Three NBA Draft Prospects who can Still Boost Stock in March Madness

The NCAA Tournament has officially been whittled down to the Sweet 16, with numberous NBA Draft prospect’s seasons having already come to a close.

Players like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and plenty more have played out their final games of college basketball. Though prospects are still scattered across the remaining teams.

Below we’ll touch on three prospects who could still stand to boost their stock as March Madness wears on:

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Having played in Division II and in the Missouri Valley Conference, Bennett Stirtz has been under the Division I microscope this season. So far, he’s passed, averaging 19.7 points and 4.5 assists per game for Iowa while shooting 48% overall.

Still, scouts and NBA decision-makers want all the sample they can get of Stirtz, who offers a funky stylistic fit despite his high-end pros. The NCAA Tournament has offered a good look at him against elite competition, though he hasn’t been elite so far, shooting just 9-for-33 in total from the field.

Ninth-seeded Iowa will face off against fourth-seeded Nebraska on Thursday, offering a great chance at a bounce-back scoring game for Stirtz, who could punch his team’s ticket to the Elite Eight and more time in the sun.

Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

Zuby Ejiofor’s been a known factor for the Red Storm for seasons now, and his most recent campaign of 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 blocks per game only cemented that.

Still, the 6-foot-9, highly-versatile forward could massively boost his stock by dethroning the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils, who have only lost twice all season. If Ejiofor and co. are to continue on in March Madness, it will almost certainly involve him getting the better of his impending individual matchup with potential No. 1 pick Cameron Boozer.

If Ejiofor can shine on the biggest stage against a bonafide, soon-to-be NBA star, it could raise his stock a few necessary spots.

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Tennessee forward Nate Ament has seen as up-and-down a season as one could possibly see, as reference by his two tournament games thus far. He scored zero points in 18 minutes against Miami of Ohio, then turned around for 16 big points in a narrow upset win over Virginia.

That’s a microcosm of his season as well, which has featured high highs and low lows. Whether it’s right or not, his final impression is sure to stick with league decision-makers, and going out positively could help to paint the upside picture.