5 NBA Draft sleepers in the NCAA Tournament

2. Donovan Mitchell (Louisville)

Mitchell was a one of the best kept secrets in college basketball over the last two years largely because his shooting hadn’t caught up with his projectable form via the eye-test. In conference play however, Mitchell’s shooting skyrocketed, as he knocked down 52 of 130 3-pointers (40 percent) and 82.5 percent of his 63 free throws. Mitchell shoots an easy ball off the catch with simple mechanics and usually displays fantastic preparatory footwork catching on the hop. He’s not nearly as adept shooting off the bounce, and his efficiency has suffered due to shot selection in part. But as purely a catch-and-shoot player in a role with less usage, Mitchell projects on the higher end of defensive combo guards in that area.

At 6-foot-3 with a sturdy frame and 6-foot-9 wingspan, Mitchell is reminiscent of Marcus Smart as a kind of bully guard, possessing better shooting upside but not quite the outlier frame. Mitchell is a secondary handler capable of running a pick-and-roll or attacking against a bent defense, as his playmaking is underrated. He has good burst as a driver and some explosion to finish in space, but he’s not a good finisher in traffic as evidenced by his 2pt percentage.

Defensively, Mitchell’s low center of gravity and ability to leverage position aids his versatility guarding multiple positions on that end. He can get into opposing ball-handlers and apply pressure with his quick feet and use his frame to wear guys down. He needs to get better navigating screens but has the strength to do so without getting dislodged.

The Cardinals have a tough bracket to navigate, but a potential second round matchup with Cowboys’ lead guard Jawun Evans would really spotlight Mitchell’s defensive prowess. With a deep run Mitchell could easily be a top 20 pick in June.