A quick look at who the Atlanta Hawks should be going into the weeds to follow during the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA Tournament is a joy for basketball fans across the globe, and it’s time for the yearly wave of crazy upsets, buzzer-beaters and performances. The Atlanta Hawks should also be doing their homework during this time, as many players involved will be high draft picks come June.
The best players on the best teams, you’ve probably heard of a bunch (and we covered here). These are the guys like Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and Rui Hachimura that are headed for the top of the draft boards, and for good reason.
Here we’ll take a look at 6 more players who have the chance to breakout in March, and could slide onto the Hawks’ draft board after the Madness ends. Wheter that be their first or second-round selection(s).
These guys, like Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Burke and Doug McDermott in the past, have are the most likely to go from borderline unknown to household name in just a few games.
Without further to do, here are 7 under-the-radar players to keep an eye on this March:
Matisse Thybulle, G/F, Washington
Making the big dance for the first time since 2011, Washington has rode their star defender all season.
Thybulle is one of the most feared match ups in all the nation. He led the nation in both total steals and steals per game, averaging 3.4 in his 30 minutes a game this year. His 2.2 blocks per game average is insanely good for a 6-5 guard. The senior has won back-to-back Pac-12 defensive player of the year awards, as well as breaking Gary Payton’s all time steal record.
While strict defense is obviously his strong suit, he has a sneaky offensive game to boot. He’s actually down scoring wise this year, averaging 9.3 PPG as a senior compared to 10.5 and 11.2 in his previous two seasons, in similar minutes. Still, he’s over 30% from three and is a carrer 43% from the field.
As you see in the highlight above, he is gifted athletically and can finish with authority.
He thinks as himself as a sure-fire first round pick, but is still in the early-to-mid second round in most mocks. Thybulle can earn his way into an earlier pick with a good Tournament however.
Ty Jerome, G, Virginia
Year 2 as a starter for the powerhouse Virginia Cavaliers was a big success for Ty Jerome. He scored 13 a game on 43/40/74 shooting, while adding 5.4 assists and 4.1 boards.
He can do a bit of everything, and is one of the key cogs in one of the nation’s best teams. While Jerome hasn’t officially declared to the draft just yet, he’s already gaining steam as a first-rounder.
Knocks against the junior are mostly centered around his low athleticism and sometimes questionable defense. His basketball IQ and ability to be a Swiss army knife on offense should override these come draft time, but still something to look out for.
He’s realistically one of the most “pro-ready” prospects in the Tournament and could even move up to the back-end of the Lottery with strong play in the next couple weeks. UVA is once again a 1 seed, and Jerome and company have to be motivated to put their fumble to a 16th seed behind them.
Carsen Edwards, G, Purdue
Carsen Edwards is looking to produce an encore performance of his great tournament play last year. Hopefully getting a bit more help from his team this time around.
Last March, Edwards did his best to carry the Boilermakers, ending with a 2-1 record averaging just under 20 points a game, scoring 30 of his team’s 65 in their eventual loss. Despite only making it to the second weekend, Edwards was awarded with an All-Region Team selection.
As a Junior, the point guard continued to polish his scoring, especially from long range. He took 10 threes per game, and only three players in D-1 took more than him total. He shot 33% on those, down from 40% from last season.
This is at least partially explained by his ridiculously usage percentage of 37.0, just under Markus Howard for most among Tournament teams. He truly is the heart of this Purdue team that went 23-9 en route to a 3 seed.
Edwards is undersized (6-0, 200) but as Atlanta fans have seen first hand with Trae Young this season, that doesn’t always mean everything. His play making will be the biggest question mark for Edwards heading into the bigs, as he’s only averaged 3 assists to go along with his 20 shots per game.
He 100% won’t be called upon to score at the same rate early on in his NBA career, as he’ll likely be a early second-rounder, so it’ll be interesting to see if and how he develops into a more traditional 1-guard.
Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville
After not starting a single game as a freshman last season, Nwora burst onto the scene this year as Louisville’s best scorer.
His 17.2 points per game ranked 5th in the ACC, and he shot 44% from the field and 37% from three. Nice range for the 6-7 forward to go along with his inside prowess.
While he can certainly get his in the scoring department, his greatest strength might just be his rebounding. He pulled down 7.5 a game, on average, also among the top in the ACC and the top on his team.
https://twitter.com/theACCDN/status/1106010054182866944
Louisville struggled a bit by their standards this season, losing 13 games in a competitive conference, but Nwora was easily one of their bright spots. He overachieved enough were he could very well consider the draft after this tourney, but could also come back to compete next year.
If he does move up to the NBA, The Hawks could eye him for one of their three second round picks they currently posses. Nwora could be the rare instant plug-in-play rookie that’s not a lottery pick, a la Omari Spellman this year.
(Sadly, the Cards were unexpectedly knocked out in the first round by Minnesota in the Pitino Bowl, but all the points still hold here. Check out some of his highlights!)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Virginia Tech
Similar to Ty Jerome before, Alexander-Walker is a do-it-all star. He’s averaging 16.6 points, 4.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 34.4 minutes per game as a sophomore this year.
Because of his sharp play Walker has already been a steady riser in the mock draft scene, making it as high as even the top 15. We left him on the list for now as he’s still fairly unknown among mainstream CBB fans and is flying in well below the radar.
He can transition into either a one or two guard as a pro, and has great size (6’9 wingspan) for someone who can create shots from himself and others.
If the Mavericks’ pick drops to anywhere in the 8-12 range (god forbid) and transfers over to the Hawks, Walker could easily be on Atlanta’s draft board.
His shot is as pro ready as they come, as he shot 48% from the field on 12 attempts per game while making 38% of his threes as well. These are comparable to Kevin Huerter’s college days, who shot 46% and 39% during his 2 year stretch at Maryland.
His combo of play making and scoring abilities will likely translate well to both the pros and to Tournament play and if Virginia Tech is able to rattle off some wins, Nickeil’s draft stock might climb even higher.
Naz Reid, F/C, LSU
The only freshman and only big man on this list hasn’t officially declared for the draft yet, but all signs point to him doing so.
The 6’10 Reid was ranked among college basketball’s best freshmen to enter the season, and has played into those expectations well, not blowing them away nor disappointing. He gained more and more minutes as the season went along, including 36 in LSU’s one-and-done appearance in the SEC tourney.
After a slow start, Reid turned it on late, and since the start of 2019 averaged just under 15 points and 8 rebounds per game, helping his team to a 15-3 during that stretch.
Despite the hot finish to the year, Reid will be largely looked at as a prospect with potential in the draft. He has the some fundamental skills like athleticism and scoring down, but needs to work on his defense.
In particular, he averaged less than a block per game while picking up over 3 personal fouls on average. Not a great combo for a 6-foot-10 guy with a 7’1 wingspan who can jump out of the gym.
He’ll be on draft boards regardless, but if he can turn it on and show his potential taking greater shape in March, he will see his stock rising fast, especially in a big-man needy draft class.