Biggest March Madness breakout stars and their NBA Draft stock

As the first weekend of March Madness wraps up on Sunday, plenty of players have already made a strong impression — not only on this tournament, but in the NBA Draft conversation as well. We know scouts are watching each and every game, combing through tape with a fine-tooth comb. These games, with these stakes, really matter.

Let's dive into a handful of early breakouts who could be pinging on NBA radars:

Mason Falslev, Utah State Aggies

Junior point guard Mason Falslev is generally out of the spotlight at Utah State, but the No. 9 seed Aggies made a statement with their commanding win over Villanova in the first round. It was Falslev who led the way, scoring 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting, with seven rebounds and four assists.

The primary obstacle for Falslev's draft stock is, frankly, his school. The Mountain West isn't exactly a hotbed for prospects nowadays. But he's an efficient three-level scorer and creator, with a low turnover rate (12.6) and active hands on defense (3.6 STL%). He is also a great rebounder at 6-foot-3, which is often an underrated but extremely positive indicator of a player's ability to muck it up and stick at the next level.

NBA Draft stock: He probably returns to school for his senior year, with a real chance to break out.

Otega Oweh, Kentucky Wildcats

Otega Oweh was never fully able to build on his breakout junior season from a draft perspective, but the senior has remained extremely productive for Kentucky while emerging as a critical leader on and off the court. In Kentucky's first-round victory over Santa Clara, Oweh showed out, dropping 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on 11-for-24 shooting, including this halfcourt prayer to force overtime.

There was controversy surrounding the end of that game, and whether Oweh's shot even have counted. But the performance stands out all the same. Athletic 6-foot-5 guards who can slice to the rim and defend like Oweh tend to get a shot in the NBA. If he can ramp up his 3-point volume, watch out.

NBA Draft stock: He's a potential second-round pick who will get a Summer League invite regardless.

David Mirkovic and Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois cruised through the first weekend with blowout wins over Penn and VCU. A couple stars stood out in each game. First it was 20-year-old "freshman" David Mirkovic, who scored 29 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including four made 3s, against Penn. He tacked on 17 rebounds and three assists for good measure.

Mirkovic is a fascinating NBA evaluation. He is a severely limited athlete and defender, but the strength, skill and feel at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds is awfully appealing. He can operate as a scoring and playmaking hub on the elbow. He's comfortable handling out on the perimeter or bully-balling in the post. An NBA team could very well look past his deficiencies.

Stojakovic took center stage in the VCU victory, despite coming off the bench. He scored 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting. It's fair to wonder exactly how Stojakovic's game translates to the pros, as his ancillary production — particularly the lack of steals and assists — is a bit worrisome for a guard-wing type. But he competes like hell and exhibits remarkable craft as a slasher.

NBA Draft stock: Mirkovic and Stojakovic are both strong candidates to return to school next season. If both were to declare, somewhere between a second-round pick and undrafted free agency are the likely outcomes. Mirkovic has a much higher ceiling, but Stojakovic's energy (and name) could lend him NBA support.

Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska entered the tournament have never won a game in March Madness, somehow. Now the Cornerhuskers are dancing into the Sweet 16 after a thrilling 74-72 victory over Vanderbilt. The common thread through both games is the continued emergence of junior sharpshooter Pryce Sandfort, the younger brother of current OKC two-way recipient Payton Sandfort. It's starting to feel like the brothers will be reunited in the NBA sphere sometime in the next two years.

Sandfort dropped 23 against Troy and 15 against Vandy, with a total of 10 made 3s through two games. That's his bread and butter. The 6-foot-6 sharpshooter offers an immediately elite and translatable NBA skill: he's a dangerous movement shooter, willing to gun around screens and fire on the move, needing little room or balance to get a shot off. He can also rebound, pass and defend well enough to support more than a specialist designation.

NBA Draft stock: He's a second-round pick without a doubt, either this year or next — with a chance to climb into the first round conversation if Nebraska goes on a deep run.

Tarris Reed Jr., UConn Huskies

We should take all production against Furman with a grain of salt, but Tarris Reed Jr.'s monster opening round performance — 31 points on 12-for-15 shooting with 27 rebounds and three assists — almost transcends belief. It is the single most impressive individual performance of March Madness so far, and it's more than enough to boost his presence in the draft conversation.

Reed has paid his dues across four college seasons, two at Michigan and two at UConn. He leads the Big East in field goal percentage and effective field goal percentage (63.5), functioning as a 6-foot-10, 260-pound bowling ball aimed at the rim. Reed can finish lobs and power his way through mismatches on the block. He's also a slick passer. The rebounding ability seems rather obvious at this point, and he checks the right boxes as a defensive anchor (8.9 BLK%, 2.1 STL%).

NBA Draft stock: Reed holds steady as a second-round projection, with a chance to climb into the first round with continued strong play or an impressive pre-draft process, especially once underclassmen begin to drop out.

Matas Vokietaitis, Texas Longhorns

Texas sophomore Matas Vokietaitis, the transfer from Florida Atlantic, made his mark in the Longhorns' first-round win over BYU. He scored 23 points on 10-for-17 shooting, with 16 rebounds and a block for good measure. Frankly, it should've been an even bigger scoring night, too: Vokietaitis only shot 3-for-11 on free throws. He followed it up with 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists in an upset victory over Gonzaga.

A true 7-footer with a wide base and intriguing flashes of skill, Vokietaitis is undoubtedly on NBA radars. He's a smooth yet powerful interior scorer, with a healthy presence on the glass and more than enough size to alter shots on defense, even if he's not a huge shot-blocker. Vokietaitis will need to address his weaknesses — poor lateral quickness, a high foul rate, more than twice as many turnovers (2.1) as assists (0.7) — but if he can keep producing and leading Texas on this Cinderella run, scouts will pay attention.

NBA Draft stock: Vokietaitis probably goes undrafted if he declares this season, so expect a return to school with hopes of building on the momentum generated by this NCAA Tournament run.

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