Prospects Celtics Fans Should Watch in March Madness 2021

Ever watched a Boston Celtics game this season and been blown away by the skills and savvy of rookie guard Payton Pritchard?

Of course you have. We all have.

But if college basketball had been able to hold the men's NCAA Tournament last season, the hoops world might have been better prepared for Pritchard's rapid rise. He was hooping all season long, but March Madness would have provided the spotlight that doesn't always reach the Pac-12 during the year.

The Big Dance is an introduction for the casual fans and another evaluation tool for the scouting community. With Boston potentially drafting in the late teens this year, here are three prospects from that draft range to track in the tournament.

Ayo Dosunmu, PG/SG, Illinois

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Much like Pritchard last time around, Ayo Dosunmu offers similar plug-and-play potential. But as a former five-star recruit and current best player on one of the country's best teams, the shifty 6'5" combo guard has a much higher ceiling.

He could've bolted for the NBA draft either of the last two seasons, but he stuck around in Champaign, answered some of scouts' biggest questions and turned his team into a national power.

"Dosunmu improved enough as a shooter (40.0 percent 3PT), playmaker (5.2 assists) and impact player (Illinois is No. 3 in the nation) for questions about his athleticism or natural position to raise red flags," B/R's Jonathan Wasserman wrote earlier this month. "Scouts now see a first-round pick with a solid physical profile, a well-rounded skill set and monster production (20.9 points) to back it all up."

Celtics fans can watch both a possible target and one of college basketball's brightest stars when Dosunmu and the top-seeded Illini open their championship quest Friday against 16th-seeded Drexel (1:15 p.m. ET on TBS).

Kai Jones, PF/C, Texas

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

The Celtics have been searching for centers ever since Al Horford skipped town, and while Kai Jones isn't guaranteed to fill the void, he would rank among the most fascinating possible fixes.

Jones is hard-charging up mock draft boards, to the point this might be wishful thinking. He still needs plenty of polish (the reason why the C's could have a shot at him), but his physical gifts are jaw-droppingly elite.

"Jones has some of the most functional athleticism you'll find in a center with his hand-eye coordination, balance and explosiveness," The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote. "He's just an exceptionally difficult matchup for opposing centers."

When Jones has it rolling, he's a highlight machine around the rim and a tantalizing talent away from it. He doesn't take many threes, but he's splashing a lot of what he fires up (13-of-33, 39.4 percent), and he can zip past opposing bigs off the dribble.

If this sounds too good to be true, just see for yourself when Jones and the third-seeded Longhorns tip off their tournament Saturday against 14th-seeded Abilene Christian (9:50 p.m. ET on truTV).

Day'Ron Sharpe, C, UNC

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

It isn't often that a top-recruit at North Carolina will struggle for the spotlight, but there are a lot of reasons Day'Ron Sharpe doesn't yet have the attention his skill set deserves. Chief among them: He comes off of the bench for a relatively forgettable Tar Heels club.

When he hits the hardwood, though, that's when scouts get excited. He checks the necessary boxes for size and strength, and he maximizes both with a willingness to mix things up in the middle. His motor is always revved up, and he's active on the glass.

But his passing might quietly be the most intriguing weapon in his arsenal. He has a great feel for the game, and he walks that tightrope between remaining patient to limit mistakes but moving the ball quickly enough to get through narrow windows when they're open.

Sharpe and the eighth-seeded Tar Heels start against ninth-seeded Wisconsin on Friday (7:10 p.m. ET on CBS).