Biggest Names to Look For in the Sweet Sixteen

With the NCAA tournament in full effect, prospects are looking to raise their draft stock in the form of big performances and dominant wins.
Here are some of the big names to look out for as we reach the Sweet Sixteen:
The Big Three
Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Duke’s Paolo Banchero and Purdue’s Jaden Ivey are the three most identifiable players left in the tournament.
All three should be clear top four picks in the upcoming draft, the only question is: in what order?
All three have performed well thus far, and scouts and teams alike are looking for any reasons to move them up or down on their big boards.
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Arguably the tournament’s biggest riser, Mathurin has put up consistent numbers on one of the top teams in the nation all season.
In a 6-foot-7 frame, he has innate scoring ability, and projects to be a solid defender when putting in the time and effort on that end of the court.
While one of the top prospects in the nation, he still stands to gain from a national championship run, as he’s not far behind Ivey as the top guard in the class.
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
The Jayhawks senior guard hasn’t yet played to his full potential, but could continue to raise his stock with big performances in the coming rounds.
Agbaji has been seen as a mid-level to fringe lottery talent, and will need some stellar performances to take his stock past his surroundings peers.
Agbaji hasn’t shot the ball well thus far, hitting just two three-pointers in his two contests.
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Derek Parker covers the National Basketball Association and has brought On SI five seasons of coverage across several different teams. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020 and has experience working in print, video, and radio.
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