4 Final Four Prospects to Keep an Eye On For Raptors

March Madness is coming to an end this weekend, but the Toronto Raptors are just getting started when it comes to getting their draft board in line.

Michigan, Arizona, UConn and Illinois all have high-level talent that could be taken in the first round of the draft this June. From high-level scoring guards to two-way wings and strong big men, here is a look at four players that could showcase themselves as strong candidates for the Raptors' big board during the Final Four.

Michigan PF Yaxel Lendeborg

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg at open practice at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lendeborg hasn't always been viewed as a high-level prospect, but he has made the most of his time this season with the Wolverines. Lendeborg started his journey in junior college, but eventually moved into D-I at UAB before transferring to Michigan for his final season of eligibility.

Lendeborg has made the most of his opportunity by becoming the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year with a frame that should make him a mainstay in the NBA for years to come.

Lendeborg stands 6-9, but also has a 7-4 wingspan, which is the ideal size for an NBA player. Some of his Michigan teammates call him the "Dominican LeBron," which he has embraced in his time with the Wolverines. He averages 3.3 assists per game while only turning the ball over 1.1 times per game, which is very strong for someone his size.

Lendeborg has the ability to defend all five positions on the court, which is something the Raptors would love to have more of. According to Evan Miya, Lendeborg ranks first in the NCAA in Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating, which looks into defense apart from just blocks and steals.

"Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating reflects the defensive value a player brings to his team when he is on the court. This rating incorporates a player’s individual efficiency stats and on-court play-by-play impact, and also accounts for the defensive strength of other teammates on the floor with him, along with the offensive strength of the opponent’s players on the floor," Miya wrote.

"DBPR is interpreted as the number of defensive points per 100 possessions better than (below) D1 average expected to be allowed by the player’s team if the player were on the court with 9 other average players. A higher rating is better."

In his last three games of the NCAA Tournament, Lendeborg is averaging 25 points and over eight rebounds per game, proving that he is capable of showing up when the lights are brightest. It leads to his experience in college basketball, which could translate immediately in the pros.

The 23-year-old has risen up the ranks everywhere he's been and he could be someone the Raptors could plug right into their rotation next season, large in part to his short-roll playmaking and communication on the defensive end of the court.

UConn SG Braylon Mullins

UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins cuts down the net after defeating the Duke Blue Devils. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Braylon Mullins isn't just a legend in Connecticut who hit the improbable 3-pointer to send the Huskies to the Final Four over Duke in an epic buzzer-beater in the Elite 8. He's also someone that could help the Raptors fix their spacing on the offensive end of the court.

Mullins averages over nine 3-point attempts per 40 minutes. While his 32.8 per cent shooting from distance suggests he may not be a great shooter, that could be a number that changes at the next level. His game is reminiscent of Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson or even NBA legend Ray Allen in the way he moves without the ball as he tries to get open on the perimeter.

Mullins is much more efficient from inside the arc, making 61 per cent of his 2-point shots. He also has an effective field goal percentage of .536, which is something the Raptors should be intrigued by.

Defensively, Mullins holds his own with a 2.2 per cent steal rate and 2.7 per cent block rate, which is really good for a 6-6 freshman guard. He also prides himself on disrupting passing lanes, which often leads to his teammates forcing turnovers, but it also contributes to team defense.

Whether the ball is in his hands or not, Mullins is going to make an impact. That's a hard skill to teach coming into the league because established veterans are far more likely to have the ball in their hands than rookies. That's what makes Mullins an intriguing prospect.

The one thing Mullins needs to go from good to great is to attack the rim. If Mullins can develop the ability to drive to the rim at a high level, the Raptors could have a strong piece to the puzzle on their hands.

Illinois PG Keaton Wagler

Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler speaks in a press conference. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Like Mullins, Wagler clocks in at 6-6, giving him the right size necessary to be an elite two-way guard in the NBA. He was a four-star recruit out of high school, but his play throughout the season, especially in the NCAA Tournament, has made him someone that could go in the lottery in the draft this summer.

Wagler is one of the best shooters in the country, making over 40 per cent of his looks from beyond downtown. He has the ability to be a superstar if all the stars align in his direction when he enters the league.

Illinois has one of the best offences in the NCAA thanks to him, but he generates most of his looks in the half-court offence. While the pro level should see a faster pace, Wagler will thrive with a team that likes to slow things down and the Raptors are one of the slower teams in the league in terms of pace at 101.1, ranking 19th in the NBA.

Wagler also has the ability to make shots when they matter most. He often likes to wind down the shot clock and hit a shot when an attempt needs to go up, which gives him the clutch gene that will make teams fall in love with him as a prospect.

Wagler is still a bit undersized at 185 pounds, but he gained 20 pounds while in school this season, so he could continue his upward trajectory considering the fact he is only 19 years old.

Wagler is in the 92nd percentile when it comes to assist rate, which benefits him in a system like the Raptors, which prioritizes ball movement. There is a good chance he is off the board by the time the Raptors will be picking, but Wagler could be a trade up option to get Toronto the final piece to the puzzle.

Arizona PF Koa Peat

Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat during a practice session ahead of the Final Four. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Standing 6-8, Peat is a guard trapped in a forward's body. He represents the type of player that is similar to Scottie Barnes in that he can distribute the basketball at a high level with strong point guard-esque vision and the strength to back it all up.

Peat has a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio this season with the Wildcats and he is a big part of the reason why they have been one of the more successful teams in college basketball. He often gets possessions going by grabbing a rebound and taking the ball up himself or getting the outlet pass out quickly to transition to the next play.

Peat doesn't have high numbers for blocks and steals, but he does have the size to compete against any position 1-5, making him someone that could fit right in with the Raptors and their positionless philosophy.

Peat's size also helps him offensively when he drives through contact. That will give him an advantage on the NBA level when it comes to drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line at a high rate.

Arizona often puts Peat in a position to where he's at the top of the key and he tries to find someone on the perimeter who is open for a 3-point shot. That's often a similar role that Barnes plays for the Raptors, so having him come off the bench for him would be something valuable for Toronto to have.

Peat will help the Raptors with his rebounding skills, which the team desperately could use more of. The Raptors rank 22nd in the NBA with 51 rebounds per game. Peat's ability to crash the glass and then find an open shooter to create second-chance possessions will be something that can help the Raptors move forward.

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