NCAA Tournament Prospect Breakdown: South Region

The South Region may well be the toughest region in the NCAA Tournament. It boasts 10 of the top 25 teams in the country, according to KenPom, including the overall No. 1 seed, Kansas, and plenty of NBA prospects. So, let’s take a look at what to watch for in the South from an NBA Draft perspective.

The listed player rankings are based on the latest version of our big board. NR indicates that the prospect was not rated.

#1 Kansas vs. #16 Austin Peay

Kansas: Cheick Diallo (30), Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (38), Wayne Selden (58), Perry Ellis (NR)

The tried and true line about this Kansas team is that the Jayhawks don’t have a first round pick in their starting lineup. But head coach Bill Self still has plenty of access to NBA talent.

Although 6-9 Cheick Diallo has yet to find a consistent role with Kansas, he is still a high upside prospect. Diallo has struggled to find playing time in large part because of a lack of awareness on both ends of the floor, but he plays with an incredibly high motor and has been a good rim protector (11.7 percent block rate) in his limited minutes. 6-8 guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has come on at the end of the season, raising his 3-point percentage to 36 percent. He’s also proven capable of operating with the ball in his hands in pick-and-roll situations, and has even earned a few minutes at the point guard spot. Wayne Selden, a 6-5 guard, has the physical tools of an NBA two guard, but has been an inconsistent scorer during his time in Lawrence. If Selden delivers a series of impressive performances in the NCAA Tournament, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sneak into the late first round.

Perry Ellis is Kansas’ most interesting prospect. He has an incredibly high basketball IQ, can take larger defenders off the dribble, and has shown himself to be a competent 3-point shooter. Ellis is a senior, so his age is a concern, but his combination of skills could make him an intriguing stretch four option in the NBA.

#8 Colorado vs. #9 Connecticut

Connecticut: Daniel Hamilton (NR), Amida Brimah (NR)

Hamilton is a bit of a do-it-all wing for UConn. He was previously ranked on our board, but a rough stretch for the Huskies during the AAC regular season knocked him off. Brimah is a 7-0 rim protector, but his inability to stay on the floor due to foul trouble is a real concern.

#5 Maryland vs. #12 South Dakota St.

Maryland: Diamond Stone (14), Melo Trimble (23), Jake Layman (51)

Stone is bruising big man, but he’s shown flashes of being able to knock down mid-range jumpers, which may be key to his longevity in an NBA increasingly reliant on spacing. He could move up a few spots in the draft with a nice performance in the NCAAs. Trimble was previously ranked slightly higher on our board, but he hasn’t been as effective as a sophomore. He is proving to be a very capable distributor from the point guard spot and if he can close out a big game in the NCAA Tournament by getting the foul line, that will help his stock. At 22-years-old, Layman sort of is what he is as a prospect at this point. He’s a combo forward with good shooting range. It will likely be his measurements and performance in interviews that will determine when he comes off the board.

#4 California vs. #13 Hawaii

California: Jaylen Brown (6), Ivan Rabb (13), Tyrone Wallace (NR)

Brown isn’t magically going to develop a jump shot during the NCAA Tournament, but he could force his way into the top three of the draft with a nice performance against a talented team like Maryland in the second round. Ivan Rabb, meanwhile, has become a very effective offensive player. We could learn more about his defensive potential at the next level if he gets a chance to matchup with Diamond Stone for a few minutes in the NCAA Tournament. Wallace, a 6-6 point guard, was previously ranked on our board in large part because he has great physical tools. He has the potential to be a second-round pick, but missed a few weeks with a broken wrist earlier this season.

#6 Arizona vs. #11 Vanderbilt/Wichita State

Arizona: Allonzo Trier (NR)

Trier is another player who was previously ranked on our board, but he missed a number of games due to a broken hand. Still, he has good size for the off-guard spot and a nice jumper. If he can become more a shot creator, Trier will find his way back onto the board.

Vanderbilt: Wade Baldwin IV (19), Damian Jones (26), Luke Kornet (NR)

Baldwin is a high upside point guard with a great wingspan that could make him a potentially elite defender on the perimeter. He shoots it well and can distribute the ball, but needs to work on his decision-making now that he’s playing the point with regularity. Jones is an athletic big man who can run the floor and protect the rim. He hasn’t had the breakout season he hoped for as a junior, but the tools are still there. Kornet is a legitimate 7-1 rim protector who can shoot the 3. That rare combination is enough to put him on the NBA radar.

Wichita State: Fred VanVleet (NR), Ron Baker (NR)

The likelihood that either VanVleet or Baker get drafted in June is very low, but both seniors should get a shot in the Summer League. VanVleet is a 6-0 point guard who is a master at operating the pick-and-roll and he’s made nearly 40 percent of his 345 3-point attempts in a Shocker uniform. He lacks some of the quickness and athleticism that characterizes most NBA players, but his high basketball IQ could help him find a roster spot somewhere. At 6-4, Baker is slightly undersized for the shooting guard spot given that he’s not elite at any one skill. His best asset is his 37.2 percent 3-point percentage on 5.3 attempts per game.

#3 Miami (FL) vs. #14 Buffalo

Miami: Sheldon McClellan (NR)

McClellan is not on our current board, but he has popped up elsewhere. He has good size and great physical tools for the shooting guard spot. McClellan has been an efficient scorer this season, but he’s already 23-years-old, which makes you wonder how much more upside he has.

#7 Iowa vs. #10 Temple

Iowa: Jarrod Uthoff (56)

Uthoff played his way into the National Player of the Year conversation during January, but Iowa’s late season collapse dashed those hopes. His unique combination of 3-point shooting (39.2 percent) and rim protection make him an potentially attractive second round choice.

#2 Villanova vs. #15 UNC Asheville

Villanova: Josh Hart (NR)

Hart’s a junior who has yet to make an appearance on our big board, but at 6-5 with a 6-8 wingspan, he’s got nice size for a two guard. He’s a fantastic on-ball defender and a good outside shooter (38.6 percent) who could make waves on draft boards as a senior.