Scouting Notebook: Round of 32, San Diego

Rowan headed down to San Diego to take in a heated weekend of March Madness! What did he think of 2026 NBA Draft prospects like Darryn Peterson, Brayden Burries, Flory Bidunga, Koa Peat, and more?

As a draft writer and self-proclaimed fanatic, I try to be lucky and intentional about how I watch my basketball. I carve out the hours, whether in the early AMs or the night owl PMs, to watch prospects of renown or relative obscurity. I also do my best to catch as much live basketball as I can, as the size, pace, and athleticism of the game, to name a few things, can be seen just a smidgen better when you’re actually there.

I’m lucky because I’ve had the chance to attend a handful of March Madness weekends in the past few years. The first round has included some nearby locations, such as Seattle and Portland, as well as places where I have relatives and friends, such as Charlotte. I do my best to save PTO for weekends like these, knowing I can scout at the best sporting event ever and get a chance to see family, friends, and places new and old.

This year, by the luck of the draw, I found myself in San Diego for reasons wholly unrelated to basketball at the perfect time to watch it. After a weekend of soaking up sunshine, wolfing down tacos, and taking my first surfing lesson, which battered me for a grueling-but-worthwhile hour. I closed out my time by heading to San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena for the Round of 32.

Without any upsets in the first round, I had a pair of marquee matchups to scout: the contender Arizona Wildcats against the sneakily underrated Utah State Aggies and the star-studded Kansas Jayhawks against the veteran St. John’s Red Storm. With a potential future Top 3 pick playing, a host of other first-round draft picks also on the court, and a ton of fun sleepers, it was one of my favorite live scouting weekends I’ve ever had.

So who did I see and how did they do?