NCAA Bracket 2011: 10 Best NBA Draft Prospects Left in the Sweet 16
With the Sweet-16 starting up in a few days, more focus will be put on individual teams and players as they take the spotlight in the sports world's "greatest spectacle".
It's do or die time for the remaining teams, but it might also be do or die time for potential NBA prospects playing for their respective schools.
The stage is set for these ten players to shine.
Kyrie Irving
1 of 10
Kyrie Irving appeared, heading into the season, to be a guaranteed one and done player considering his talents. But, a season full of injury took away most of his opportunity for experience.
Still, Irving has been extremely impressive while on the court. The freshman guard had games of 31 and 21 points, consecutively, before he went down to injury earlier in the non-conference schedule.
He now has the tournament as a stage to showcase his talents. If he does well from here, on, he might think about leaving. It all depends on how he's evaluated with a smaller body of work.
Terrence Jones
2 of 10
One of Kentucky's many prized freshman, though not quite as hyped as last year's Wildcat class, Terrence Jones possesses rare length and athleticism that makes him appear as a freakish prospect.
It just seems like he's playing on a smaller court than his opponents. He gets from point A to point B with ease, and his long arms and leaping ability make him a threat to attack the rim from a perimeter most players can't defend well.
He's an aggressive scorer, but needs to sure up a mid-range jump shot.
Brandon Knight
3 of 10
Kentucky's other star, Knight, has been impressive in his first year in Lexington.
He has great control of his mid-range game, and can hit all sorts of weird floaters and bank shots from around the rim. He's a very reliable attacking guard, and has great quickness.
Comparing him to John Wall might be unfair—many did when he was coming out of high school. But, Knight has everything it takes to compete at the next level.
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Harrison Barnes
4 of 10
Freshman forward/guard, Harrison Barnes, re-energized a North Carolina team that had been in an uncharacteristic slump since the departure of Tyler Hansbrough.
Now North Carolina is looking like a national contender again, and Barnes is the poster child of Roy William's latest championship caliber team.
He will be a two or three in the NBA, whenever he leaves. He could definitely add some bulk, but his athleticism cancels out any physical "weakness" he has.
He has great length, at 6'7", for a potential guard type player who can stretch the defense out.
Kawhi Leonard
5 of 10
Not many people know who Kawhi Leonard is, but his average of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game in the MWC might give you some perspective on just how dominating of a player he is.
Leonard has been the undoubted leader of the San Diego State Aztecs, who have come out of nowhere and into the prominent world of college basketball.
He's one of those smaller conference players who makes up for his lack of attention by filling stat sheets, and then some.
Nolan Smith
6 of 10
Nolan Smith might be the modest player of this group, but he's proven time and time again that he has what it takes to take it to the next level.
Smith has been scoring over 20 points a game in a Duke offense that prioritizes ball movement and equal touches for all five starting players.
He's an intelligent guard with a great skill set and the ability to make circus plays around the rim.
Derrick Williams
7 of 10
Arizona's Derrick Williams made himself known this season, not by beating Texas yesterday, but by dominating SportsCenters' Top Ten Plays segment week in and week out.
He's the most intense, and possibly the most intimidating prospect left in the tournament. He's an aggressive scorer and violently active defender, who gets up and defends the rim as well as anyone.
He's also a highlight reel caliber dunker. The 6'9" forward has a very bright NBA future ahead of him.
Kemba Walker
8 of 10
You only need to use one word to describe Kemba Walker: Fearless.
Connecticut has sunk and swam on the shoulders of No. 15, who has been the epitome of clutch during his career with the Huskies.
He's made a handful of game winning buzzer beaters in his career, and proves over and over that he's more than confident enough to single handedly take over a game.
Not to say that Walker won't share the ball, but he knows when he needs to utilize his talents to the fullest, and he does it every time. That might explain how he's averaging over 20 points a game.
Jimmer Fredette
9 of 10
Nicknamed, "The Jimmer", Jimmer Fredette came out of nowhere to dominate the college basketball landscape in 2010, and is surely a final candidate to take the player of the year award.
He's had ridiculous scoring totals, but it's been his consistency over the year that makes him look so attractive to NBA teams.
You get the same thing from Fredette every game. He's always a hot shooter. He's always going to score around 22 to 30 points.
He's a 6'2" guard, which might be a little too short for a two in the NBA, but he's shown his ridiculous range more than makes up for it.
Let's face it, no one is more built for the longer three-point line than him. He's the purest scorer, and gauranteed to be in the draft, considering he's a senior.
Jared Sullinger
10 of 10
Mr. Sullinger, a freshman from Columbus, stayed home to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
He's the most popular man on campus right now (mainly because everyone affiliated with football is under a dark shadow), but he also might be a draft prospect at the early point in his college tenure.
He's a one dimensional player, but a flat out dominating one. Sullinger lives in the paint, but makes his work better than anyone in the country. He's a polished scorer around the rim, and cannot be defended by just one player.
His ability to draw double teams is something very important for the next level.
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