NCAA Tournament Prospect Watch: East Region

11 years ago

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA tournament feels even more loaded with potential NBA prospects this year than it did in 2014, with one of the most heralded draft classes of all time.

Maybe it's the battle to be No. 1 pick, or the constant shuffling of those in the lottery, or the fact that 33 of ESPN's top-40 ranked prospects are all on teams that made the field. Maybe we just love this time of year regardless of prospect quality.

In any case, there are 74 prospects in the tournament ranked in the top-100 by either ESPN, DraftExpress or both. What follows is a list of prospects to watch in the East Region.

EAST | WEST | SOUTH | MIDWEST | Kentucky

Potential Lottery Picks

Montrezl Harrell - Louisville - ESPN: 19, DraftExpress: 18

Let's start here: Montrezl Harrell is the king of vines. No, seriously. The king. Those highlights have all come since Jan. 31 and speak to Harrell's incredible motor and athleticism, traits that help him make up for being a little undersized at forward. There's a lot to like here, and he's been doing it all for a minute.

Unfortunately, returning for a junior season hasn't helped Harrell's draft stock much, as he finds himself more or less where he was a year ago. He's a great rebounder, an angry rim-attacker and a decent defender, but his inability to develop a 3-point shot leaves his ultimate NBA upside just a little south of where it needs to be to ensure he's taken in the lottery.

Potential 1st-Round Picks

Kris Dunn - Providence - ESPN: 22, DraftExpress: 17

After a tough freshman campaign, Dunn is averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists and ranks fourth in the country with 89 steals. With size for the point-guard position, incredible athleticism and NBA-ready defensive chops, Dunn is a strong tournament away from top-20 consideration in June and may be the No. 3 point guard on the board.

Terry Rozier - Louisville - ESPN: 23, DraftExpress: 40

Like Dunn, Rozier has great length for the one and uses it well defensively. He only plays in one gear and that makes him really tough to contain with the ball but also leaves him mistake-prone at times. Early reports suggest Rozier's stock is all over the place, so a good tournament is paramount for him.

Justin Anderson - Virginia - ESPN: 31, DraftExpress: 25

With length, a solid frame and great athleticism, Anderson grades out as one of the better wing defenders in the country. A chunk of missed time due to a broken finger and then an appendectomy may have slowed his momentum, but he was able to get game action under his belt ahead of the tournament to shake off any rust. If he can score against top competition and teams buy in to his newfound outside stroke (one that comes in a small sample), he should be able to secure his spot in the first round.

Jarell Martin - LSU - ESPN: 32, DraftExpress: 28

Martin makes up for a lack of length – at 6-foot-9, he has a 6-foot-10 wingspan – with great bounce and high energy. He'll either need to further develop his outside shot to prove he can play the three or refine his post game to show he can play the four. But tweener-forward is hardly a criticism any longer and Martin could secure himself a spot in the first round with a strong showing.

Potential 2nd-Round Picks

Buddy Hield - Oklahoma - ESPN: 49, DraftExpress: 52

A strong outside shooter who makes up for a lack of height at the two with great length and burst, he'll need to show improvements as a penetrator and defender.

Jordan Mickey - LSU - ESPN: 54, DraftExpress: 79

Mickey's undersized as a 6-foot-7 power forward, but he has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, blocks shots like crazy and finishes way above the rim.