A quartet of No. 1 seeds converges on San Antonio this weekend as an ash pot-free Marship funnel to a star-studded final Four.
NBA Draft Destinies can be forged in the fire from Big Dance just as PRO law publishes its final records.
With large boards as volatile as the stock market, Duke, Houston, Auburn and Florida have all up-and-comers who are keen to invest in their requirements for NBA legitimacy in the pursuit of a tournament story.
Kemba Walker (Uconn) transformed the 2011 NCAA tournament into its personal “One Shining Moment” altitude roll and emerged as a master and top 10 draft of election (ninth overall, Charlotte).
Donte Divincenzo (Villanova) skipped large parts of the 2018 field and developed the first round on the back of his 31-point offensive attack in the national championship. He went a total of 17th to Milwaukee Bucks.
And even though there are freer in line with catching the rights to the total election no. 1 – essentially a ticket to Cooper flag – 2025 Final Four can serve as a scene for several prospects that are a prominent performance away from rising the ranks and raising their position in the collective NBA consciousness.
Cooper Flag (6-9, forward, beginner, Duke)
The Surefire summary that has NBA bottom residents who salivate, Flagg’s Mars show has been something other than soothing. A Rangy Combo forward with sharp game instincts as well as a multi-positional ball hawk defensively, “capture the flag” is in full swing when the front office continues to pray to the lottery.
Khaman Maluach (7-2, center, beginner, Duke)
Maluach is a 17-year-old Olympic with South Sudan in 2024 and is a physically impressive rim presence reminiscent of his blue devil pioneer Mark Williams. The value proposal is clear as Dag – a vertical distance outside the screen and the rollers and a backline line rubber defensively. Maluach seems a shoo-in for the top 10, but a rim protection clinic in Final Four could see him flirt with top 5.
Kon Knueppel (6-7, guard, beginner, Duke)
Look no further than Knueppel’s 3-point percent (41) and 91.2 percent free throw percentage as the baseline for which teams will love him in the NBA. Knueppel is a tailor-made off-guard that flourishes stationary as a catch-and-shoot option and can also thrive as a motion shooter from Flare screens and other secondary measures. Knueppel is a capable direct driver where the circumstances require and can seamlessly coexist with high touch time creators while opening up the center of the floor. He competes defensively despite exhibiting the foot speed for his position. With shooting on a premium, Knueppel Mittlottery has written all over him.
Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, guard, senior, Florida)
Perhaps the largest riser in the 2025 NCAA tournament so far, Clayton Jr. Has arched into a new conversation area.
His displacement from bouncing and bulletinating capacity on all three levels has really turned his heads and drawn Devin Booker Comp.
His 30-point outbreak to put away Texas Tech in Elite Eight, punctured by a 3-point 3-point dagger with one minute left, served as the perfect exclamation mark and upset attention to his professional.
Clayton Jr.’s draft profile depends on the viewer’s eye. At 22 years old, his age could be seen as a decline or an advantage. Lots of organizations will request a more experienced beginner with more to offer in the immediate term. Walter should take into account the first round after entering March a late second round of reflection.
Johni Broome (6-10, forward, senior, Auburn)
Broome is a fifth year of college player and rides speed after a combined 47 points and 30 returns in Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. While his availability for Final Four is affected by a shoulder injury, he is currently projecting around the edge at the end of the first or beginning of the second round. Broome turns 23 in July. Consequently, he will be criticized for being closer to a finished product than a new star. Despite an IFFY 3-point stroke, Broome has flattened its craft and footwork down-low as a potential off-the-bench 4 or 5 that can knock down an open shot or work with the back to the basket. His defensive design and tools measure up, but finding a place in the first round can be a distance.
Honest mentions: Alex Condon (Florida), Milos Uzan (Houston), Tyrese Proctor (Duke), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn)
-Ethan Ward, Field Level Media
