Scouting Notebook: Round of 64 and 32 in Seattle, Washington
Rowan kept it local to take in six great games to open up March Madness this weekend! Included are observations on Derik Queen, Nique Clifford, Carter Bryant, and dozens of other players!
There’s nothing quite like going to March Madness. Sure, you can’t watch as many games as you can on your various screens at home, but the atmosphere of these games is unmatched. It’s a melting pot of different fans who’ve traveled across the country to willingly sit on pins and needles over whether their team can stay the course or upset the waters for other squads.
I’ve been lucky and planful enough to attend March Madness more regularly, especially as I’ve taken draft scouting more seriously. I had the chance to watch Chet Holmgren in Portland a few years ago and took a trip to Charlotte, NC, to watch Dalton Knecht, Harrison Ingram, and Dillon Mitchell last season.
This year, the games are in my backyard here in Seattle. While I may have selfishly hoped for my alma mater, the Michigan Wolverines, to be one of the seeds sent to the Pacific Northwest, I still got a great quartet of opening-round games: Memphis versus Colorado State, Maryland versus Grand Canyon, Oregon versus Liberty, and Arizona versus Akron.
I’ve done my best to coalesce my thoughts on all four of these teams, some across their pair of games, while keeping an eye on their present or future draft stock. With three players in the Top 30 on the most recent No Ceilings Big Board, alongside many others in the Top 150 on my Ouija Board, it’s a great mixture of 2025 NBA draft prospects and beyond for me this year in the Emerald City.
#4 Maryland Terrapins
Derik Queen
When it comes to a pure scouting perspective, there’s no player worth watching for me this weekend more than Derik Queen. He’s assembled a storybook freshman campaign with the Terrapins, leading them to their best season under Kevin Willard, and done so off mostly the strength of his production. Queen was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten player because he was either first or second in all major statistical categories for Maryland. Queen hit the ground running after his successful high school career at Montverde Academy and never looked back.
With such a sterling predraft profile, it’s not shocking that Queen checked in at #6 on our most recent No Ceilings Big Board. It’s rare to see freshmen do what he’s done with such grace, fluidity, and fury. It’s why I’ve had Queen as a clear lottery prospect all season, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him have quick NBA success, too. Still, there are a few areas of growth for Queen that were clear to see in person.
Let’s get those out of the way first, as Queen’s storybook season continued in aplomb. Queen’s athleticism will be tested on defense in the NBA, as he’s neither strong nor quick enough to be a good center defender. That will be the biggest roadblock to Queen’s immediate success, alongside his quiet outside shooting. Yes, Queen will play at center, but his fit at the NBA level is difficult, given his frontcourt mate will need to guard the rim and space the floor, all without playing center minutes.
Enough negatives, however, as Queen had himself a vital weekend in Seattle. He was never a dominant scorer like earlier in the season, but he didn’t need to be in either game. Instead, he showed off his buttery touch on his rim attempts and drove with a lithe grace that few big men have. Queen even showed off his elusive shooting stroke in the Colorado State game, knocking in two deep looks that raised my eyebrow slightly about his future spacing capabilities.
But, the shot. The shot.
That’s the most important takeaway of the weekend for me with Queen. Queen, a freshman center, demanded the ball, drove with his off-hand, and kissed a leaning banker off the glass to send Maryland to their first Sweet Sixteen since 2016. It was a star shot, taken with a star’s confidence, and while it was just one move, it was monumental. It shows that Queen’s offensive ceiling shouldn’t be discounted, as he’s willing to meet any moment and could one day develop enough to be a star at the NBA level, given his versatile and smooth offensive arsenal.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Kevin Willard has done great work in the portal so far in his Terrapins career, and that streak has continued with Ja’Kobi Gillespie. Gillespie broke out last season as a starter for the Belmont Bruins before chasing greener pastures to Maryland. He’s been an essential piece for the Terrapins, as he ranks second in points per game and first in assists and steals per game. Alongside Derik Queen, Gillespie has been an excellent Robin to Queen’s Batman during Maryland’s successful season.
So, what holds Gillespie back from further NBA draft conversations? It’ll start with his height. Gillespie looked small on the court during both games, although he didn’t play small. He darted around screens, baited defenses with his dribble, and could get to his spots and pull up for shots despite his size. Gillespie was also a demon on defense, racking up six steals in two games and befuddling the guards for Colorado State and Grand Canyon.
It’s a steep road for undersized guards to make the NBA, but it’s not impossible for Gillespie. Another season at the helm for Maryland should do him well so that he can solidify his status as a deadeye shooter from deep. That, alongside his speed and defense, should be enough for him to get his foot in the door at the next level, although Gillespie should have a bright future playing professionally at some level, no matter what, in the coming years.
Julian Reese
In the age of the portal, it’s rare to see a player stick it out every year with the same college team. That’s exactly what Julian Reese has done, however, going from a sparingly-used freshman with the Terrapins to starting virtually every game for Maryland over the past three seasons. While never the main piece for the team, Reese plays an unglamorous and vital role as the team’s enforcer, key rebounder, and shot blocker.
It won’t be easy, but Reese may have a few narrow paths to the NBA. They’re the same paths that Dain Dainja will have to follow to get there, although Reese is his brand of energy big man. He’s got a soft touch on his hook shots, positions himself well to grab rebounds on both ends, and stays connected to anyone who foolishly tries to test him at the rim.
