The Portland Trail Blazers once again find themselves on the outside looking in on the NBA playoffs. As with all non-playoff teams in the NBA, the 2023 NCAA Tournament signals that the 2023 NBA Draft isn’t far behind. And that means new hope for Blazers fans. With that in mind, here are the three best potential Blazers' draft picks to watch in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

The Blazers' 2023 NBA Draft situation is an interesting one. The Chicago Bulls own the Blazers’ first-round pick, but it is top-14 protected. Also, the New York Knicks owe the Blazers a top-14 protected pick. Since the Blazers will finish in the Lottery and the Knicks won’t, Portland will have two picks in his draft.

For our purposes here — and because it’s much more fun — we’ll look at the best potential Blazers draft picks to watch in the 2023 NCAA Tournament who could go in the top 10, where Portland should be making its first selection.

Gradey Dick, SF, Kansas

Kansas wing Gradey Dick was the No. 14 high school prospect in the nation in 2022, and the Witchita native decided to stay close to and play for the Jayhawks. And in his first season in Lawrence, Dick lived up to the hype.

The freshman averaged 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 39.9% from behind the arc. Dick can do it all and has the length at 6-foot-8 and the skills to succeed at the next level.

The next few seasons for the Blazers are all about putting skill and athletes around Damian Lillard to help him finally compete for a championship in the City of Roses. Dick’s tough defending and sharpshooting ability is what makes him one of the potential Blazers draft picks who can do that.

With Matisse Thybulle, Cam Reddish, Justise Winslow, and Shaedon Sharpe around Lillard, Dick makes a lot of sense as another interchangeable defensive part who also shoots better than any of these young players.

In the 2023 NCAA Tournament, you won’t have to wait long to see what Gradey Dick can do against top NBA draft talent. In the second round, Kansas is facing a potential showdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks, the home of the other two players on this list.

Nick Smith Jr., PG/SG, Arkansas

Moving up the 2022 college basketball recruiting board, we get to Nick Smith Jr., the No. 3 ranked recruit in the class. The Little Rock native also stayed close to home and is flourishing at Arkansas.

Smith is a 6-foot-5 guard who can play on or off the ball, although he plays more off-ball for the Razorbacks with teammate Anthony Black operating the offense (more on him below). The freshman is averaging 14.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 rebounds this season while shooting 34.4% from deep.

The young guard has good size and plays with energy and confidence that won’t leave him at the next level. He is a willing and tenacious defender, and even on the nights when his shots aren’t falling, he’s never scared to pull up when it makes sense.

Smith will fit nicely in the guard rotation next to Lillard, but the more important reason that he is an important NBA draft prospect for Blazers fans to watch in the 2023 NCAA Tournament is that Shaedon Sharpe and Nick Smith Jr. would give the franchise a dynamic backcourt of the future that could propel the team into contention long after Lillard is gone.

Also, like Gradey Dick, the potential NCAA Tournament matchup to watch for Smith and company is a Round of 32 matchup between Arkansas and Kansas. On the Jayhawks side, Dajuan Harris and Kevin McCullar average 4.1 steals per game and could give Smith and the next person on this list, Anthony Black, fits.

Anthony Black, G, Arkansas

Remember when teams were salivating over a huge true point guard in Ben Simmons not all that long ago? Well, at 6-foot-7, Arkansas freshman Anthony Black could be the super-sized PG that NBA talent evaluators thought Simmons was back in 2016.

Black was the No. 15 prospect coming out of high school in Texas, and he’s been the rudder that has guided the Razorbacks' ship all season, even as a first-year player. The guard is averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this season.

The freshman doesn’t project as a great scorer in the NBA, but as a creator and defender, he’s a top-notch prospect. Anthony Black and Matisse Thybulle would give NBA backcourts fits next season.

While you’ll want to watch all these potential Blazers draft picks in a Kansas vs. Arkansas matchup, Black’s first test comes in the Round of 64. Illinois point guard Terrance Shannon, Jr. is one of the most pugnacious defenders in the country and will be all over Black in this game. If the Arkansas freshman can still look good against this 6-foot-6 senior, his draft stock could soar.