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NBA Draft Prospects Who Helped/Hurt Their Stock Most During March Madness

Damon Amendolara

by Damon Amendolara in College Basketball

Updated Apr 11, 2019 · 10:26 AM PDT

Carsen Edwards
Carsen Edwards opened eyes with his March Madness performance. Photo by Alexander Jonesi (flickr) [CC License].
  • The draft stock of several NBA prospects rose and fell dramatically during March Madness 
  • Will an NBA team nab Purdue’s Carsen Edwards in the first round? 
  • Is Duke’s Cam Reddish still a top 10 draft pick after his season ended in disappointment?

Players Who Helped Their Draft Stock

Ja Morant

The Wind-up Waterbug did everything for Murray State during the regular season, but his triple-double in the first round of the tourney elevated him to a different level for NBA scouts. America got to witness on a big stage the type of flash and dynamic ability Morant brings to the table.

His coach calls him a generational talent, and many are starting to agree. He will likely be the second pick in the draft and that only could’ve happened with his explosion in the NCAA tournament. Watch out for Ja at the next level. He has the type of game that will draw plenty of attention and make him instantly marketable.

Carsen Edwards

The 6’1″ sharpshooter’s performance against Virginia in the Elite 8 was a sight to behold. 42 points while knocking down enormous shots and singlehandedly carrying the Boilermakers to within an eyelash of the Final Four opened everyone’s eyes.

He rose to the occasion as the game got later, and it’s a shame we couldn’t watch him in Minneapolis. His size hurts him at the next level, but his ability to create shots against larger defenders and range beyond the three-point arc makes him a fascinating NBA pick.

Jarrett Culver

Before the tourney many did not realize Texas Tech was more than just a punishing defensive team. They also had an NBA lottery pick, but Culver may have played himself into a top 5-6 pick with the Red Raiders run to the title game.

The 6’5″ guard can score off the dribble, and also spot-up shoot. He was often times the only true offensive weapon opponents had to respect, meaning he had to battle double-teams and the best defenders. Culver wasn’t great in the title game but he’ll still end up being a pick taken in the top 10 undoubtedly.

Players Who Hurt Their Draft Stock

Cam Reddish

The 6’8″ forward was supposed to help make Duke unbeatable, but the Blue Devils never clicked into Beast Mode and a lot of that had to do with him. When he returned from missing the Sweet 16 against Michigan State and had only eight points, four rebounds, two blocks, two turnovers and an assist while shooting just 2-of-8 from the floor, it was the perfect microcosm of his season.

He was invisible for huge stretches this year, and took a back seat to the exploits of Zion. He was more comfortable watching as a spectator the dominance of someone else than helping take his game to the next level. Reddish is too passive and this will severely hurt his draft stock.

Brandon Clarke

At 6’8″ he has the height to have a regular spot in the NBA, but his ability to create offense is in question. A deep run by Gonzaga would’ve certainly helped him, but without the Zags making the final weekend he didn’t have the ability to show out against top tier teams.

The question with Bulldogs in the NBA has often been their uninspired competition during the regular season. Clarke needed games against some power teams when it mattered in March to jump into the top 20.

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