The 2015 NCAA tournament, starting in full today March 19, is replete with star players that will be taken in the first-round of the upcoming NBA draft.
Check out 10 players to watch in this year’s tournament below.
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Duke’s first game: Versus Robert Morris on March 20 at 7:10 p.m. EST on CBS
Okafor will be picked in the top five and could get picked number one for his scoring prowess. Okafor’s skill in the low block drew New York Knicks president to watch him in person, and is the primary reason the Blue Devils have one of the top attacks in the nation.
Okafor struggles on the defensive side, though, and needs to avoid foul trouble in order for Duke to go far in March Madness. Besides his overall skill, fans of pro teams slated to get a top pick--such as the Knicks, Timberwolves, or 76ers--will want to watch to gauge how the center would fit with their team next season.
Like the rest of the top prospects, Okafor’s performance in the tournament will have an impact on where he’s picked in the draft.
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State
Ohio State’s first game: Versus VCU on March 19 at 2:08 p.m. EST on TNT
Russell is being projected by some as the next John Wall or Russell Westbrook, an exciting prospect that could change the face of a franchise.
The point guard can’t shoot well as of yet but has made some of the high-level passes that only a select few can convert on a regular basis.
Tune in to see Russell try to lead his team deep into the tournament.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Devin Booker, Kentucky
Kentucky’s first game: Versus Hampton on March 19 at 9:40 p.m. EST on CBS
The consensus No. 1 seed in the tournament, Kentucky boasts a slew of top notch players that will go in the first round of the upcoming draft.
Anthony-Towns presents a much different look than Okafor. He is a defensive force, notching 2.4 blocks in just over 20 minutes a game, while also displaying more range on the offensive end.
Cauley-Stein is a versatile big man who also plays hard on defense and can dominate in the low post. Booker is one of the if not the best shooter in college basketball, hitting over 40 percent of his shots from behind the arc.
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s first game: Versus Coastal Carolina on March 20 at 9:20 p.m. EST on TBS
Kaminsky has serious range for a seven-footer, with the ability to hit three-pointers and also show off moves on the post.
Kaminsky, in contrast with many other top prospects, is a senior. He has a lower ceiling than most but offers a stable, intelligent presence that Epoch Times expert Dave Martin called “a poor man’s Dirk Nowitzky.”
Perhaps more than others, Kaminsky will rise or fall with his performance in the tournament. Tune in to see his smooth shooting touch and nice passes.
