NIT 2012 Bracket: Top NBA Prospects in the Tournament
The NIT might be a second-tier tournament in the college basketball postseason, but it's still a great stage for NBA draft prospects to shine and increase their draft stock.
Some of the teams with tremendous NBA draft potential are Washington and Mississippi State which we should have no problem seeing represented in June.
There's no surprise that Washington has quite a few draft prospects, with their athleticism at each position on the floor, but both the Huskies and Mississippi State just missed out on the NCAA tournament thanks due to shaky finishes to the season.
Here are the biggest NBA draft prospects of the NIT.
Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
At 6'10", Moultrue is a force inside, and he displayed that this season, putting up nearly 16 points and 10 rebounds per game.
In their loss to UMass on Tuesday to knock Mississippi State out of the NIT, Moultrie tallied 34 points and six rebounds for the game.
His strength and athleticism should carry a lot of weight heading into the NBA draft.
Terrence Ross, Washington
The Huskies carry a lot of athletic players, but Ross may be the most NBA-ready at the moment. His overall game continues to get better in just his sophomore season, and he has led Washington to become a No. 1 seed in the NIT.
Ross's game includes a sharp jumper and an ability to get to the rim fairly easily, mixing a couple different moves to drive to the basket.
He's only a sophomore, but mixing him with freshman Tony Wroten can be a lethal combination next season. It could lead to the NBA draft for both players, while improving Ross's overall game.
Rodney Williams, Minnesota
When you think Rodney Williams, you think about an athletic, high-flyer who can be a thrill to watch nearly every night.
At 6'7", Williams is the prototypical small forward with some nice jump to his step who could be of use to NBA teams down the line. However, he's not ready just yet to make the jump to the NBA. His jumper still needs some work, and he will also need to clean up his overall game before making an impact in the NBA.
Make no mistake, his athleticism will be a joy to watch at the next level.
