2018 NBA Mock Draft: Enter the madness

I don’t even know what to say. Those of us who thought this was the year a lottery prospect took Arizona deep into the tournament — who thought this was the year Sean Miller couldn’t mess it up — were wrong. We don’t get to see Ayton in the high-pressure games late in March.

Miller’s Wildcats lost Thursday, 89-68, thanks to some miserable defense and poor shooting. When Arizona has lost this year, it’s looked quite like this. I thought Ayton’s superpowers would be enough to will his team to the Final Four, but now the team is on the outside looking in once more, wondering what it takes if not the potential No. 1 pick in the draft.

Ayton, notably, registered just one block after showing progress blocking shots in February. Buffalo’s starting guards shot a combined 20-34 from the field for 48 points. That’s inexcusable when you have one of the country’s true behemoths clogging the lane. Ayton was not his best.

Memphis needs talent, and if they land in the top two, they can’t go wrong.