5 best NBA Draft prospects in the 2017 Final Four

Sindarius Thornwell, SG, South Carolina

Unranked on The Step Back Big Board — for now

Per Game Stats: 33.9 minutes, 21.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.9 blocks, 44.7 percent shooting from the field, 39.4 percent from on 3-pointers

No player has done more for themselves in this tournament than Sindarius Thornwell. While teammate P.J. Dozier has been a staple on our Big Board, Thornwell flew under the radar, as a quality two-way college guard with limited upside. But when his team has needed him most, he’s given them an all-time performance, averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in four tournament games. Thornwell has had performances that tipped his hand as a potential draft prospect before — 44 and 21 against Alabama comes to mind — but this run of sustained brilliance has firmly placed him on the map as a name NBA teams should be interested in.

Thornwell’s value at the NBA level will likely come as an efficient two-way wing, something this draft is lean on. While his 3-point efficiency is a long-term question mark — he’s a career 33.9 percent college shooter, and only really started hitting 3s during conference play — he’s an expert at drawing, and finishing through, contact. His best value has been at the stripe in this tournament, as he’s attempted 39 free throws, and he’s averaged almost 10 attempts per 40 minutes this year, converting 83 percent. He shields the ball well from contact, and he has a Devin Booker-esque elbow and short corner game, which he can use to generate late shot-clock possessions. Defensively, he’s incredibly tough, and uses his 6-foot-9 wingspan and strong upper body to comfortably handle big forwards in South Carolina’s zone.

Thornwell obviously won’t be tasked with the same role he has for the Garnet and Black at the NBA level, and there is reason to question what his role is offensively if he can’t be a knock-down 3-point shooter. But he looks like he’ll be a safe bet to comfortably reach a high level defensively, and his intangibles are off the charts. If South Carolina pulls off this unlikely championship run, it will be on Thornwell’s back.