Ranking the Top 10 Players to Watch in the 2015 Final Four

Set your DVR, snap a picture, save newspaper clippings or buy a commemorative program. The upcoming Final Four will mark the last time we'll witness many of the NCAA's top stars in college basketball uniforms.

Up next: suits and ties.

That's the standard apparel for prospects attending the NBA draft, and you can bet that plenty of stars from this weekend's festivities in Indianapolis will be invited to the event this June.

According to Draft Express, nine players who compete for either Kentucky, Duke or Wisconsin will hear their names called as first-rounders. That includes five players projected to go in the top 10: Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns (No. 1), Duke's Jahlil Okafor (No. 2), Duke's Justise Winslow (No. 5), Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein (No. 6) and Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky (No. 10).

Here's a breakdown of the top 10 players to watch in this weekend's Final Four. And no, these aren't necessarily based on NBA draft projections, although it may feel that way at times. Along with overall talent, I also factored in who's hot, who's not, past NCAA effort, who performs well in the clutch, etc.

It should be an epic Final Four.

10. Denzel Valentine, Michigan State

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 13.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.5 APG in 31.5 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: A key player in Michigan State's march to the Elite Eight last season, Denzel Valentine's leadership and hustle again have been invaluable to the Spartans, who rely on him to contribute in just about every possible way. His best performance in the tournament thus far came in an 18-point, seven-rebound effort against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

What to Expect: Valentine is going to have to be assertive if Michigan State has any hopes of upsetting Duke in Saturday's semifinal. He scored 13 points in a 10-point setback against the Blue Devils on Nov. 18. It will take much more than that this weekend. Valentine is one of the few good free-throw shooters (82.9 percent) for a Spartans team that struggles from the foul stripe (63.2 percent). He's also Michigan State's emotional leader.

9. Travis Trice, Michigan State

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 19.8 PPG and 4.0 APG in 38.5 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski suggested to reporters this week that Travis Trice has been the best player in the entire NCAA tournament thus far. That's some lofty praise considering the performances put on by Wisconsin's Sam Dekker and Krzyzewski's own star, Justise Winslow. But there's no question that Trice is the reason the Spartans are still alive. He scored 23 points in a round-of-32 upset of No. 2 seed Virginia and had 24 points in a win against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

What to Expect: Trice is playing with a confidence and swagger that has been infectious to a team that opened the season 13-6, a stretch that included a loss to Texas Southern. He had 15 points and eight assists in a loss to Duke in the Champions Classic in November, but he's a much better player now and will need to have a huge night for Michigan State to have a chance against the Blue Devils in Round 2. Trice, who averages 15.3 points on the season, is shooting 37.1 percent from three-point range.

8. Aaron Harrison, Kentucky

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 8.5 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 25.0 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Aaron Harrison, Kentucky's overall leading scorer (11.3 PPG), was the most clutch player in last season's NCAA tournament, when he propelled the Wildcats into the NCAA title game by swishing game-winning three-pointers against Michigan in the Elite Eight and Wisconsin in the national semifinals. A sophomore shooting guard, Harrison has hit numerous big shots this season to help Kentucky remain undefeated. The bigger the moment, the better Harrison is.

What to Expect: Harrison's shooting percentage from long range (31.7 percent) is subpar compared to the number he posted last season (35.6). But a lot of that is because opposing defenders key in on him. Most would argue that he's not even the Wildcats' top three-point shooter, as freshman Devin Booker has taken on that role. Still, there's a good chance Kentucky will look to Harrison if things are close late in games—and rightfully so.

7. Tyus Jones, Duke

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 11.5 PPG and 5.5 APG in 36.3 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Only a freshman, Tyus Jones has looked at ease all season as Duke's point guard. Part of that is likely because he played with Blue Devils teammates Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow for USA Basketball. His friendship and chemistry with backcourt mate Quinn Cook, a senior, have also been beneficial for overall team cohesion. Jones is regarded as one of the top two or three point guards in America and would likely be a fringe first-round pick if he entered this summer's NBA draft.

What to Expect: Jones can adapt to almost any situation that is thrown at him. He knows how to get the ball to teammates—"just where we like it," Winslow says—but he can also transition into a primary scorer when needed. Some of his top offensive games have come against high-level opponents such as Wisconsin (22 points), North Carolina (averaged 23 points in two games) and Michigan State. Jones scored 17 points against the Spartans in an 81-71 win at the Champions Classic in November. It would be interesting to see how Jones would fare against bigger, stronger guards such as Kentucky's Andrew Harrison.

6. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 7.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.3 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Former NBA standout/current television broadcaster Chris Webber ripped the 7-foot Willie Cauley-Stein for his lackluster scoring stats on ESPN's Mike & Mike. But that's never been his calling card. The reason Cauley-Stein is projected as a top-10 pick in this summer's draft is because he's easily the best post defender in America. Whether he's blocking a shot in the paint or guarding a point guard on the perimeter, there simply isn't a matchup Cauley-Stein can’t handle. His presence alone is intimidating.

