Sweet 16's Has Several Future NBA Draft Options Worth Scouting

The New Orleans Pelicans can find several second-round draft pick options in the 2023 NCAA Sweet 16.

Author:
Chris Dodson
Mar 23, 2023 4:05 PM EDT

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NEW ORLEANS- The New Orleans Pelicans have been on a hot streak lately when it comes to unearthing gems from second-round picks and the undrafted free-agent player pool. Herb Jones (35th overall pick) has been an All-Defense level sensation. Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado went from undrafted to universally beloved, playoff-caliber rotational mainstays in New Orleans.

The roster is about to get expensive with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum all on big-money deals. Continuing the success rate in the second round of the draft and beyond is paramount to a sustainable foundation, especially if staying under the luxury tax line is a priority.

The 2023 NCAA Sweet 16 has several options worth scouting this weekend, for this upcoming draft and beyond. New Orleans hopes to have their first-round picks land in the back half of the draft for the next decade and are starting to run low on second-round selections.

Herb Jones and Naji Marshall celebrate against the Orlando Magic. — Feb 27, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) reacts to making a three point basket with forward Naji Marshall (8) and forward Herbert Jones (5) against the Orlando Magic during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

They only keep their second-rounder this summer if it falls between 31 and 45. Still, the front office will be scouting the Sweet 16 knowing the rest of the details can be sorted out later. So who is worth keeping an eye on?

Several first-round prospects can solidify a lottery-level contract in the Sweet 16. Alabama's Brandon Miller could jump into the top-2 conversation if he has not already. Houston freshman Jarace Walker is on the fringes of the top-5 behind Victor Wembanyama (France), Scoot Henderson (G-League Ignite), and the Thompson twins (Overtime Elite).

(4) UConn vs. (8) Arkansas

UConn: Jordan Hawkins might have to carry too much of the offensive burdens against a tenacious defense, which is full of long NBA prospects. Hawkins had four second-half three-pointers to lead the Huskies this far but his shot-creation, mid-range game, and defense are still suspect. Passing the test against the Razorbacks pushes Hawkins into the lottery.

Hawkins might be the only UConn player selected in the 2023 NBA Draft if Adama Sonogo (17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, and shooting 60.5 percent from the field) opts to stick around for a senior year. Looking ahead to the 2024 Draft, watch UConn's Donovan Clingan, a nimble 7-foot, 2-inch rim-protecting prospect.

Mar 19, 2023; Albany, NY, USA; UConn Huskies forward Adama Sanogo (21) reacts after a play against the St. Mary's Gaels during the first half at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas: Where New Orleans falls all depends on the standings and draft swap rights with the Los Angeles Lakers but Anthony Black should be available as a late-lottery option. However, some of Razorback teammates are worth some extra attention as well. The Razorbacks have at least four NBA talents on the roster.

Nick Smith missed part of the year with an injury and is still rounding into form. He could be just the spark needed to push Arkansas to the Final Four. Smith (6'5'', 185 lbs) is a strong combo guard with a score-first mentality.

Getting hot at the right time would boost his draft stock tremendously. The same goes for wing-runners Ricky Council IV and Jordan Walsh, who are starting to heat up from beyond the three-point arc. They have all popped up on almost every mock draft.

(2) UCLA vs (3) Gonzaga

UCLA: The Bruins are senior-heavy, which is great for NCAA tourney runs but those upperclassmen often go undrafted. Point guard Tyger Campbell and forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. lead UCLA in scoring but Adem Bona holds the defense together.

Bona is a borderline first-rounder that could also drop out of the draft completely. I see Bona as a bigger risk than Jaxson Hayes, but with far greater rewards should he figure out the NBA game. Watch out for Amari Bailey if Campbell cannot get things going.

Gonzaga: The Bulldogs match up experience-wise with Drew Timme and Anton Watson. Julian Strawther is not Chet Holmgren but the junior small forward could get the Josh Hart treatment as the last pick of the first round, just so a team can secure those extra years and contract rights. Nolan Hickman could get an NBA Combine invite and a draft call with a few more good games.

