Final Four: The non-lottery NBA Draft prospects to watch on the remaining NCAA tournament teams

There are three projected lottery picks playing in the Final Four, and they’re all on Duke: Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel. Let’s look at four non-lottery NBA Draft prospects to watch on every Final Four team:

(You can view KOC’s updated rankings with detailed scouting reports for every prospect in the NBA Draft Guide.)

Duke Blue Devils

Tyrese Proctor, junior guard (rank: 24th)

Proctor was an expected one-and-done after reclassifying to begin his Duke career in 2022, which was Jon Scheyer’s first year coaching the team. It didn’t go as planned. Nor did his sophomore season. Proctor not only fell out of the draft lottery picture, but looked more like a second rounder at best.

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But as a junior he now resembles the player he was expected to be as a poised shot creator with excellent court vision at 6-foot-6, and the ability to drain 3s like he did in that 25-point game against Baylor last Sunday.

“[Tyrese and his family] had such maturity to understand it’s more important to be ready than to just be drafted,” Scheyer said after Proctor scored 25 points in the round of 32. “If I’m an NBA team, I’m going after him.”

And teams will. March is helping solidify Proctor’s first-round case. A strong Final Four could make him an absolute lock for a team looking for the next Derrick White, as a tall two-way guard who can hit clutch shots, make smart passes and defend multiple positions.

Sion James, super senior wing (rank: 45th)

The fifth starter for the Blue Devils is James, who transferred to Duke after four years at Tulane. He’s made 41.7% of 3s, can initiate the offense and is a hard-nosed defender.

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And pro scouts would argue that James serves as an example for why a fifth collegiate season can be so important from a player-evaluation standpoint. Because of the COVID waiver, which was tied to the 2020-21 season, James gained a fifth year of eligibility, so we got to see him shine at Duke. The proposed NCAA “5-in-5” rule — allowing five seasons of competition within five years — could lead to more draft risers like James. His fifth year, he was allowed to look like the type of glue guy who could carve out the exact type of role for an NBA team that he does for Duke.

Isaiah Evans, freshman wing (rank: 37th)

Evans has seen his playing time dwindle in March Madness, playing only a combined 16 minutes in his last three games. But as a sharpshooting wing who’s made 41.6% of his 3s this season, could he get a chance to stretch the floor for Duke’s offense against some upcoming stellar defenses?

Evans may not be quite ready for the NBA. He’s still underdeveloped physically, and he doesn’t do much else besides shoot. But he’s a player to keep on the radar.

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Caleb Foster, sophomore guard (unranked)

It’s been an up-and-down tenure for Foster at Duke. He was an expected one-and-done, but his development has been rocky. As a freshman, he was outplayed by other guards on the roster. And this season, he’s taken a backseat despite his shot-creation talent in his 6-5 frame.

But he’s showing more skills than he did after exiting high school. He played 15 minutes in the Elite Eight in part because of the little things. He boxed out bigger players to compete for and secure boards, he made smart passes, and he generally brought great intensity on defense.

Foster could use a third year like Proctor did, but he’s beginning to show signs that he still has first-round talent within.

Houston Cougars

Milos Uzan, senior guard (rank: 31st)

Uzan’s six triples against Purdue helped propel Houston to the Elite Eight, but even when he’s not making shots he’s a steady-handed playmaker who plays with craft and poise as the orchestrator of the Cougars’ offense. Fans watching him for the first time in the Final Four will see a player who doesn’t project as an NBA lead guard but will fit as a connective piece who can do a little bit of everything.

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“I think the difference has been Milos, his 3-point shooting has really helped this team,” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said ahead of the Final Four. “We’ve gone from being a 3-point shooting team to a 3-point making team. That’s the difference.”

Uzan’s shooting improvement is one of the reasons why Houston is still playing. And it’s why he’s made himself a borderline first-round pick. Some more success could help solidify his status as a key target for one of the playoff teams drafting in the late first.

Joseph Tugler, sophomore forward (rank: 47th)

Tugler received the Lefty Driesell Award this week, which is given to the nation’s top defender. And it’s well deserved. He’s a lynchpin of Houston’s top-ranked defense with Inspector Gadget arms and a motor that doesn’t stop. And now he’ll have the chance to face off against Cooper Flagg. Will he effectively contain the best player in college basketball? It’s going to be the key to victory for the Cougars, and it certainly could raise his draft stock in the process.

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Terrance Arceneaux, sophomore wing (unranked)

Arceneaux isn’t expected to declare for the draft this year, considering he’s one year removed from rupturing his Achilles and he still needs to develop physically. But he’s showing his long-term upside in the tournament for Houston as a versatile defender and a reliable shooter in a classic 3-and-D mold.

