With March Madness complete and all eyes on the transfer portal and coaching carousel, college basketball fans must also pay attention to which players are entering the NBA Draft. Oregon's N'Faly Dante and Colorado's KJ Simpson are among the college basketball stars who helped their NBA Draft chances with strong NCAA Tournament performances. But that was not the case for many players in the tourney.
Here are four NBA prospects who hurt their draft stock during March Madness.
Kyle Filipowski (Duke)
After earning All-ACC First Team honors as a sophomore, Duke's Kyle Filipowski was ready to lead the team on a deep March Madness run. The Blue Devils nearly made the Final Four, but Filipkowski was far from his best. Against an undersized Vermont team in the First Round, the Duke center only attempted one field goal and finished the night with three points.
Filipowski demonstrated his value as a rim protector and rebounder — as he would throughout the tournament — though he never came through with a complete offensive performance. The start sophomore shot a combined 6-18 from inside the arc against Houston and North Carolina State, finishing at 11 PPG during the squad's March Madness run — a full five points below his season average.
Though he made up for his lack of scoring in other areas, Kyle Filipowski's inconsistent offensive production will likely drop him a few spots in the NBA Draft.
Johnny Furphy (Kansas)
As he had the entire season, Johnny Furphy demonstrated flashes of brilliance during the NCAA Tournament but struggled to put it all together. The freshman had 16 points in a First Round victory over Samford, demonstrating value as a shooter and a driver. In the Second Round, Furphy had a tough time against the size and experience of Gonzaga. The Aussie was just 2-7 from deep and was consistently exposed on defense — especially in the second half.
With those weaknesses highlighted against the Zags, many experts feel that Johnny Furphy needs another season in college to fully develop before entering the NBA Draft.
Kwame Evans (Oregon)
Despite a pair of 22-point performances this season, Oregon freshman Kwame Evans never developed into a consistent offensive threat. Evans averaged just 7.3 PPG as his usage rate plummeted to 13.2% against top 50 teams. The versatile 6-9 forward made his living on the defensive end, using his length, athleticism, and instincts to become a defensive playmaker and great off-ball defender.
While that defensive prowess was on display in the NCAA Tournament, the promising freshman delivered next to nothing on the offensive end. Against Creighton in the Second Round, Evans played 38 minutes and did not score a point. The Ducks forward attempted two shots during this game and turned the ball over three times. NBA scouts love his defensive skills, but as a complete non-factor on offense, Kwame Evans hurt his draft stock during the NCAA Tournament.
Pelle Larsson (Arizona)
A consistent and dynamic performer for the Arizona Wildcats this season, Pelle Larsson picked a bad time to have one of his worst games of the year. Against Clemson in the Sweet Sixteen, Larsson shot 2-9 — including 1-6 from behind the arc — and multiple late-game defensive lapses helped the underdog Tigers pull the upset against the Final Four favorites.
One poor performance should not overshadow a strong season for the Swede, but NBA scouts will wonder if Larsson can become a high-volume three-point shooter and provide solid production on the defensive end.