(4) Tennessee vs. (9) Florida Atlantic

Tennessee: The Volunteers allow just 57.3 points per game with a rotation of four big men packing the paint. Zakai Zeigler is out for the season. Josiah James has an NBA build and would be a good rotational piece in Birmingham.

FAU: Fans have heard a lot about roster depth. Well, the Owls only have two players who are on the court for more than 60% of the game. No one averages more than 26 minutes but nine players average at least 15 minutes a night. It's a long shot bet any of these players are in Las Vegas for Summer League, much less the NBA Draft. Johnell Davis looked exciting beating 16th seed Fairleigh Dickson though.

(3) Kansas State vs (7) Michigan State

Kansas State: Keyontae Johnson battled some health issues but he can score from every spot and cause plenty of turnovers as a versatile defender. Johnson is above 40% from three-point range and can rebound above his list 6'5'' height.

Michigan State: The Pelicans need shooters in quantity and quality. Bringing Tyson Walker and Joey Hauser, both shooting better than 40% from beyond the arc but not expected to be drafted, into the Las Vegas and G-League camps for a spell could be worth the investment.

(1) Houston vs. (5) Miami

Houston: The Cougars are emotionally led by undersized 6'2'' Marcus Sasser, who questioned all doubters by playing an outstanding game against Auburn coming off an injury. Sasser looks to have the same NBA path as recently-traded Devonte' Graham.

Jarace Wallace (6'8" and 240 pounds with a 7'2" wingspan) is the lottery pick this team leans on for crucial buckets. Wallace can pass out of double teams and bully through most defenders with just one dribble.

Miami: Small-ball big man Norchad Omier has Draymond Green-like moments on defense and with his passing. However, Omier also scores over 13 points per game by just finding spots and putting back rebounds. The Hurricanes do not have much else in the way of NBA prospects. This could be exposed badly against Houston, which might hurt Omier's draft stock.

(2) Texas vs. (3) Xavier

Texas: Only five teams in the country have more NCAA games-played experience than the Longhorns. Dillon Mitchell is raw but probably the only NBA prospect on the roster. He has lottery potential in the 2024 NBA Draft if all the tools come together.

Xavier: Colby Jones is much like Herb Jones. He has all the tools and intelligence already in play so a team has to give time for the jump shot to develop. Likewise, Colby should be able to step into a rotation immediately just like Ayo Dosunmu.

(1) Alabama vs. (5) San Diego State

Alabama: Everyone knows about Brandon Miller, the bad and the good. If a team wanted to draft a slightly bigger Larry Nance Jr., they could do way worse than giving Noah Clowney a call on draft day. At 6'10'', 210 lbs. with a shot that stretches out to the corner, Clowney can be a good fit in the right role around Zion Williamson from day one.

San Diego State: The Aztecs have survived this long living off of defense and Matt Bradley's offensive consistency. SDSU is a great college team story as they hold opponents to only 63.1 points per game and limit them to just 28.8% 3-point shooting. Bradley is the only player who might get a Summer League invite.

(6) Creighton vs (15) Princeton

Creighton: The Blue Jays have 7-foot rim protector Ryan Kalkbrenner, who will get most of the attention if not avoidance from Princeton's offensive gameplan. Arthur Kaluma has been dubbed OG Anunoby-lite by NBA Draft Room. If Kaluma can create good shots while Kalkbrenner packs the paint, Creighton has the type of talented duo that can lead a Final Four run.

Princeton: Considering the reputation of the Princeton offense and the caliber of talent coming out of their gym, perhaps scouting this squad for coaching prospects would not be a bad idea. Tosan Evbuomwan and Ryan Langborg can throw different looks at opponents but Princeton has made it this far with an outlier defense. They held Arizona to 27 points below its average and Missouri to 16 points below.