely avoid a nervous evening on Selection Sunday. Defeating Clemson on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) would be advisable to ensure it isn't left out.
Part of the reason the Wolfpack are in this situation is the highly inconsistent play of Smith, who isn't having the sophomore season NBA teams expected when he surprisingly elected to return to school last May after a strong showing at the NBA combine.
Smith is shooting a disappointing 39% from 2-point range and 33% from 3 in conference play, living off tough shots while appearing to make very little progress on the defensive end, where he still plays a very lackadaisical style.
Terquavion Smith drills trey in from NC State Wolfpack vs. Clemson Tigers
He can still heat up and absolutely bury teams with his incredible shot-making prowess, but he has been pretty feast or famine against better competition this season. He'll have a lot of NBA eyeballs on him this weekend to see if he can carry his team into the tournament in some of the biggest games he has played to this point in his career.
Kel'el Ware | 7-0 | C | Age: 18.8 | Oregon | No. 34 in Top 100
Ware lost his spot in Oregon's rotation as the season moved on, playing sparsely as of late in non-blowout situations. Considering the stakes of the Pac-12 tournament, with Oregon likely needing to win three games in three days to make the NCAA tournament, it's questionable whether Ware has built up enough equity with Oregon's coaching staff to see the floor outside of spot minutes, making it difficult to see him moving the needle with his play this weekend.
Ware's freshman season has been a disaster since losing his spot in the starting lineup in mid-December. He hasn't been able to bring the competitiveness or intensity needed in games or practices to earn any trust or momentum from coach Dana Altman, and his feel for the game has been severely lacking. Ware will need to perform very well in the pre-draft process, especially in interviews, to combat the significant negativity that is currently surrounding him off the court.
Brandin Podziemski | 6-5 | SG | Age: 20.0 | Santa Clara | No. 39 in Top 100
It's hard to find a more productive player in college basketball over the past 10 games. Podziemski is averaging an outstanding 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 57% for 2 and 48% for 3 over that stretch, helping him win co-WCC player of the year honors. Unfortunately for him, and NBA scouts, Podziemski's NCAA tournament hopes were dashed when Santa Clara lost in double overtime in the WCC tournament quarterfinals, leaving the Broncos hoping for an NIT invite on Sunday.
Podziemski is shooting 45% for 3 on the season, but is much more than that, seeing a significant amount of offense handling in pick and roll, in isolation, pushing in transition, or coming off screens. He is smart when operating off hesitation moves, splitting or rejecting ball screens, and passing on the move, but has seen his production drop off fairly dramatically against better competition this season, shooting just 43% inside the arc with nearly as many turnovers as assists against top-100 caliber competition. NBA teams have some concerns about Podziemski's physical tools, as he doesn't boast great size, length or frame and has had some tough moments defensively one-on-one against better competition. With that said, he clearly brings an intriguing combination of toughness and smarts which allowed him to lead the WCC in rebounding and post a strong 1.8 steals per game.
Brandin Podziemski rocks the rim with powerful flush.
Mouhamed Gueye | 7-0 | PF/C | Age: 20.3 | Washington State | No. 40 in Top 100
Gueye is faced with the tall task of winning four games in four days to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament, but NBA scouts will be encouraged by the progress he has shown as a sophomore, something he can continue to build on with a strong Pac-12 tournament. The 7-footer with a 7-4 wingspan is one of the most explosive players in college, and he has been able to show more wrinkles this season as the focal point of Washington State's offense, be it creating for himself or others while facing the basket, in the post, as a roller, running the floor or crashing the offensive glass.
Gueye's lack of strength, average feel for the game and limitations as a perimeter shooter and decision-maker still need to be ironed out, and there are questions about which position he's best suited guarding considering he weighs just 203 pounds, things that might ultimately cause him to return for another season.
Mouhamed Gueye makes beautiful dish for a basket
Emoni Bates | 6-9 | SG/SF | Age: 19.1 | Eastern Michigan | No. 51 in Top 100
Bates wasn't able to get Eastern Michigan into the MAC tournament, as his team went 5-13 in conference play and 8-23 overall, meaning his season ended March 3. Bates had some moments, dropping a combined 66 points against South Carolina and Michigan, but was more or less a net negative in conference play He posted a paltry 49% true shooting percentage with far more turnovers than assists and while being a sieve defensively, often looking like he was barely trying while playing selfish basketball.
This probably wasn't what NBA scouts or Bates envisioned when he elected to transfer from Memphis last spring, and he has work ahead of him now to be a sure-fire draft pick if he enters. Standing 6-9 and having just turned 19 years old in late January, Bates' tough shot-making prowess and overall scoring instincts hold some appeal, but he plays such a losing brand of basketball on both ends of the floor, making him a relatively tough sell.
Emoni Bates speeds past his defender to rise up for a powerful one-handed dunk vs. Ball State.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.