In an NBA draft class with little consensus beyond the top two, big moments in college basketball’s biggest stages could be what breaks this year’s young prospects into team draft levels. But, unfortunately for NBA teams and fans, some of the best players in this draft will not enter the NCAA Tournament, including four of the top five prospects in our top 100 (Overseas, G League Ignite and Overtime Elite). However, this coming week is a crucial and final opportunity for teams to get a live evaluation of many NBA contenders at the college level.
These final impressions can carry significant weight in the minds of executives, as not all NBA decision makers have had the opportunity to watch every player live throughout the season. Tournaments give scouts a kind of frenzy to see as many games and players as possible.
For some prospects in bad teams, the end of the season has been feeling inevitable and imminent for weeks now. However, finishing on a strong note will certainly benefit their draft roster, as few NBA teams are actively looking for players who have competitive doubts.
Here are 12 players we’re likely to say goodbye to at the college level this week, short of a marvelous performance at their conference tournament or an invite to the oft-ignored NIT post-season tournament.
First round
1. Detroit Pistons
Victor Vembanyama | Metropolitans 92 | PF/K | Age: 19.1
More: How to watch Wembanyama, its statistics, schedule and news
2. Houston Rockets
Scoot Henderson | G-league ignition | PG | Age: 19.0
3. San Antonio Spurs
Source: www.espn.com
