NCAA Tournament: Jimmer Fredette, Each 2011 NBA Draft Prospect to See Thursday
Thursday's NCAA tournament schedule is packed with great teams and great players.
Many of the guys who will be dominating March this year will be dealing with a different kind of madness in the NBA next year.
As always, there are several first-round picks in sports' best tournament.
Each one will be looking at the next few weeks as the chance to win a championship. In the back of their minds, this is also an audition.
Here are the players on Thursday's schedule who have the best shot to get drafted in June...
Shelvin Mack: Butler
1 of 18
Game Time: 12:40 PM ET (truTV)
Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs
Position: Point Guard
I, for one, think Mack will stick around for his senior season. If he doesn't, he has a real solid shot to get picked up in the second round.
He's a great leader, handles and passes well and already has an NBA body. However, like many point guard prospects this year, there's a question about whether he can play that position at the next level.
If Butler can make another Cinderella run this year, Mack's stock will solidify. They won't get to the Final Four again, but they could still win a couple games.
Kenneth Faried: Morehead State
2 of 18
Game Time: 1:40 PM ET (TNT)
Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 215 lbs
Position: Power Forward
While much of his game is extremely raw, Kenneth Faried provides some intangible qualities that many teams would love to have.
He's one of the best rebounders the NCAA has seen in the last several years. He's averaging 17.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game this season.
He's undersized for an NBA power forward, but he's extremely athletic. He could still be very successful at the next level. Just look at what undersized forwards like Paul Millsap and DeJuan Blair have done.
Morehead State over Louisville is one of my potential first-round upsets. Faried must have a huge game for them to pull off such a huge win.
Terrence Jones: Kentucky
3 of 18
Game Time: 2:45 PM ET (CBS)
Current Draft Stock: Lottery Pick
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 226 lbs
Position: Small Forward
Terrence Jones has had a truly fantastic freshman season. He leads the Wildcats in scoring, rebounding and blocks, and he is second on the team in steals.
He's displayed great athleticism and versatility over the course of the whole year. He handles the ball extremely well for a player of his size.
Also, his size is deceiving. He may only be 6'8", but his wingspan is 7'3".
Brandon Knight: Kentucky
4 of 18
Game Time: 2:45 PM ET (CBS)
Current Draft Stock: Mid to Late First Round
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 183 lbs
Position: Point Guard
John Calipari has sent three really good point guards to the NBA in the last three years (Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall).
It looks like he may be sending another potential star in Brandon Knight. The hype around him was a lot louder before this year, but he'll still be drafted in the first round.
Doron Lamb: Kentucky
5 of 18
Game Time: 2:45 PM ET (CBS)
Current Draft Stock: Late First to Early Second Round
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 183 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
Lamb has emerged as yet another Calipari freshman phenom. He's one of the best three-point shooters in the country, and his midrange game is solid as well. Plus, he's a very natural scorer and a decent athlete.
Calipari's sent plenty of one-and-done guys to the league over the last few years, but there's still a chance Lamb will come back for his sophomore season.
Justin Harper: Richmond
6 of 18
Game Time: 4:10 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Late First to Early Second Round
Height: 6'10"
Weight: 225 lbs
Position: Power Forward
Harper could be a great stretch forward in the NBA. He's 6'10" and hits the three-point shot with great accuracy (47 percent from downtown). He's also a decent athlete.
He needs a lot of work on his rebounding, ball-handling and toughness. If Richmond can win a few games, he could move firmly into the first round.
Jeff Taylor: Vanderbilt
7 of 18
Game Time: 4:10 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Late First to Early Second Round
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 210 lbs
Position: Small Forward
He needs a lot of work on the fundamentals of the game: ball-handling, shooting and creating his own shot.
However, his terrific athleticism and defense still make him a very solid prospect with the potential to develop into a good NBA player.
Kawhi Leonard: San Diego State
8 of 18
Game Time: 4:40 PM ET (TNT)
Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 225 lbs
Position: Small Forward
His NBA position is in question, and his perimeter game needs a lot of work, but Leonard could become a very solid, Shawn Marion-type forward.
He's really athletic, long and a great rebounder. His averages of 15 points and 11 rebounds would have earned him the Mountain West Player of the Year if Jimmer Fredette hadn't been so incredible.
Patric Young: Florida
9 of 18
Game Time: 6:50 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Mid to Late First Round
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 235 lbs
Position: Center
It's picks like these that have me wondering if NBA general managers are out of their minds. Much like Daniel Orton from last year's draft, Young will be picked up purely on potential.
He has barely cracked Florida's rotation this year and is averaging just 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Plus, he's undersized.
Chandler Parsons: Florida
10 of 18
Game Time: 6:50 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 218 lbs
Position: Small Forward
Parsons is a solid all-around player. He has a variety of basketball skills and a decent IQ as well.
He was the SEC Player of the Year, but his game lacks the flash that gets a lot of NBA scouts fired up.
If he has a few big games this March, he could ensure himself a spot in the second round, and maybe even slide into the end of the first.
Jimmer Fredette: BYU
11 of 18
Game Time: 7:15 PM ET (CBS)
Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195 lbs
Position: Point Guard
A lot of people are still questioning Jimmer's athleticism.
To me, there is no doubt that his shooting, passing, great handle and extreme competitiveness will all translate to the NBA.
He's doing everything he can to carry a team that doesn't have much talent outside of him.
Whether or not the criticism is warranted, BYU will have to win at least three games in this tournament to quiet it down.
And of course, Jimmer will have to be spectacular in order to get that many wins.
Kemba Walker: Connecticut
12 of 18
Game Time: 7:20 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 172 lbs
Position: Point Guard
The only reason the word "potential" is in that line above is Kemba's streakiness.
He was fantastic in the Big East tournament, but if he reverts to the way he played in chunks of the regular season, his stock could fall.
On talent alone, he's one of the best players in the country. He's explosive, fast and athletic, but he needs a lot of work to become a true point guard (he's way too small to play shooting guard).
Jon Leuer: Wisconsin
13 of 18
Game Time: 7:27 PM ET (truTV)
Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'10"
Weight: 230 lbs
Position: Power Forward
While he's not the most explosive athlete, or a great rebounder for his size, Leuer does have some skills that would help an NBA team.
He's a great shooter for a 6'10" player, and he has fantastic touch around the rim. Plus, he handles the ball fairly well for a big.
Durrell Summers: Michigan State
14 of 18
Game Time: 9:20 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 195 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
He has a ton of work to do, but there is some raw talent there with Summers.
He's extremely athletic and could become a great on-ball defender in the NBA.
Tyler Honeycutt: UCLA
15 of 18
Game Time: 9:20 PM ET (TBS)
Current Draft Stock: Late First to Early Second Round
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 180 lbs
Position: Small Forward
He could be more assertive and needs some work on his handle, but the upside on Honeycutt could still get him drafted in the first round.
He's a decent shooter and athlete, but his biggest strengths are his passing and basketball IQ.
Elias Harris: Gonzaga
16 of 18
Game Time: 9:45 PM ET (CBS)
Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 180 lbs
Position: Small Forward
Harris was a solid international prospect before coming to Gonzaga. But he hasn't done a ton to help his stock since he started playing college ball.
He's long, athletic and physical, but he needs a lot of work on ball-handling and consistency.
Stay Tuned for 2011 Picks That Will Play on Friday
17 of 18
Thursday's slate of games features some great players. But it could be seen as an appetizer to Friday's entrée.
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