The Midwest Region of the 2017 NCAA Tournament is loaded with future professionals for NBA fans to keep an eye on. From elite lottery prospects to potential second round sleepers, there’s something for everyone no matter where your favorite team will be drafting come June.
Here’s a look at who you should be watching this weekend.
Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
The 6-foot-8 wing out of Justin-Siena High School in California has had a tremendous season for No. 1 seeded Jayhawks. Jackson is a versatile prospect who’s willingness to play as a small ball power forward has transformed Kansas’ style of play this season. There aren’t many tougher competitors than Jackson in this draft.
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At the NBA level, Jackson has the potential to be a versatile defender with the athleticism to both challenge shots at the rim and disrupt passing lanes. On offense, he’s shown signs of being a good creator for his teammates. Jackson passes well and has a decent handle, but he may not ever be a primary initiator. Still, his potential as a secondary option and intriguing pick-and-roll screener is exciting. Jackson has also shown an improved jump shot in recent months, although he still needs to smooth out his shooting form in order to become more consistent.
Jackson will likely be a top five pick in the 2017 draft.
Justin Patton, C, Creighton
A 6-foot-11 freshman out of Omaha, Patton red-shirted during his first season with the Bluejays in order to add additional strength to his frame. At 215 pounds, he’ll need to do more of that to be ready to face the physical rigors of the NBA.
Patton is a lottery prospect because his strengths fit in nicely with the modern role of an NBA center. The 19-year-old is an excellent rim runner both in transition and in the pick-and-roll. He moves fluidly for an athlete of his size, has a solid post-up game and is a developing jump shooter. Defensively, Patton averages 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes, but his combine wingspan measurement will be an important determiner of how likely that skill is to translate. Patton is also capable of keeping up with smaller players on the perimeter for stretches. In an NBA that is trending smaller, having a mobile center is important.
The freshman probably doesn’t have the highest upside, but he should fit in well on an NBA team given his complimentary set of skills.
Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Michigan State
The Spartans have been tough to watch this season, but freshman Miles Bridges is always just moments away from delivering a highlight reel play that totally redeems a game. The calling card of the 6-foot-6 wing is his explosive athleticism, which presents itself most clearly in transition or on alley-oops in the halfcourt. That physical advantage gives Bridges a nice foundation to build on even if he’s not the most skilled player at 19-years-old.
Due to the Michigan State affiliation and the fact that he plays as a small ball power forward, there are plenty of Draymond Green comparisons floating around. It’s hard to imagine them holding up, though, as Bridges doesn’t have the same ridiculous wingspan or playmaking ability. Still, the current Spartan has the bedrock to build from as he ages.
Bruce Brown, SG, Miami (FL)
Brown is a former top-30 recruit who can play both guard positions and has a good base of physical attributes to build from. His athleticism and effort level are reflected in his floor game. Brown’s grabbing 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per 40 minutes as a freshman. He has shown potential as a pick-and-roll ball-handler as well while posting a 20.5 percent assist rate.
Brown needs to solidify his collection of skills, particularly in terms of his efficiency. He’s shooting worse than just 34.8 percent from behind the arc and has taken less than 100 3s this season. Nevertheless, 6-foot-5 guards who can defend, rebound and make plays are always attractive prospects.
Caleb Swanigan, PF, Purdue
Once a 350-pound teenager, Caleb Swanigan has developed into a potential first round draft pick as a sophomore with the Boilermakers. His statistical production — 22.9 points, 15.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per 40 minutes — have put him into the National Player of the Year conversation. Swanigan is obviously a capable post scorer, but he’s got an evolving off the dribble game and has made 36.1 percent of his 144 career 3-point attempts.
The problem with Swanigan is that he’s a tweener in the frontcourt. At 6-foot-9, he doesn’t have the typical size to play center in the NBA and his skill set isn’t well-suited to playing power forward defensively. Swanigan struggles guarding quicker guards in pick-and-roll and doesn’t provide much resistance at the rim. Ultimately, he may end up at his best as a rotational piece off the bench who can come in a score against second units.
Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville
At this point, Mitchell is almost certainly going to be a first round pick if he leaves the Cardinals after his sophomore season. The 6-foot-3 guard with a lengthy wingspan has potential as a two-way wing. He’s been a very good on-ball defender in Louisville’s hybrid zone and has the ability to get into passing lanes to create turnovers. Most importantly, Mitchell has turned himself into a much better shooter this season. He’s made 36.3 percent of his 3s on over six attempts per game.
