Players are listed in order of my current draft rankings; note that my rankings do not currently include international players, who I will be studying after the tournament. Click on a player's name to open their DraftExpress profile, which has all their basic information; stats all come from sports-reference.com or hoop-math.com.
2. SF Brandon Ingram, Duke
Next Contest: vs. 13 seed UNC Wilmington, Thursday March 17th
From a pure basketball standpoint, Ingram is a joy to watch; he's an excellent shooter (41.3% from three) who utilizes his insane 7'3 wingspan to get clean shots over any defender, and he's crafty on the drive and has been developing an array of offensive moves. He's not a smooth athlete, but he's got a surprising handle and has turned it into a capable weapon (although he should get called for a palming violation every time he touches the ball). He's got great court awareness and is a willing passer (11.1% assist rate), and his only downside is he's not always as consistent on the glass or on defense as he is on offense.
3. PG Kris Dunn, Providence
Next Contest: vs. 8 seed USC, Thursday March 17th
Dunn is a dynamo floor general who combines great court awareness and passing skills with NBA-level athleticism and length. His mid-range shot isn't great (he's shooting 28.8% on two-point jump shots), but his assist numbers (41% assist rate, and 50% last season) make him the best point guard in the country. The two-time Big East Player of the Year deserves as much hype as anyone in this class outside of Ben Simmons and Ingram.
4. SG Jamal Murray, Kentucky
Next Contest: vs. 13 seed Stony Brook, Thursday March 17th
A multi-talented shooter with a lightning-quick release, Murray started off the season slowly but got hot during conference play. Over half of his shots are three pointers, and he's knocking down 42.6% of them while also showing some nice skills on the drive and a willingness to be the secondary ball-handler and play-maker (12.3% assist rate, and a 12% turnover rate that's surprisingly low given his massive usage). Kentucky doesn't have the same super-hyped depth they've had in recent years, so Murray's success has gotten less attention than it should have.
5. SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Next Contest: vs. 15 seed Cal. St. Bakersfield, Friday, March 18th
The senior Hield – one of the most entertaining players of the season – combines veteran swagger, an offense built around him, and a 46.4% clip on three pointers. He deserves the Naismith Award – he averaged 25 points per game on 49.6% shooting and collected a highlight reel of clutch shots late in big games.
His turnover numbers (3 a game, 13% rate) are actually surprisingly low considering Hield being asked to handle nearly all of the Sooners' offense. Oklahoma hasn't been quite as stable over the past month, and they are a team that fully relies on jump shooting to win, but if Hield can continue to get the support of his veteran-heavy teammates this team should be an Elite Eight threat.
CSU Bakersfield is an above-average defensive team, but they don't have the firepower to match Oklahoma. An enjoyable second round match-up for the Sooners would be Gary Payton Jr. and Oregon State – Hield and Payton wouldn't guard each other the entire game, but they're two NBA-level firebrands who fight on both ends.
6. SF Jaylen Brown, California
Next Contest: vs. 13 seed Hawaii, Friday March 18th
Brown is the heart of a fun, youthful, and athletic Cal squad. He's a capable offensive player who thrives at attacking the basket (42% of his shots are at the rim), controlling the ball (31.3% usage rate), and finding open teammates on the cut (15.6% assist rate).
The biggest problem with Brown's freshman season has been his consistency – in the first 13 games of conference play, he averaged 17.6 points and 5.3 rebounds on 76 of 159 (47.7%) shooting, but his number have tanked since; 11 points on 23 of 70 (32.8%) over his last seven. His offensive game is still mostly reliant on his ability to attack the basket, and he's shooting just 30% on both two-point jumpers and three pointers.
7. C Jakob Poeltl, Utah
Next Contest: vs. 14 seed Fresno State, Thursday March 17th
Dynamic rim-protecting prospects will always have value in the NBA, and while Poeltl isn't the smoothest or quickest big man, he is an elusive athlete who will be able to play in an up-tempo offense. Poeltl would have been a first round pick last season, but the risk of returning to college paid off for the 2016 Pac-12 Player of the Year – both his usage (25.6%) AND efficiency (67.3%) climbed throughout his sophomore season. He continues to showcase a growing number of post moves, and operates down low with surprising speed given his size.
9. PF Ivan Rabb, California
Next Contest: vs. 13 seed Hawaii, Friday March 18th
Rabb hasn't had the most consistent freshman season, but where Jaylen Brown's numbers tanked over the past few weeks, Rabb has been on a tear; 14.7 points and 8 rebounds on 39 of 61 shooting (63%). While Cal's Pac-12 hopes came to an end in the semis against Utah, Rabb carried them to that point with a 21 point, 15 rebound outing against Oregon State in the first round. He's a high motor big with NBA length and quickness (although not an NBA body yet – 220 lbs is generous), and he has a well-rounded skill set that includes a capable jumper.
10. PF/C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
Next Contest: vs. 13 seed Stony Brook, Thursday March 17th
Potential aside, there's no denying that he's been held back by his lack of basketball experience and court awareness. He hasn't adjusted well to the bright lights of playing for the biggest hoops institution, and John Calipari has been killing his confidence all year. Any team that drafts him will making a huge bet on their ability to develop him both physically and mentally.
11. SG Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Next Contest: vs. 15 seed Middle Tennessee, Friday March 18th
Valentine is a smooth, multi-talented combo guard who has put up top-tier numbers all across the board – 19.4 PPG, 7.6 APG and 7.6 RPG, all while shooting 46.4% from the field and 44.7% from three.
He took over as the primary ball handler due to injury, and morphed into one of the best floor leaders in the country. With his size (6'6), length (6'10 wingspan) and excellent court awareness, the senior will have serious value in the NBA's small-ball era. He lacks great quickness and explosiveness, but he's also one of the hardest workers in college basketball who has made major improvements each year of his career.
12. PG Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
Next Contest: vs. 11 seed Michigan, Friday, March 18th
As a sophomore, Jackson played mostly as the secondary ball-handler, but took the reigns this season and managed to dramatically improve his assist numbers (3.1 to 4.9, 15.9% rate to 26.1%) while also improving his turnover rate to a surprisingly low 12.6%. The one concern over his junior season; as his usage skyrocketed, his three-point efficiency plummeted from 42.9% as a sophomore to 33.8% as a junior.
Additional players to watch:
Top potential 2016 Draftees not participating in the NCAA Tournament:
1. F Ben Simmons, LSU, 8. PF Henry Ellenson, Marquette
Top International prospects:
PF Dragan Bender, CroatiaSG Furkan Korkmaz, TurkeySG/SF Timothe Luwawu, France
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