5 future NBA superstars to watch in the 2022 NCAA Tournament

3. Paolo Banchero, Forward, Duke

Banchero is a powerful frontcourt player with the kind of offensive versatility that could change the fortunes of a lot of teams in the NBA Draft Lottery. He’s averaged 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game for Duke this season, shooting 47.4 percent from the field. At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, he has great size but also the mobility and fluidity to attack off the dribble and create opportunities for himself away from the basket.

Some of his most impressive moments have come working from the elbows, facing up to beat slower defenders and finding his open teammates when the defense collapses on him. With his touch, strength, quickness and vision he should be able to handle a lot of offensive responsibility at the next level, especially if his 3-point shot and mid-range jumper keep progressing. Banchero is not an ideal rim protector which may hamper his ability to play the 5 at the next level (the position where his offensive skills may be most impactful) but his mobility will allow him to play the 4 and even handle some bigger wings. He has some flaws, but what he does, he does really, really well and he’s one of those players who may look better in a more open NBA system.