Mitchell’s size is obviously a downside and probably limits his ceiling, but two-way wings are hard to come by and the 20-year-old has a skill set that should allow him to contribute on both ends of the floor.
Jawun Evans, PG, Oklahoma State
Any prospect that has elicited comparisons to Chris Paul likely has to be worth watching. Evans, a 6-foot point guard, is the focal point of the nation’s most efficient offense. He’s excellent running pick-and-roll where he’s creative enough and quick enough to split double teams to break down defenses. Once in the lane, he’s one of the best in the country at getting to the rim and he has good vision for finding shooters along the perimeter. Evans has also been a quality shooter on a low number of attempts in his two seasons.
The sophomore’s limitations largely relate to his size. He won’t be able to defend more than one position at the next level and his finishing at the rim is inconsistent at best (even though he gets there at a high rate). Evans could be a nice high upside play late in the first round, a place where those type of prospects typically don’t exist.
Cam Oliver, PF, Nevada
Mid-major prospects don’t always get as much hype as guys from the power conferences, but Nevada’s Cam Oliver is one to keep an eye on when his team faces Iowa State in the opening round. The 6-foot-8 forward is an excellent athlete who uses his physical tools to make an impact on the defense end by grabbing rebounds, creating steals and blocking shots.
On offense, Oliver can throw down some vicious slams, but he also has a nice catch-and-shoot game. He’s made 38.3 percent of his 3s this season and a much higher volume of attempts, suggesting that he did significant work in the offseason.
Oliver may ultimately struggle to find an NBA role because of his tweener status, but he’s got the skills to be worthy of the risk.
Devonte’ Graham, PG, Kansas
Frank Mason has rightfully earned much of the shine for the Jayhawks this season, but the team’s other point guard is actually a better NBA prospect. Graham, a 6-foot-2 junior, doesn’t feature much as a primary initiator, but he’s a very good passer with a relatively low turnover rate (13.8 percent). He’s also been a 40 percent 3-point shooter during his college career over the course of 424 attempts. His defense is intriguing as well. Graham has posted a steal rate above two percent in each of his three seasons.
Graham may not have starter upside, but his potential to run a second unit is quite good. That should be enough to earn him looks in the second round should he decide to leave Lawrence early.
Dillon Brooks, SF, Oregon
If you ever want to verify the importance of Dillon Brooks to the Ducks, go back and watch the team play early on this season without him. Brooks is the central figure on offense for Oregon as a playmaking wing with a high assist rate (25.0 percent) and a low turnover rate (13.0 percent). As a junior, he’s also turned into a good 3-point shooter, hitting 41.4 percent of his attempts. That’s more in line with his career 78.7 free throw percentage than his sub-35 percent numbers as a freshman and sophomore.
Brooks is also a very willing defender and rates out as elite in terms of his competitiveness. His age and athleticism will hamstring his upside, but as a two-way wing, he’s worth a flyer in the second round.
Jordan Bell, PF, Oregon
The attraction to the Ducks’ 6-foot-9 forward starts with his defensive versatility. Bell guards one through five at the college level and is committed to doing most of the dirty work on the floor. He’s averaging 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 1.9 steals per 40 minutes this season. In order to make it in the NBA, Bell will probably need to be a viable center because his offensive skill set doesn’t lend itself to playing the modern power forward spot.
Bell isn’t a shooter and scores most of his points on garbage buckets like offensive rebounds and dump offs. That said, there’s usually a place in the league for guys who play hard and defend, and Bell fits that role.
Monte Morris, PG, Iowa State
Morris is another prospect who projects to be a backup, but his sure-handed style should be enticing. The 6-foot-2 senior averages 6.9 assists compared to just 1.2 turnovers per 40 minutes. He has great vision, is eager to push the ball in transition and does a nice job of feeling out defenses. Although Morris likely won’t beat many defenders 1-on-1, his 38.5 percent 3-point shooting over 387 attempts does give him another weapon on offense.
Next: NBA Draft prospects to watch in the East Region
Morris isn’t a great athlete and his deficiency shines most brightly on the defensive end, but he’s still been able to create steals at a high rate over the course of his college career. In terms of finding a trustworthy point guard, a team could do much worse than Morris.