Emanuel Sharp, junior guard (unranked)

Sharp is a pure shooter who’s made 41.5% of his 5.7 attempts from 3 per game. If Houston finds itself in a nail-biter, there’s a chance it’ll be in his hands to shoot at the end of the game. He’s confident and capable of big nights (like his 26-point game in the Big 12 championship semifinal). Though he isn’t asked to do much as a playmaker, he is a gritty defender at 6-3 who does a good job of chasing shooters around screens.

Auburn Tigers

Johni Broome, super senior big (rank: 46th)

Broome is Auburn’s face of the team. He brings old-school post scoring with a soft hook shot and some range behind the line. He does a little bit of everything. He boxes out and rebounds. He brings toughness as an enforcer around the basket. And as he showed returning from an elbow injury in the Elite Eight, he sets a tone with his heart. Broome won’t change his draft stock much. But he has an opportunity to make himself a true Auburn legend.

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Tahaad Pettiford, freshman guard (rank: 14th)

Pettiford might be ranked in the lottery on my personal board, but as far as I know there isn’t another draft analyst who has him ranked as highly. The Athletic has him ranked 46th. No Ceilings has him 52nd. ESPN puts him 62nd.

I don’t really understand what the hesitation is for ranking him higher. Pettiford comes off the bench, but he’s playing nearly 30 minutes per game in the tournament because he’s a key player. He isn’t asked to be a primary playmaker, but he’s shown the ability to create shots whenever he needs to. He’s only 175 pounds, but he plays his ass off at all times and has racked up multiple big blocks and steals in the tournament.

Pettiford might end up returning to school. But another big game or two, and I’d imagine he will at least test the waters.

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Denver Jones, senior guard (unranked)

Jones was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team and is one of the 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. And now it’ll be largely on him to contain Florida’s leading scorer, Walter Clayton Jr. If he does a good job fighting through screens and staying in front of him, it’ll go a long way in showing NBA scouts he’s capable of containing high-level bucket-getters. And he’s more than a defender. He’s making over 40% of 3s this season, giving him 3-and-D vibes in the backcourt.

Chad Baker-Mazara, senior wing (unranked)

Let’s get this out of the way: Baker-Mazara is 25 years old. Older than Zion Williamson. Older than Coby White. Older than RJ Barrett. It’s been a strange journey for him to get to this point. He played at Duquesne, then San Diego State, then was ruled academically ineligible, so he went to a JUCO school. He’s been with Auburn since then and has looked the part of a 3-and-D wing who brings defensive energy and bangs 3s. But he’s old. He’s facing players sometimes seven years younger than him, and he himself is still a lean 180 pounds. Maybe he’ll end up one of those old NBA rookies down the line, too.

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Florida Gators

Walter Clayton Jr., senior guard (rank: 30th)

Clayton has made Steph-like clutch shots throughout the tournament, but now his toughest test comes against Auburn’s tremendous defense. Auburn has effectively contained guards all season, holding Michigan State’s top four guards to a combined 11-of-44 shooting the last round. But Clayton is a different type of animal than what the Spartans could offer as a seasoned sharpshooter with the dribbling talent and confidence to fire shots from anywhere.

Though Clayton’s not a great playmaker and he’s rather aloof defensively, the NBA craves flamethrower shooters like him. And now’s his chance to keep raising his draft stock while leading Florida to a national championship.

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Alex Condon, sophomore big (rank: 35th)

Condon is raw, but he has the makings of a modern NBA big. The Australian can pick-and-pop, punish mismatches in the post or attack from the perimeter with agile footwork. He looks like a slightly smaller Isaiah Hartenstein on offense and brings a similar tenacity to his defense.

Condon had a huge 27-point effort against Alabama toward the end of the regular season. One game like that could cement his status as a first-round pick.

Alijah Martin, super senior wing (unranked)

Martin brings toughness, athleticism and microwave scoring to the table. But at only 6-2, he’s a streaky shooter and isn’t a primary shot-creator. The Final Four will be a chance for him to show he can come through generating big shots for his team against elite defenses.

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Thomas Haugh, sophomore forward (Unranked)

Haugh is 6-9, grabs 6.1 boards per game and drains 35.1% of his 3s. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but with his size and shooting stroke, he sure looked the part of an NBA prospect in the Elite Eight against Texas Tech when he scored 20 points and grabbed 11 boards. He’s a key reason the Gators advanced, and he’ll have to be one of the X-factors if they’re gonna win the national championship.

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