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When March arrives, it means one thing for college basketball fans: March Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is just around the corner, which means fans will have probably their last chance to see some of the top prospects before they take the next step and join the NBA.
The tournament will kick off on Tuesday with the First Four matchups. The first game will be between No. 16 SE Missouri State and No. 16 Texas A&M CC at 6:30 p.m. Whoever wins this contest will have the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round.
As the nickname suggests, the tournament should have plenty of surprises. Still, it would not be a surprise to see some players shine on the big stage. These names will likely be in the NBA in the 2023-24 season and could be the future stars of the league.
With that being said, here are the four best NBA Draft prospects to watch in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, ranked.
4. Keyonte George, SG – Baylor
A five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Florida, Keyonte George led the No. 3 Baylor Bears to a 22-10 record this season. While the team had its ups and downs, Baylor still managed to get a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
George is averaging 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists plus 1.1 steals. He is shooting 38.7% from the field, 34.9% from the 3-point line, and 79.7% from the free-throw line.
For his performances, the freshman earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. He is also a member of the Big 12 All-Newcomer and Big 12 All-Freshman. Most notably, he was voted to the all-conference second team in his first year in college.
George will likely be a lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Depending on how well he performs in the Big Dance, he might even crack the top 10.
The Bears will open their tournament against the No. 14 UC Santa Barbara on Friday.
3. Jarace Walker, F – Houston
Another freshman who is making some noise in the college basketball world is Jarace Walker. He has helped the No. 1 Houston Cougars to a 31-3 record, including 17-1 in conference play. Despite not winning the AAC Tournament title, the Cougars' performance in the regular season was enough to keep them at the top of the standings.
Walker is putting up 11.1 points, 6.6 boards, and 1.7 assists. He is also recording a steal and a block a night. He is making 47.1% of his field goals, 34.4% of his 3-pointers and 61.4% of his free throws.
In addition to being the AAC Freshman of the Year and an AAC All-Freshman Team member, the forward was also named to the Second-team All-AAC.
Walker's defensive abilities have created some buzz surrounding his potential. With the possibility of becoming a solid two-way player in the NBA, he has been climbing the mock drafts and should be in the top 10.
Houston will start its quest for an NCAA Tournament title against the No. 16 Northern Kentucky on Thursday. The Cougars and Walker should have extra motivation to win the title as Houston will be the host town for the championship game.
2. Nick Smith Jr., G – Arkansas
One player who should be getting a lot of attention in the NCAA Tournament is Nick Smith Jr. He was the consensus top recruit of the 2022 recruiting class by 247Sports. He received multiple offers from big programs, including North Carolina and Kansas, before choosing Arkansas.
Smith is averaging 14.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 rebounds. His shooting splits are 39.1% from the field, 34.4% from beyond the arc, and 73.9% from the charity stripe.
He had limited playing time this season as he dealt with a knee injury. Because of that, he appeared in just 14 games. Even with his injury, Smith should still be a lottery selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The No. 8 Razorbacks will face the No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini in the round of 64 on Thursday.
1. Brandon Miller, SF – Alabama
Perhaps the biggest name among all players in the 2023 NCAA Tournament is Brandon Miller. He led the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide to a 29-5 record, which resulted in the SEC tournament title.
The small forward is registering 19.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He is also averaging just under a steal and block per game. He is shooting 45.1% from the field, 40.1% from the 3-point land and 85.6% from the free-throw line.
For his performances, he earned both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Rookie of the Year honors. Additionally, he was named a First-team All-American player by The Sporting News.
Even with a firearm incident in February, Miller's draft stock has been on the rise throughout most of the season. He is now projected as high as No. 3 in most mock drafts, only trailing Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson.
The Crimson Tide will wait until the First Four to know who they will face between SE Missouri State and Texas A&M CC. Alabama will then play its first-round NCAA Tournament matchup on Thursday.
