5 Players Who Missed the Opportunity to Raise Their Draft Stock in March Madness

It happens every year. During the two and a half weeks of craziness that is March Madness, players emerge onto draft radars and end up being taken higher than they ever would have imagined before the tournament. A recent example is Donte DiVincenzo who used a Final Four MVP performance to catapult himself to a mid-first round selection. DiVincenzo has panned out well for Milwaukee after being selected 17th overall, developing into a key contributor on the team with the best record in the NBA.

Unfortunately, no one will have the opportunity to raise their stock any further this year due to the NCAA tournament being cancelled. Here are five players who were in prime position to use the tournament as a platform to elevate their place on draft boards.

Myles Powell

Projected: Mid-Late 2nd Round

Ceiling: Late 1st round

#1 Strength: Scoring

#1 Weakness: Age

Powell led Seton Hall, one of the nation’s best teams, averaging 21 points per game in one of the toughest conferences in College Basketball. He has the ability to score 35+ on any given night and was named the Big Ea st Player of the Year and an AP All American. So what is holding him back in terms of professional potential?

The two main flaws in his potential development is his age and size. Powell is already 22 and stands at only 6’2”, 195 lbs. NBA scouts will be hesitant to use a high pick on a player 4 years older than some of his draft peers. The modern NBA is also a tough world for small scoring guards (see Carson Edwards, 2019). Only the cream of the crop (Lou Williams and Co.) survive in that role at the highest level. Powell has shown he can play to those high standards when clicking on all cylinders.

Seton Hall had the potential to make a Final Four run, but to do so Powell would have had to deliver multiple big performances. Stringing together a run of 20-point games against quality competition would have made him tough to pass up on in the late first round. Bench scoring is very hard to find in today’s NBA, but Powell has the potential to make an immediate impact on a team in win-now mode.

Powell will have to impress in his workouts and the combine in order to push his draft stock up now, and that’ll be extremely hard to do this year with those potentially getting cancelled. He will likely do well in any potential 5-on-5 drills where he always seems to have control. It will be the measurables and athleticism tests which will make or break Powell’s draft stock.

Luka Garza

Projected: Late 2nd Round/Undrafted

Ceiling: Late 1st Round

Biggest Strength: Instincts in paint + strength

Needs to Improve: Will he declare

Luke Garza’s season could not have come more out of the blue. He increased his PPG average from 13 to 23 to lead the Big-10 Conference. He played against elite front courts throughout the year and maintained consistent dominance. If this draft took place 10 years ago, Garza would be in the top-5 pick conversation.

In 2020 however, Garza is barely appearing on draft boards. Scouts see him as one-dimensional and slow-footed, but they clearly did not pay enough attention to Garza this season. He shows great flashes of professional post moves and is an underrated passer. He shoots 35% from outside the arc and knows how to use his big body in the paint.

Iowa had the offense to compete with anyone in the country, but the defense was a major question. Garza could have jumped the entire second round into late first round territory with a good tournament run. He has one more year of eligibility, but the 21-year-old could use his best season as a platform year to catapult him to the league earlier than anticipated.

Now the biggest decision is whether or not Garza will return for his senior year. He already is raking in the postseason All-American awards and was named ESPN’s Player of the Year. If he returns to Iowa he would be a preseason All-American, but he could risk not living up to those high expectations and going Undrafted as a 22-year old.

Jordan Nwora

Projected: Late 1st Round/Early 2nd Round

Ceiling: Late lottery/Mid-1st round

Biggest Strength: Shooting and athleticism

Needs to Improve: Passing/other dimensions on offense

At the beginning of the season, most people pinned Jordan Nwora as a National Player of the Year candidate. Although he fell out of this race, he still maintained solid production and led a Louisville team that had a legitimate shot at a title run. Nwora averaged 18 pts, 7 rebs, and shot 40% from three-point range.

Despite these solid averages, Nwora’s inconsistent play is a problem. He put up four games with less than 10 points. If Louisville was able to make a run in the tournament, it would have helped Nwora show that he can translate his scoring ability to when it matters most.

There is a lot to like about Nwora and if he impresses in pre-Draft activities, he should be high on some teams boards. The biggest questions will revolve around his defense and if he will be able to keep up with elite talent. He has the body of a 3 and D specialist and his shot is definitely a strength. If he does declare for the draft, keep your eye on him as his stock is bound to increase before his name is eventually called.

Jalen Smith

Projected: Late 1st Round/Early 2nd Round

Ceiling: Late Lottery/Mid-1st Round

Biggest Strength: Athleticism and Offensive Potential

Needs to Improve: Post moves and consistency

When Smith came to Maryland he was the #10 overall recruit per ESPN and was an expected one-and-done prospect. Smith had some dominant plays in the tournament last year and a good run this year could have set him up to be a top pick in June’s draft. Despite being only a Sophomore, most people assume he will now commit to heading to the NBA.

After a slow start to the season, Smith came on strong to end the year finishing with a double-double in 13 of his final 14 games. Smith clearly improved from last season in many areas, including bumping his free throw percentage up 10 points to 75%. He also raised his 3-point percentage from 26% to 36% which is impressive given the NCAA moved back the 3-point line this season.

Maryland had the potential to win the BIG-10 this year which would have led to a very high seed. This would have been a great opportunity for Smith to show his prowess on both sides of the ball and move up draft boards. His defensive instincts are great and allows his athleticism to shine on that side of the ball. When his shots are falling on offense, he can be the most dominant player on the court. Unfortunately, Smith will now have to rely on his late-season success to fuel his draft stock.

Smith will have to prove to teams that he can be consistent on the offensive end of the ball. This can be displayed during the 5-on-5 drills at the combine if that still goes on as planned. Smith was so-so against top-level front court talent this season and will need impress when given the chance against strong competition. He has building blocks of a dominant modern big – great athleticism and good shot mechanics. If he can put it all together, he will be a force in the league during the 2020s.

Saddiq Bey

Projected: Mid-Late 1st Round

Ceiling: Late lottery

Biggest Strength: Shooting and Basketball IQ

Needs to Improve: On and off-ball defense

Villanova has been one of the best tournament teams in recent history, winning both the 2016 and 2018 National Championships. Jay Wright’s squad is always very balanced and team-oriented which helps them go far in March. Bey was the leader of this year’s team and was poised to have a great postseason performance.

The lanky Sophomore showed his scoring abilities throughout the season, but stepped up most during Conference play and became a consistent go-to scorer. He is most often compared to Khris Middleton due to his ability to shoot the three at a high percentage while also driving the ball well. It is this versatile scoring ability that makes Bey so attractive to NBA teams.

The defensive side of the ball is where Bey draws the most criticism. For someone who is 6’8”, averaging under 5 rebounds a game is unacceptable. His on-ball defense is not great and he gets into foul trouble too often. A good run in the tournament would have forced Bey to guard elite wings which could have improved his stock if he conquered that challenge.

Bey’s decision will be a big one for both Villanova and NBA GMs. He will be 21 by the time draft night rolls around so most people think he will make the jump to the NBA. If he returns to Nova, he will most likely be a preseason All-American and have the expectations of a future lottery pick.