While college hoops is officially over, with Florida winning the NCAA Tournament in dominant fashion, basketball is far from done. With the transfer portal open and the NBA Playoffs taking shape, there is much to look forward to over the next couple of months. However, another major event is happening: the NBA Draft. While some collegiate athletes have an easy decision to make regarding their future, others don’t. In this week’s edition of Sargeant’s Orders, we will discuss my favorite NBA Prospects who did not attend UConn.
Cooper Flagg (Forward) (6-foot-9) (Duke)
Cooper Flagg is arguably the most complete NBA Prospect in recent memory. Coming into Duke, the expectations for the 18-year-old were sky high; despite the Blue Devils coming up short for a National Championship, Flagg did more than his part this season. The Maine native was named AP Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year and it’s easy to see why. Flagg averaged over 19 points per night on solid 48% shooting; he also knocked down shots from beyond the arc on an efficient 38.5% clip.
Flagg also played in some big-time matchups during March Madness and owned the big moment. Flagg had an excellent March, which culminated with a trip to the Final Four against Houston. Duke should have won this contest, but with a bad final 33 seconds later, the Blue Devils were done dancing.
Skillset wise, Flagg has it all. Not only does the forward possess an excellent shot, which will certainly translate to the next level, but he is a polished finisher at the rim. Flagg does not shy away from contact, oftentimes getting additional free throws for his troubles. The forward is also strong defensively, rarely committing fouls and consistently staying in front of his man. Look for Flagg to go No. 1 overall to whatever franchise is lucky enough to land the freshman.
Walter Clayton Jr. (Guard) (6-foot-3) (Florida)
No one in college basketball had a better March than senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. Clayton led Florida to its third national championship in program history with red hot shooting from beyond the arc. Clayton finished the tournament averaging over 22 points per night on 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc, with nearly identical shooting percentage from the field. However, what is most impressive about Clayton’s game is his ability to get hot when it matters most. Clayton hit some difficult threes throughout the tournament when his team needed it most, including the second round against UConn when it was not clear that Florida would advance. Clayton also hit some crucial triples down the stretch against Texas Tech and Auburn, both elimination games and both tight contests.
Clayton demonstrated his ability to turn it up when it matters most with infectious three- point shooting. He has consistently demonstrated that the moment is never too big for him, and he can single handily bury teams when need be. Look for Clayton to get an NBA shot at the end of the first round; the 6-foot-3 Florida legend could very well end up being the steal of this year’s draft, due to his microwave ability to get hot and stay that way.
Danny Wolf (Center) (7-foot-0) (Michigan)
My favorite center in this draft class is seven-foot big man Danny Wolf who can do it all and is a threat on the floor. Not only is the junior big man an excellent rebounder, averaging 10 boards a night, but he is quick on his feet, moving like a guard sometimes. Wolf also checks off a crucial box for being a big in today’s NBA: an excellent outside shot. Not only can Wolf stretch the floor, but he has shown an ability to create his own shots from downtown. This is crucial for the modern NBA offense since he will punish teams that leave him alone on an island, allowing him to clear out the paint for guards and other cutters to cause havoc.
Derik Queen (Forward/Center) (6-foot-10) (Maryland)
Big Ten Rookie of the Year, Derik Queen declared for the NBA Draft after an excellent 16.5 point, nine rebound per night campaign at Maryland. The Terrapin big man led Maryland to their best season in years, advancing all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, before falling to the eventual national champions, Florida. Even in that contest, Queen lit up the scoreboard with 27 points and was not a defensive liability, which is the main qualm that NBA executives have when forecasting their NBA career.
While some concerns exist with Queen’s ability to guard at the next level, he was by no means a poor defender in college and is still a projected lottery pick. Not only is he a great post scorer, but Queen also is quick on his feet and nimble without sacrificing his size. Even when he isn’t scoring the basketball at a high level, the freshman still impacts the game in a big way, rebounding at an extremely high level that NBA teams will be attracted to.
Tre Johnson (Guard) (6-foot-6) (Texas)
Coming into Texas this year, the expectations for freshman guard Tre Johnson were always high. Despite this, Johnson met these lofty predictions by putting up an excellent 20 points a night campaign, with many of these contests coming in a loaded SEC conference.
There is no way to sugarcoat it: Johnson can flat-out shoot the basketball, and he has taken over contests. While Texas was by no means a top 25 program this year, finishing 14th in the SEC, and narrowly making the NCAA Tournament, Johnson was the center of their success. Even in his side’s Feb. 26 loss on the road at Arkansas, Texas struggled to score the basketball. The Longhorns needed a scorer, and they got that in Johnson. Johnson took over, leading all scorers with 39 points on absurd 14-28 shooting, including a 7-11 slash from downtown. While Texas came up short in overtime, it was not due to the 6-foot-6 guard who took over this contest, putting on his signature collegiate performance.
For as good of a shooter that Johnson is, he has shown aptitude as a passer, consistently setting up his teammates and finding the open man. While his three assists a night may not clearly signal this, he was the main option last season in Texas. When he has to, he makes the right decision with the basketball, and this is a skill that will likely translate and will be needed, in the NBA. Don’t be surprised if Johnson is one of the first few guards off the board in this year’s draft.