6 best NBA Draft prospects in the ACC not named Cooper Flagg

Every so often, a player comes around that dominates the college basketball discussion. Cooper Flagg of Duke is most certainly one of those players, and he's lived up to his considerable hype and then some to lead the Blue Devils to the top of the ACC standings.

By most metrics, it's been a rough year for the ACC. Tony Bennett and Jim Larranaga, two future Hall-of-Famers, retired in the past four months. The conference got trounced in the annual SEC/ACC Challenge by a pathetic 14-2 score, and according to the latest Bracketology, only five ACC schools are projected to make the NCAA Tournament, with two hanging on for dear life. Of those, only projected 1-seed Duke is better than a 6-seed right now.

Though the ACC may not be having much team success in the regular season, the conference usually outkicks its coverage once March Madness begins. At least one ACC team has made the Final Four each of the last three years, with 11-seed NC State shockingly getting there last year. Regardless, there are many ACC players this year that NBA scouts are intrigued by. With Flagg at the top, this is thought to be a strong draft class, but which fellow ACC players could also hear their names called in June? Here are six players besides Flagg who could have NBA futures.

Kon Knueppel, Duke

Flagg has gotten all the headlines, which has allowed his fellow Blue Devil freshman Kon Knueppel to fly under the radar. Knueppel is a shooting guard who is efficient with the ball in his hands, and at 6-foot-7, he has NBA size. That combination could make him a lottery pick this summer.

Knueppel is shooting 37.3 percent from three and over 53 percent from two, and he's shown himself to be a more-than-capable defender. He hasn't played his best against top competition though, as he's only 19-60 against Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, Auburn and Louisville. He'll need to if the Blue Devils hope to cut down the nets.

Khaman Maluach, Duke

If the presence of Flagg and Knueppel didn't already make it abundantly clear that Duke is far and away the most talented team in the conference, the towering presence of Khaman Maluach down low should remove all doubt.

Maluach is a 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center, and the primary reason why Duke's defense ranks third in the country in adjusted efficiency. He's an elite rebounder on both ends, and if he had just a few more shot attempts, he'd easily be leading the country with his 75.6 field goal percentage. Scouts have compared him to a young DeAndre Jordan, except Maluach is more than respectable at the free throw line, as he shoots over 77 percent.

Ian Jackson, North Carolina

It's been a disappointing season thus far in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are positioned squarely on the bubble after a preseason top-10 ranking, but don't blame Ian Jackson, because the freshman has been as good as his five-star recruiting ranking indicated he would be.

Jackson has gotten better as the season has progressed, and he kicked off this month by scoring 20 points or more in six of seven contests. He's shooting over 38 percent from three, but he's also adept at getting to the rim, especially in transition. He's extremely athletic, as he showed when he threw down a poster dunk against Wake Forest last week. He's a projected first-round pick that could move into the lottery with an impressive final two months.

Maxime Raynaud, Stanford

If Flagg is going to face any competition for ACC Player of the Year, it's going to come from Maxime Raynaud. The 7-foot-1 Frenchman leads the conference in scoring with 20.5 points per game, and in rebounding with 11.7 boards per game. He's the biggest reason why the Cardinal are 14-6 overall, 6-3 in conference play, and playing their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation.

Raynaud has an impressive array of post moves, and he's also able to step out and knock it down from three, where he's shooting over 35 percent. This ability will set him apart from other center prospects, especially with how perimeter-oriented the NBA has become. He's currently projected to go in the late first or early second round.

Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest

There will always be a place in the NBA for scorers who can get their own shot, and outside of Flagg, there may be no one better in the ACC in that regard than Hunter Sallis. The former Gonzaga Bulldog makes his living by beating his man off the dribble, getting into the lane and finishing in a variety of ways.

Sallis has a deadly elbow jumper, even off the bounce, and he's shown an impressive tendency to play even better away from home, where he averages almost 22 points per game. He also leads the ACC in minutes and hasn't played less than 35 minutes in a game since December 7th. He declared for the draft last year but opted to return, and while he's made incremental improvements in most areas, NBA teams will want to see him find his three-point stroke again, as he shot over 40 percent last year but is under 30 percent this year.

Drake Powell, North Carolina

Whereas Ian Jackson has put plenty on tape to get scouts excited, his teammate Drake Powell hasn't been featured as much in his first collegiate season. NBA teams draft on potential though, and Powell has lots of it. The 6-foot-6 wing is a long defender with plus athleticism, and if he can refine his outside shot, he could be a quality 3-and-D in the league.

Powell's shooting splits between home and away are alarming, as he's making 50 percent of his threes at home and less than 16 percent away from the Dean Dome. He's really struggled lately, with four straight games of scoring five points or less. He could do with another year in school so that he can prove he can carry an offense once RJ Davis and possibly Jackson leave, but if he does choose to leave school early, his projected ceiling should still get him drafted in the second round.