What to Expect: Cauley-Stein has yet to score in double figures in the postseason, but that doesn't necessarily have to happen for Kentucky to be successful. Instead, Cauley-Stein simply needs to focus on what he's excelled at all season—blocking and altering shots, taking charges, diving for loose balls, snaring rebounds and making steals. Everything else will take care of itself. Cauley-Stein should be extra motivated after missing last season's Final Four with a foot injury.

5. Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 21.8 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 34.3 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Slowed by an ankle injury for much of the regular season, Sam Dekker picked the best time of the year to start playing his best basketball. The 6'9" junior, who grew two inches last summer, propelled Wisconsin to the Final Four for the second straight year by scoring a career-high 27 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the Badgers' Elite Eight win over Arizona. Dekker, a skilled ball-handler who can score from anywhere on the court, is projected as a potential lottery pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

What to Expect: Dekker has been on another level during the NCAA tournament, and that will have to continue for Wisconsin to have a shot at beating Kentucky. Dekker, perhaps more than any player on the Badgers' roster, has been fueled by last season's NCAA semifinal loss to the Wildcats, going as far as to use a commemorative chair for that game as his seat in the Wisconsin locker room. The in-state hero from Sheboygan has been loose and relaxed for the past two weeks. He can't afford to tighten up now.

4. Justise Winslow, Duke

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 14.0 PPG and 9.5 RPG in 31.8 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Perhaps no player in the NCAA tournament has elevated his profile—and NBA draft stock—as much as Justise Winslow, whose blend of size (6'6", 225 lbs), strength and athleticism makes him incredibly tough to defend and score upon. He's an elite athlete who has overshadowed high-profile teammates Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones in March. Winslow had 21 points and 10 rebounds in a Sweet 16 win over Utah and 16 points in an Elite Eight victory against Gonzaga.

What to Expect: A true stat-sheet-filler, Winslow does a little bit of everything for the Blue Devils. Whether he's swishing a three-pointer, slashing through the lane or dunking in transition, Winslow can score in just about every way imaginable. And he's arguably the top defensive small forward in America. Expect to hear his name called a lot for a variety of reasons at the Final Four.

3. Jahlil Okafor, Duke

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 15.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 28.8 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: No post player in college basketball—and, heck, not many in the NBA—boasts the offensive skill set of Jahlil Okafor, a 6'11", 270-pounder many predict will be the No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA draft. Okafor was one of the top two players in college basketball for most of the regular season. Along with being a strong back-to-the-basket player in the paint, Okafor is agile enough to put the ball on the floor on the perimeter and beat his defender to the hoop.

What to Expect: Okafor struggled in Duke's last two games, when Utah and Gonzaga each held him to single-digit scoring, which happened only once all season before the tournament. Granted, some of that was because teammate Justise Winslow was on fire, but the Blue Devils will need huge contributions from Okafor in Indianapolis if they want to have any shot of winning the NCAA title. Okafor had 13 points and six rebounds in a win over Wisconsin on Dec. 3.

2. Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

NCAA Tournament Stats: 22.8 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 37.5 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: Frank Kaminsky was named National Player of the Year by various media outlets after leading the Badgers to a Big Ten title, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and their second straight Final Four berth. He's averaging 18.7 points and 8.0 rebounds this season primarily because of a unique skill set that's highlighted by a bevy of spin moves, up-and-unders in the paint and a soft touch away from the basket and at the foul stripe. The 7-foot senior is as tough of a matchup as there is in college basketball.

What to Expect: Kaminsky had a poor showing against Kentucky in last year's NCAA semifinal contest, scoring just eight points while failing to get to the foul line. And this year, he'll be facing a pair of future lottery picks in Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein, who weren't even on the court for the Wildcats a year ago. Strong play from Kaminsky, who had 29 points against Arizona in the Elite Eight and 19 in a Sweet 16 win over North Carolina, is the biggest key for Wisconsin to advance.

1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky

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NCAA Tournament Stats: 13.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 21.5 minutes per game.

Why He's Here: So impressive was the 6'11" Karl-Anthony Towns in Kentucky's Elite Eight win over Notre Dame—he had 25 points, five rebounds and four assists—that ESPN's Chad Ford elevated him to No. 1 on his NBA draft board ahead of Duke's Jahlil Okafor. Towns has made 20 of his 32 shots from the field during the tournament.

What to Expect: Towns is virtually unstoppable when he's dialed in, but he isn't immune to the occasional no-show. Towns scored just one point in a Sweet 16 win over West Virginia and only eight points in a round-of-32 victory against Cincinnati. That can't happen against a Wisconsin team that features a trio of future NBA big men in Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes.

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.