Every season, there are several players who lead their teams to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and boost their draft stock. Last year, UW guard Jordan Hawkins solidified his status as a lottery pick with his consistent outside shooting. Also, UCLA senior guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. used his versatility and toughness to lead the Bruins to a Final Four and a Sweet 16 berth.
The 2024 NBA Draft is considered very open, with plenty of room on teams' draft boards for players to jump after performing well in games over the next three weeks. Yahoo Sports takes a look at his eight players who could gain draft stock during the NCAA Tournament.
Caleb Love, Arizona
Love spent three years at North Carolina State before transferring to Arizona State for his senior year. This season has been his best so far, with his 3-point shooting in particular becoming more consistent. Love has been patient with his personal development, testing the NBA waters every year and taking feedback from his teams.
“I've grown a lot as a player every year,” Love told Yahoo Sports. “The beginning of my college career was obviously tough for me. That experience, I endured that process, especially maturing off the court and in the game. Just growing as a person and growing as a leader. And I just learned to grow as a person.”
Love averaged 18.1 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range and was named Pac-12 Player of the Year. There's a notion that players are over-scouted as fourth-year players, but Love is using this stage of the NCAA Tournament to convince NBA scouts that he can be a lead guard who can be an immediate part of the secondary. can be shown. Increase your productivity as a shot creator and effectively run the offense within an NBA system. If Love can lead Arizona to a win in the coming weeks, he could sneak into the late first round or early second round.
Cam Spencer, U.S.C.
No player has had a bigger impact on the Huskies in the second half of the season than Spencer. The 6-foot-4 senior guard is an X-factor for UConn. When Tristen Newton went cold from behind the arc or Donovan Clingan struggled in the post, it was Spencer who stepped up in big games. He's very tough defensively and has a plug-and-play all-around game that NBA teams love. In the Big East Tournament semifinal against St. John's, he came one assist away from a double-double, scoring 20 points (4-of-3) and dishing out nine assists. He could be the Brandin Podzemski of this class, a guard from Santa Clara who was drafted 19th overall by the Golden State Warriors last year, and could do well for the Huskies and land on draft boards.
Justin Edwards, Kentucky
Edwards was a top-10 five-star recruit as a freshman, but he looked like a shell for much of the season. But the 6-8 wing finally stepped up another gear and started to figure things out in late February. His best game this year was the win against Alabama, where he went a perfect 10-of-10 from the field and added 28 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 29 minutes. Scouts may be forced to reconsider Edwards if he continues to contribute offensively to a Kentucky team that many believe can compete in the tournament. Edwards has the length that NBA teams covet at the wing position. He is projected as a late second-round pick, and if he continues to play like he has been playing late in the season, he could be promoted.
Shihed is one of the best playmakers in college basketball, averaging 6.2 assists per game and recording 10 or more assists five times this year. He is a true floor general who can control the pace of the game. As Shihed goes, so goes Houston. Shihed is considered a bit undersized at 6-1, but it's hard for scouts to overlook his high IQ as a facilitator and overall toughness. Shihed's numbers have steadily improved each year, meaning he still has room to grow at the NBA level and can at least be able to play solid guard with limited turnovers.
Harrison Ingram, North Carolina
Ingram spent two seasons at Stanford and transferred to North Carolina during his junior year. He thrived in Hubert Davis' system and was a great addition alongside Armando Bacot in the frontcourt. Ingram has the physicality to hit low in the post and protect blocks, and he also has the shot creation to step wide on pick-and-pops and pick-and-rolls. His passing is where he's improved the most, whether it's in high-low situations with Bacot or finding teammates crosscourt from short corners. Ingram was that glue all season at UNC, matching RJ Davis' defensive intensity with the way he shot gaps and won 50-50 balls.
Tyler Kolek is expected to return in Marquette's place, but if he doesn't return or his minutes are limited, much of the Golden Eagles' success will fall on Ighodaro's shoulders. The 6-11 senior forward was instrumental in Marquette's success in the Big East Tournament, which Kolek missed. He scored 20 points in the win over Providence to advance to the finals, but couldn't keep the Huskies' Clingan in the post. Early in the season, he proved he could compete with the best bigs in college basketball. At the Maui Invitational, he faced Zach Eady (7 wins, 4 losses), Hunter Dickinson (7 wins, 2 losses), and Adem Bona (6 wins, 10 losses) for three consecutive days. He is most effective in the face-up game and can get players off the dribble. This skill translates more to the NBA than back-to-the-basket post-ups.
Much of Baylor's season has focused on the guard play along the perimeter and the development of Yves Missi, one of the best rim-running bigs in the Big 12. But Bridges has been a difference-maker in big games late in the season, doing a little bit of everything from hitting the big three to getting key blocks and rebounds when the game is on the line. I pushed it away. The 6-9 forward has improved his athleticism since last year, reading defenses better in pick-and-roll situations and making strides offensively this season, shooting 40 percent from 3-point range. If Baylor's guards are shut out in a game, Bridges could be the difference-maker in generating offense by how well he cuts the ball and comes off screens. He may be on the small side for a No. 4 player, but Bridges' game has a lot of NBA flair.
Auburn last won the SEC Championship in 2019, the same year they reached the Final Four. Bloom brought fire and energy to this Auburn team and really set the tone for the team in postseason play. The 6-11 left-forward can stretch the floor and is very crafty with the ball in his hands. He's not the most athletic player on the court, but he runs well in transition and is an underrated passing big. Defensively, he has good timing and footwork as a shot blocker, with six blocks in the last two games, and he fights for position on the block when a shot goes up. Auburn is in a tough region with the University of Illinois and UW, but Bloom can shine in big games and could be a difference-maker for an Auburn team looking to advance to the Final Four.
