Cameron Boozer, Kingston Flemings, and Darius Acuff might steal the headlines for NBA Draft prospects as we enter the Sweet 16. Nevertheless, there are plenty of overlooked prospects who could return solid value later in the draft and are still alive in the tournament.
This season has proved that the Boston Celtics are elite at developing talent. And they could get even better in June, given how deep this year's draft class is.
Here are five names that the Celtics organization and their fans should have their eyes glued to for the rest of March Madness.
Patrick Ngongba, C, Duke
I'm not sure what I'm missing with Patrick Ngongba. Defensively, he is highly versatile, while being able to protect the rim at a high rate. Impressively, per CBB Analytics, he ranks in the 99th percentile for Defensive RAPM. Offensively, he is an efficient lob threat with solid polish as both a scorer and passer. Simply put, he's everything you'd want from a modern big man. Nevertheless, in most mock drafts, he's projected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick.
Ngongba is dealing with a foot injury, but he was able to return on Saturday against TCU. Hopefully, fans will be able to catch him at full health for the rest of the tournament.
In any event, the Celtics' biggest need is arguably big man depth. Neemias Queta has emerged as a starting-level center, but it's unclear if Nikola Vučević has a future in Beantown. And frankly, I can't think of a better prospect to fill this void than Ngongba.
Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Aday Mara is one of the more unique players in the draft class. He is a 7-foot-3 giant and a classic drop coverage rim protector. Mara's 2.7 blocks per game led the Big Ten. Likewise, his 12.7 block percentage leads the country.
On the other end of the court, this makes Mara a powerful lob threat and screener. However, Mara also shows flashes of brilliance as a passer, averaging an impressive 2.5 assists. Mara can be used as a short roll and high post playmaker, two things that are perfect for the Celtics.
This blend of size and skill reminds me a lot of Donovan Clingan, who is in the midst of a breakout season. It's possible that Mara falls to the late first round due to concerns about his conditioning. In fact, FanSided's latest mock draft had Mara being drafted at 25, just two spots ahead of where the Celtics are projected to pick.
Given the Celtics' need for a center and Mara's unique skill set, Boston would have to at the very least consider drafting him if he's available. Michigan is one of the teams best positioned to win the national championship, so Celtics fans should have plenty of chances to watch Mara.
Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan
That's right, Mara isn't the only Michigan prospect Celtics fans should be watching during the stretch run of March Madness. Truthfully, I'm higher on Morez Johnson both regarding his fit with Boston and as a prospect overall. CBB Analytics ranks him in the 99th percentile for RAPM, which indicates he's one of the more impactful two-way players in the country.
Still, his consensus range seems to be somewhere within the 20s, which could make him in play for the Celtics.
Boston is built around versatility, and that describes Johnson's game perfectly. He can guard just about any position, is a tenacious rebounder, a physical interior scorer, a solid connective playmaker, and has even flashed signs of being able to space the floor. Johnson is a hybrid forward/center who could perfectly complement Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
His versatile skill set and relentless motor are two things that the Celtics clearly value. I'm not sure if Johnson will end up being available when the Celtics are on the clock, but if he is, Brad Stevens likely won't pass on a chance to add him.
Braden Smith, G, Purdue
As a 22-year-old guard, Braden Smith doesn't have star upside. However, for a Celtics team that is trying to win a championship, that doesn't matter. Since trading Anfernee Simons, backup guard play has been somewhat of a need for Boston, and Smith seems like the most obvious awesome backup guard of all-time.
Smith has a throwback game, controlling the offense with his superme playmaking. Notably, he averages 9 dimes per game and became the all-time leader in total assists this weekend. He is also a solid mid-range and 3-point shooter. Beyond that, Smith is a scrappy defender in the mold of TJ McConnell.
The Celtics will likely be out of the range of the top-tier guard in this year's class. Nevertheless, getting a ready-made pro late in the first-round wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.
Amari Allen, F, Alabama
On the surface level, the Celtics don't need another wing. However, in the modern NBA, you can never have too many wings, and the Celtics have built their identity around versatile wings. Labaron Philon gets most of the attention on Alabama, but Amari Allen is quickly emerging as a clear first-round pick.
FanSided's recent mock draft had Allen going to the Celtics at pick 27, and it's easy to see why Boston could be fond of him. Allen has a versatile skill set capable of creating for himself, spotting up, making the right reads as a passer, and guarding multiple positions on defense. Plus, at 19 years old, he has real upside. This well-rounded skill set makes Allen a picture-perfect fit in Boston's system.
If the Celtics want a high-upside wing with the ability to contribute early on, Allen is a clear name to watch. Facing off against an all-mighty Michigan squad, Celtics fans might not have many more chances to watch him, but he's certainly a player to keep in mind leading up to the draft.