The NCAA Tournament bracket is officially set: 68 teams split into four regions, all hoping to run the gauntlet and cut down the nets next month. Both for those looking ahead to the NBA Draft, this is a prime opportunity to watch several top prospects compete in a high-stakes environment.
The East Region in particular features a lot of exciting names. Top seed Duke is loaded with tons of future NBA talent, highlighted by potential No. 1 pick Cameron Boozer. Darryn Peterson will look to salvage a rocky freshman season on college basketball's biggest stage. From a handful of lottery prospects to upperclassmen hoping to crack the second round, here are the prospects worth your attention from the East corner of the bracket.
15. Ryan Conwell, Louisville
Projected Draft Range: Second round
At his fourth school in four years, senior guard Ryan Conwell has been a critical stabilizing force for Louisville. NBA detractors will point to a lack of playmaking volume at 6-foot-4, but Conwell is positively elite off the ball. The Cardinals run him through a variety of actions and he exerts significant gravitational pull as a shooter, hitting 34.2 percent of his 9.6 attempts per game from long range. He's also versatile on defense, with the core strength needed to guard up a position or two or stonewall opposing guards at the point of attack. He competes hard, plays a smart, free-flowing brand of basketball and should hopefully plug neatly into a niche role at the next level.
14. Alex Karaban, UConn
Projected Draft Range: Second round
Alex Karaban was on NBA radars as a freshman and especially as a sophomore, playing a critical role in UConn's back-to-back title runs. Some would argue he stuck around Storrs a bit too long. Now a senior, Karaban's profile remains virtually the same ... but therein lies the problem, as he's just older now. Still, experience — especially winning experience — is always valuable. Karaban plays with wisdom beyond his years and projects as a plug-and-play floor spacer at the next level. He bombs spot-up 3s, makes quick decisions in the flow of the offense and has a higher defensive floor than he typically gets credit for.
13. Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Projected Draft Range: Second round
Jeremy Fears is a player whom fans of opposing teams love to hate. Is his reputation for borderline, sometimes straight-up dirty play entirely fair? Yeah, a bit; Fears competes hard and puts his body on the line, often in ways that incite criticism. But he's impactful, there's no way around it: His growth as a shooter, compared with a prolific playmaking profile (9.2 assists to 2.3 turnovers, which is insane), gives Fears enough offensive juice to open up a path to productive minutes as a spark plug off the bench at the next level.
12. Eric Reibe, UConn
Projected Draft Range: Return to school
Eric Reibe is averaging 15.0 minutes per game for UConn, so he'll need a proper breakout to register on 2026 draft radars. But he should be kept in mind as a potential first-round pick down the road, offering unique size and shooting touch in the frontcourt. At 7-foot-1, 260 pounds, he flashes range out to the 3-point line on offense, passes on the short roll and slides his feet nimbly to block shots in drop coverage. His at-rim finishing is elite in a small sample size. Reibe needs a bit more polish, particularly on defense, but he's on an exciting path and NBA fans should take note.
11. Cayden Boozer, Duke
Projected Draft Range: Return to school
Cayden Boozer spent most of his freshman season coming off the bench and providing very little as a scorer for the Blue Devils. When a late-season injury to Caleb Foster thrust him into the spotlight, however, the 18-year-old put up back-to-back 16-point games to cap Duke's ACC Tournament run. He offers good positional size and strength, especially for such a young guard. Boozer is also a warp-speed processor who can spray exciting, creative dimes out of the pick-and-roll. When he's confidently attacking the rim and looking for his own shot, the upside is apparent. He may need another year at Duke, outside his brother's shadow, to really solidify his draft case. But Boozer has considerable momentum heading into March Madness.
10. Isaiah Evans, Duke
Projected Draft Range: 20-45
Isaiah Evans dropped 32 points in Duke's hard-fought ACC Tournament win over Florida State, then dropped 20 a few days later in the title game against Virginia. He's coming on strong at the right time, showcasing the sort of movement shooting and slashing skills NBA teams covet on the wing. Evans isn't a huge playmaker, really on either end of the floor, but he knows how to fit into a broader puzzle and leverage his scoring gravity to help teammates. He's a real athlete, with downhill burst that hints at upside beyond his role-player trappings. But even if Evans just plateaus at the next level, his skill set has immense value in today's NBA.
9. Flory Bidunga, Kansas
Projected Draft Range: 20-45
Flory Bidunga couldn't get on the court enough as a freshman, but he has experienced a proper breakout in year two with the Jayhawks. A return to school is not out of the question in today's NIL era, but Bidunga offers several attributes that NBA teams covet. First and foremost, he's a bonkers athlete, with a wide catch radius on lobs and the ability to cover large areas of the court as a defensive backbone. His shot blocking, rim running and rebounding should all translate. Bidunga won't space the floor much, and it's fair to quibble with the turnovers, but he looks the part of an NBA center — especially if he gets paired with the right point guard at the next level.
8. Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
Projected Draft Range: 20-45
After starting every game as a sophomore at Michigan, Tarris Reed took a demotion essentially to come off the bench for UConn as a junior. Patience has paid off, however, as the senior is enjoying his best season to date and blazing a clear path to the NBA Draft. Reed is listed at 6-foot-10 and 260 pounds, with long limbs and bowling-ball mobility. He sets wide screens, plows through smaller defenders at the rim and exhibits impressive processing as a short roll passer or elbow hub. He rebounds, he blocks shots, he spends time out on the perimeter defensively. There aren't a ton of holes to poke with Reed.
7. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Projected Draft Range: Second round
Bruce Thornton's smaller 6-foot-2 frame and below-the-rim, wrecking-ball style will generate plenty of NBA skeptics, but he is plainly one of the most powerful offensive engines in college basketball right now. The senior point guard is scoring 20.2 points and averaging 3.9 assists, with a 3.0 A:TO, elite positional rebounding and active hands on defense. He can struggle at the point of attack and is bound to face more challenges finishing at the rim in the NBA, but Thornton is a knockdown shooter with a deep bag of tricks as a ball-handler. He also checks a lot of intangible boxes. If Ohio State makes some noise, it could mean Thornton captures significant momentum heading into the pre-draft process.
6. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's
Projected Draft Range: 20-45
It's hard to fully trust the Johnnies' offense in the NCAA Tournament, but that defense will grind you to a pulp, and Zuby Ejiofor is the ringleader. At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, Ejiofor is shot out of a cannon on that end of the floor, frenetically closing up gaps, exploding for weak-side blocks and making his presence felt via force on the interior. He rebounds like hell and does a lot of dirty work NBA teams should value. There's also much to like on the other end. Ejiofor has the power and length to punish mismatches on the block. He stretches comfortably out to the 3-point line, with solid touch indicators as a 70 percent free throw shooter, and he averages 3.5 assists. A lot of boxes checked.
5. Braylon Mullins, UConn
Projected Draft Range: 15-30
It has been an up-and-down season for Braylon Mullins, who missed significant time out of the gate with an injury. But he is a classic "looks the part" guy, zipping through a maze of screens and consistently drilling tough, off-balance 3s like it's a regular day at the office. Plenty of NBA teams would love to add a real movement shooter, and Mullins processes the floor quickly, has enough juice to beat closeouts and score in the mid-range and exhibits active hands on defense. His frame is frightfully thin, but his most bankable skill gives him a leg up on plenty of freshmen in the non-lottery conversation.
4. Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
Projected Draft Range: 10-25
Patrick Ngongba missed a few games in the ACC Tournament, but he's expected back for the Big Dance. Duke's sophomore center has solidified his case to NBA scouts in an expanded role this season with adept rim protection and efficient, skillful finishing around the rim. At 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Ngongba offers a wide frame that he knows how to weaponize on both ends. He's also a slick passer, able to whip pinpoint passes out of the post with a sixth sense for open cutters. Ngongba won't light the world on fire, but he's still 20 with a refined approach and what projects as a high two-way floor.
3. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Projected Draft Range: 5-14
Mikel Brown Jr. is a real "eye of the beholder" prospect in the mid-to-late lottery range. There's a strong argument to be made that he's the best point guard on the board: a dizzying athlete with size, a bit of length and incredible shot-making chops. Brown can expand his range well beyond the NBA 3-point line; he gets downhill in a blur and works his way to the free-throw line regularly. He slings a few passes every game that melt one's brain. But he also has dreadful scoring nights where he's simply trying to do Too Much. Brown will need to refine his decision-making and up his efficiency at the next level; still, the talent is undeniable and his ceiling is that of a multi-time All-Star.
2. Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Projected Draft Range: Top 3
Darryn Peterson's freshman season has been clouded by a mysterious cramping issue, in addition to a strange illness that caused him to miss a win over then-undefeated Arizona and a lingering ankle issue that visibly sapped his explosiveness. Despite an insufferable discourse cycle and plenty of productivity warts, Peterson has been remarkably productive when he's available. He's the most talented guard prospect in recent memory, with a blend of size, twitch and shot-making versatility that should leave scouts more than willing to overlook a few oddities. He defends, he's a better passer than the numbers suggest and he can thrive on- or off-ball. Do not sell your stock.
1. Cameron Boozer, Duke
Projected Draft Range: Top 3
Cameron Boozer has somehow flown under the radar as the best player in college basketball, on the best team in college basketball. He's 18 years old and putting together the most roundly dominant season in recent history, driving winning the whole time. What exactly are folks missing here? Concerns about his play style and ground-bound athleticism are understandable to an extent, but there is basically zero play type in which Boozer has not thrived this season. He's a bulldozer at the rim, a legitimate 3-point shooter and a capable ball-handler, with passing chops that would make Alperen Sengun or Domantas Sabonis blush. Just trust the productivity and a long track record of success.