NBA Draft Prospects who Could Boost Their Stock in March Madness

March Madness is officially here, with First Four games kicking off over the next few days, and the NCAA Tournament officially beginning on Thursday.

With that, NBA Draft prospects will be looking to boost their stock one last time ahead of what should be a loaded 2026 NBA Draft. The class is already being heralded as one of the best in some time, with various teams around the league positioning themselves for the best possible odds.

Here are three prospects who could stand to boost their stock the most in their final collegiate games:

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Forward Nate Ament has seen a polarizing season with the Volunteers, coming in as the No. 4 prospect for most due to his combination of size at 6-foot-10 and shot-making.

He saw real lows in his start, followed by high highs in conference play, and has now leveled out somewhere in the middle stock-wise. Still, the upside is there, as seen in his 27-point outing against Auburn in the SEC Tournament.

Tennessee is a six-seed, and could be primed for a deep run if they can move past Virginia in Round 2. There’s no real chance that can happen without an Ament explosion, but if it does it could certainly put him in more favorable light with NBA scouts and decision-makers.

Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

Texas Tech has seen a disappointing month, with star and potential National Player of the Year JT Toppin suffering a torn ACL, followed by losing out in blowout fashion to Iowa State in the tournament.

Still, there’s a chance for the Red Raiders to make March noise, and it rests solely on the shoulders of Christian Anderson.

Anderson’s been so-so since Toppin’s injury, but is still one of the best and most exciting guards in the country, averaging 18.9 points and 7.6 assists per game while shooting a blistering 43% from three.

March is for guard play, and more specifically for offensively slanted guards such as Anderson. If he can dictate the tempo and pace of games while functioning as his team’s superstar, NBA teams will take notice.

If Texas Tech can move past Akron in the first round, Anderson could very well meet up with another guard in his range in Labaron Philon of Alabama.

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. may have done enough in the SEC Tournament to cement himself as a top-five pick, though if he didn’t, he’ll have more chances soon.

Through three games in the conference tournament, Acuff scored 30.3 points on 44% shooting overall, adding 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He’s been a consistent riser for many this season, using his blend of poise, shot-making and facilitation to function as a superstar for the Razorbacks.

True freshman-led teams haven’t historically had phenomenal success in March and early-April, though Acuff doesn’t play at all like a true freshman. If he can will Arkansas to a deep run, NBA teams could very well throw his deficiencies — height and tough shot-making — to the side completely.