3 Mid-Major NBA Prospects To Watch In NCAA March Madness Tournament

The NCAA Tournament is truly beautiful, and the main reason is that it is relatable to the average American. It’s about the underdogs versus the big boys; the guys who may end up being accountants, doctors, teachers, or financial advisors go toe-to-toe with future professionals. When a small school makes a deep run in the tourney, it reminds us of the possibilities in our own lives. Perhaps, that is why everyone loves March Madness so much. At least, that is why I love it so much! Below, I’ve listed three players who have an opportunity to go from being undrafted, with hopes of working their way up from the G-League, to potential March Madness heroes who could be drafted and find a roster spot as soon as next season!

Jamaree Bouyea – San Francisco

There’s a high likelihood that you have not heard of Jamaree Bouyea unless you are a fan of the West Coast Conference. The San Francisco Dons are sneaky good this year; they made the tournament after an impressive 24-9 year, with three of those losses coming to the No. 1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs. Forgivable. Regardless, Bouyea is a significant reason why San Francisco has been so successful. On the season, he has averaged nearly 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 47% shooting.

As a lower seed in the tournament, the Dons will be a fun team to watch and root for, and their success is predicated on Bouyea’s performance. Currently, Bouyea projects from being undrafted to a late-second round pick; he needs to have a good tournament showing to ensure he is on NBA teams’ minds. The major red flag with Bouyea is inconsistency: sometimes he looks like a surefire NBA player, but other times, he struggles mightily against average Division I competition. Still, Bouyea is an intriguing prospect due to his explosiveness, shot-creating ability, and defense.

He’s an above-average athlete who can stay in front of guys, jump passing lanes, pick pockets, and swat shots (at merely 6-foot-2.) Furthermore, there are moments where Bouyea makes NBA-level moves off the dribble and then hits a three from NBA range, which is a rarity in college basketball. It will take a massive tournament run from Bouyea and San Francisco for him to cement his status as a second-rounder, but that’s what makes the tournament so enjoyable.

David Roddy – Colorado State

One of the most intriguing prospects that very few people know about is David Roddy. Roddy is built more like an NFL tight-end (unbelievably broad shoulders and thick, tree-trunk legs) than an NBA player. Regardless, Roddy is an absolute monster inside and can rebound at a high level for his size. Even more impressive is Roddy’s passing and shot-making ability. Few (if any) players in the NCAA are shooting as efficiently as Roddy.

As the primary scorer on this Colorado State team, he sees plenty of attention and doubles from opposing defenses. He’s elusive, shifty, and has a lethal spin move that makes ballerinas go back to the gym and work harder after seeing it. Seriously. Roddy is not your prototypical NBA player, but neither was Draymond Green. I’m not saying that’s his ceiling, but he could make it in the NBA if he goes to the right team.

Hyunjung Lee – Davidson

I love Hyunjung’s game. It is blatantly apparent that Lee has modeled his offensive game to the likes of Klay Thompson: a terrific off-ball cutter who constantly moves on offense and needs very little space to get off a clean look. He has an absolute flamethrower of a jump-shot, and at 6-foot-7, there is the possibility of sticking him at the three in the NBA if he can put on some weight. His release is quick, effortless, and robotic.

There is minimal deviation. A downside to Lee is that he lacks vertical athleticism; however, it is impressive how he has transformed his game to take guys off the dribble. With his height, length, and shooting ability, I could see a team take a flier on him in the second round, especially if he has a great game or two during the tourney.

There are well over 50-60 legitimate NBA prospects playing in the NCAA Tournament, and many of them are not guaranteed to be selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. March Madness is a fantastic opportunity for players from smaller schools to showcase their talents and hopefully land on NBA teams’ radars. While these three players already have at least a bit of recognition from professional organizations, there may be others who are not and could put themselves on the map. What a beautiful month that March is for basketball.

March Madness Bracket

There are well over 50-60 legitimate NBA prospects playing in the NCAA Tournament, and many of them are not guaranteed to be selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. March Madness is a fantastic opportunity for players from smaller schools to showcase their talents and hopefully land on NBA teams’ radars. While these three players already have at least a bit of recognition from professional organizations, there may be others who are not and could put themselves on the map. What a beautiful month that March is for basketball.