Stock watch for NBA Draft prospects after first weekend of 2023 NCAA Tournament

[MAGAking1]

We are through the first weekend of the 2023 NCAA tournament, and the field has officially been trimmed down to 16. This year’s bracket doesn’t feature too many top NBA prospects, but there are still enough guys out there to have scouts at the next level monitoring how this tournament unfolds. Here’s a look at some players who will see their stock rise after the first weekend, and some who will hope to make up for a disappointing effort.

Stock up​

Terquavion Smith, NC State Wolfpack​

Usually a tournament loss doesn’t help out a prospect, but Smith was truly sensational against Creighton. He got to his spots routinely, and had some unfortunate bounces. Two of his triples rimmed out. Smith still managed to get 32 points in this contest and you could see the passion he was playing with. He’s also got some upside at 20 years old, and should be able to immediately get minutes in the league as a bench scorer.

Marcus Sasser, Houston Cougars​

Sasser showed how important he is for the No. 1 seed in the Midwest, playing through a groin injury in a comeback win over Auburn. The point guard scored 22 points on 7-14 shooting but his lockdown defense is what will get him playing time in the NBA. He could make an immediate impact as a backup point guard for a contending team, and his leadership skills will be valued by NBA personnel.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA Bruins​

Jaquez Jr. had 17 points, eight rebounds and five steals in UCLA’s first game in the tournament. He followed that up with an awesome 24-point showing on 11-19 shooting to send the Bruins back to the Sweet 16. Jaquez Jr.’s development profile isn’t as intriguing since he’ll be 22 but he can be a solid contributor to a contending team and should eventually get some buzz in the late first round.

Stock down​

Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona Wildcats​

Everyone has off games, and Tubelis’ final stat line of 22 points, five rebounds and four steals isn’t terrible. Losing to a No. 15 seed though, especially in a game you should dominate inside, is not a good look for the Arizona big man. Tubelis struggled with his touch and routinely got cooked defensively. He’ll still have some intrigue among scouts but his stock took a hit with this game.

Kris Murray, Iowa Hawkeyes​

One year after he went 1-6 from the field and 0-5 from deep in a loss to Richmond, Murray struggled once again in Iowa’s loss to Auburn. He finished with 15 points on 5-18 shooting overall and a 3-11 mark from behind the arc. If Murray cannot consistently hit the triple, his stock is going to plummet despite his physical profile. This was not a good showing for the Hawkeyes star.

Anthony Black, Arkansas Razorbacks​

The Hogs pulled off the upset against No. 1 Kansas but Black had very little to do with that. He went 1-6 from the field in 37 minutes of action, battling foul trouble late and finishing the contest with four points, four rebounds and two assists. The good news for the forward is he’ll have at least one more game to bounce back from this showing.

 

[tallsports]

Waiting to see what Zack Edey does

 

[MAGAking1]

The 2023 NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16 stage and while there have been several upsets in the first two rounds, we’ve still got two No. 1 seeds in the mix as the competition gets set to go down to four teams by the end of Sunday.


When we get to this point in the bracket, 2023 NBA draft prospects can greatly improve their stock by performing well in big games. The higher the stakes, the more chance a player has to raise his profile. Here’s a look at how some players are faring heading into the Sweet 16 and what they can do to change their NBA stock.

Stock Up​

Marcus Sasser, Houston​

The Cougars looked like they were about to get sent home before the star guard stepped up. He finished with 22 points, going 5-9 from behind the arc as Houston eventually cruised past Auburn. Sasser is reportedly 100% after seeming to aggravate his groin injury in the opening game, and that’s going to be a big boost for Houston. He could be the reason this team cuts down the nets at the end of this whole thing.

Joey Hauser, Michigan State​

His brother Sam is already in the NBA, and Joey could be heading there soon. The stretch forward has propelled the Spartans to the Sweet 16, putting up 14 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Marquette. He’s shooting 55.5% from deep over two games and if that clip holds up, NBA personnel will be more inclined to take a chance on him.

Stock Down​

Nick Smith and Anthony Black, Arkansas​

The Razorbacks got to the Sweet 16 with a massive upset over Kansas, but they did it largely without their two promising freshmen. The duo combined to go 1-10 from the floor and finished with four points, all scored by Black. Smith is still coming back from an injury so he should play more against UConn, but there are going to be some reservations of these guys putting up another dud against the Huskies.