With the NBA season winding down, quite a few organizations will turn their focus to the Draft and the future. Fans will roll their eyes at the prospect of tanking, but teams care about their long-term plans, especially in a draft as strong as the 2025 class.
The NCAA Tournament brings a high-intensity environment to evaluate prospects. Fortunately, the vast majority of elite prospects will play in March Madness. Let’s discuss one prospect each lottery-bound team should be watching in the NCAA Tournament, aside from Cooper Flagg, for whom everyone will be praying.
Utah Jazz – VJ Edgecombe, Baylor, G
When To Watch: Baylor vs. Mississippi State, March 21, 12:15 p.m. EST, CBS
The rudderless Utah Jazz badly need a spark of upside and excitement after treading water for years. VJ Edgeceombe would grant that, as one of the draft’s most athletic players. He’s a nuclear athlete, capable of living in the paint and flying above the basket with elite horizontal and vertical explosions. Edgecombe must improve significantly to become a primary creator, but his shooting projection will allow him to scale down nicely.
A putrid Utah defense, especially on the perimeter, would benefit greatly from Edgecombe’s playmaking. He’s not a perfect defender, prone to mental errors like most freshmen are, but his range and twitch let him block shots as a helper and lock down on the ball. As one of the draft’s better athletic bets, the Jazz will watch Edgecombe closely in the NCAA Tournament.
Washington Wizards – Derik Queen, Maryland, F/C
When To Watch: Maryland vs. Grand Canyon University, March 21, 4:35 p.m. EST, TBS
If Washington’s lottery luck doesn’t grant it a top-three pick, it could look to Derik Queen for a high-ceiling star bet. He’s certainly more volatile than Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, but Queen’s advantage creation, interior scoring and playmaking are all elite traits. The Wizards still need a long-term primary scorer and Queen has the tools to become that.
Alex Sarr’s presence makes Washington one of the better landing spots for Queen. His struggles as a 3-point shooter and positional defender make him a positional misfit, but he should fit snugly next to a floor-spacing, ground-covering center. There aren’t many of these in the NBA, but Sarr could be one of them, making Washington one of the most ideal homes for Queen.
Charlotte Hornets – Tre Johnson, Texas, G
When To Watch: Texas vs. Xavier, March 19, 9:10 p.m. EST, truTV
A shooting-needy Charlotte team will lock in on arguably the best shot-maker in the entire draft. Despite the presence of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, the Hornets rank 28th (33.8 percent) in 3-point efficiency. Head coach Charles Lee, a Joe Mazzulla disciple, wants to get shots up, evidenced by Charlotte’s 11th-ranked 3-point frequency (43.5 percent)
Johnson launches threes from well beyond NBA range, converting 39.2 percent of his 11.5 3-point attempts per 100 possessions. He’s a talented passer as well, checking off another critical need for Charlotte’s offense. Johnson’s downhill creation ceiling is limited, but that won’t be a major issue on a LaMelo Ball team.
New Orleans Pelicans – Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois, G
When To Watch: Illinois vs. Texas/Xavier, March 21, 9:45 p.m. EST, CBS
It’s hard to describe the Pelicans’ season as anything other than an abject disaster. At least they’ll receive a high pick in the draft. With that pick, they should focus their efforts on a high-end guard prospect like Jakucionis. The 6-foot-5 freshman is one of the draft’s best passers, and would pair well with Zion Willamson and Trey Murphy as a pick-and-roll initiator.
Jakucionis has some slashing and ball control warts, but a Williamson-led team wouldn’t ever need him to act as its primary creator. His excellent off-dribble shot-making gives Jakucionis some on-ball potential, though. The Pelicans need more passing feel and a talent injection, making Jakucionis a logical match.
Brooklyn Nets – Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma, G
When To Watch: Oklahoma vs. UConn, March 21, 9:25 p.m. EST, TNT
Teams in the divot of a rebuild should seek their long-term answer at primary initiator in any form. As a result of his elite burst, shifty handle and scoring touch, Jeremiah Fears is one of the better lead guard bets in the class. He’ll hope to build off of a strong SEC Tournament performance, when he carried Oklahoma’s offense in the biggest moments.
Fears has plenty of improvement points, notably his 3-point consistency, decision-making, interior scoring and defense. Many of these are fixable, though, and this Brooklyn team shouldn’t need to rush Fears’s development. He doesn’t turn 19 until October, rendering him one of the best upside swings in the Draft.
Philadelphia 76ers – Kon Knueppel, Duke, F
When To Watch: Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s/American, March 21, 2:50 p.m. EST, CBS
If Cooper Flagg’s injury limits him during March Madness, expect Kon Knueppel’s offensive usage to spike for Duke. He’s been an excellent creator for the Blue Devils this season, excelling as a versatile 3-point shooter (39.2 percent) and a pick-and-roll playmaker.
Knueppel’s athletic limitations may cap his ceiling, but he’s one of most highly skilled offensive players in the class. After a nightmare season, the Sixers will look for any injection of talent they can find. Knueppel’s scalability makes him an ideal fit for the future. He can create on the ball if needed, but he’ll mesh easily with Jared McCain, Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes(!!!).
Toronto Raptors – Khaman Maluach, Duke, C
When To Watch: Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s/American, March 21, 2:50 p.m. EST, CBS
There might not be a more obvious fit in the Draft than Maluach to the Raptors. Masai Ujiri’s long-time connection to African scouting through Basketball Without Borders makes the South Sudanese big man a logical fit. He’s incredibly talented and Toronto still needs a center of the future, making this an excellent basketball fit as well.
Maluach’s mobility on the defensive end is rare for a 7-foot-2 center, which, combined with his great touch, could also grant him some offensive upside. He’ll need time to refine his positioning and feel for the game, but the Raptors’ strong track record of positive development helps make them an ideal landing spot for Maluach.
San Antonio Spurs – Jase Richardson, Michigan State, G
When To Watch: Michigan State vs. Bryant, March 21, 10 p.m. EST, TBS
Richardson matches the Spurs’ needs for long-term guard depth and outside shooting. Chris Paul won’t be around forever, so adding another dynamic guard option next to De’Aaron Fox makes sense. Richardson has years of experience playing off the ball, and he shouldn’t struggle to slide next to Fox and Victor Wembanyama.
He might lack the high-end athletic tools or feel to become a primary creator, but the Spurs wouldn’t require that from him. Richardson’s versatile shooting projection and excellent scoring craft will serve him well as a complementary offensive option for years to come.