Still, without an outside shooting stroke or passing game at all, it’s unlikely that Reese will be drafted this year. There are certainly G-League or overseas teams that could use his hardnosed play on both ends, but it’s also not out of the question for Reese to earn a two-way contract after a productive summer league stint. It’ll come down to how well he can play in his limited role, and based on his weekend in Seattle, the glimpses are there to see that happen.
DeShawn Harris-Smith
It’s been a stark comedown from a promising first season at Maryland for DeShawn Harris-Smith. Harris-Smith was a clear wing starter for the team last season, showing some good moxie with the ball in his hands and defending the perimeter, although his shooting numbers left something to be desired. Those numbers stagnated this season, and due to several portal additions, Harris-Smith found himself buried on the bench for much of the season.
There’s still enough to like about Harris-Smith for me to mention him, as I did like him a lot last season. Harris-Smith still has a solid wing size that’s big enough for the NBA level. He’s also a good wing defender, sliding his feet and staying in front of bigger wings or smaller, quicker guards. Due to foul trouble, Harris-Smith also played a bigger role off the bench for the Terps, showcasing his strengths and flaws brightly.
Harris-Smith still doesn’t do enough on offense, close or from a distance, to warrant NBA looks in his career. He’s not a threat to score anywhere other than transition, can be sticky with the ball as it swings around the perimeter, and doesn’t have the handle to create for himself or others. If Harris-Smith’s stock is to rise, it’ll have to come off of massive offensive improvements and sustained defensive success to give him a shot.
#12 Colorado State Rams
Nique Clifford
I’ve had the pleasure of watching Nique Clifford a few times in his Colorado State career as I scouted his games against Colorado and St. Mary’s last season. He was in the Top 60 on my Ouija board last year, so I was surprised he chose to return. It’s turned out to be a fabulous decision, as Clifford was a first-team All-Mountain West player, stepped into a leading role for the Rams, and led them back to the NCAA Tournament.
When I watched Clifford before in-person, his NBA potential was clear in his athleticism and his frame. Last year, he was still growing into his role as the top dog for the Rams in the shadow of Isaiah Stevens; this year, he took the reins. It was a tale of two games for Clifford, as he and his team parabolically mirrored each other, but the overall play I saw from him was strong and promising for his future.
Frankly, the first game wasn’t one of Clifford’s best. He had a rough shooting night, missing every shot from deep and often settling for those looks. It kept Memphis in the game longer than they should’ve been, quite frankly, as Clifford beat them in every other facet. His passing, which has improved from last year, was shredding their defense. His defense was frustrating their ball handlers and forcing turnovers. It was a complete wing game that would’ve fit perfectly at the NBA level, other than his shooting woes.
The second game showed off Clifford’s progression as a scorer despite the team’s loss. He was more aggressive from the onset, driving at any smaller player with ferocity. He got to the line, drove well through Maryland’s zone, and paced Colorado State all night. He also kept up the same great defense, flying in for a blocked three-pointer, and continued to control the offense for the Rams. It was Clifford’s cross-court pass that got Jalen Lake his near-game winner, serving as Clifford’s sixth assist of the game.
That leaves Clifford as a clear first round prospect in this draft and a likely top-half prospect, too. When the shots aren’t falling, he still is a plus passer and defender at the most valued position in basketball. When they are, he’s a genuine confounder for other teams. The ease with which Clifford scored against a high-major team like Maryland should quell any last worries for skeptics of his game. While he won’t play the starring role at the NBA level, Nique Clifford is a plug-and-play wing who could see minutes tomorrow and contribute in several areas of winning NBA basketball.
Kyan Evans
Kyan Evans spent most of his freshman year behind star Isaiah Stevens, Josiah Strong, and Joe Palmer on a veteran Rams team. That tutelage has paid off for Evans, who’s started every game for Colorado State in their revamped backcourt. An honorable mention for the All-Defensive Mountain West team this season, Evans’s defense and offense have taken massive leaps forward, as he took five times as many shots per game this season and nailed 43.1% of his three-pointers, too.
If that sounds impressive on paper, it was just as fun to watch in person. Evans is small and skinny, but he isn’t short, which gives him a puncher’s chance to put on weight in the future. Evans used his lack of size to skirt around screens and dash to force turnovers each night, making it a personal mission to disrupt the flow for Memphis and Maryland. He also did a solid job keeping the ball moving, although he was behind Clifford and Jalen Lake in the playmaking order.
Evans impressed me the most with his confident shot-making. No, I don’t expect he’ll hit six threes a night, but his stroke looked quick and confident against high-major guards. That, alongside his propensity to get downhill, makes him a sleeper prospect for me in the 2026 draft class. It was a pleasant surprise to watch Evans have one of his best weekends on the biggest stage, and I’ll also be interested to see how he can develop from here.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson
After a freshman season where he snagged the OVC Rookie of the Year award, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson hit the portal and found his way to Fort Collins. As a forward, Crocker-Johnson gave the Little Rock Trojans and the Rams a little bit of everything on the floor. He finished well inside, rebounded with some signature toughness, protected the rim, disrupted passing lanes, and even threw a few nifty passes.
It’s encouraging that Crocker-Johnson's production remained almost unchanged from last year to this one, especially given the jump in conference toughness. It wasn’t a standout weekend for Crocker-Johnson in either game, but he played an essential part in Colorado State’s winning ways. Crocker-Johnson played well on defense against bigger players, finished well at the basket, and asserted his way on the glass.
He got trigger-happy with his three-pointers, which was frustrating with how well he was finishing over taller players, but that’s where his game will need to grow to have a shot at the NBA. Like Kyan Evans, however, Crocker-Johnson did more than enough to intrigue me and keep Colorado State on my watchlist next year, even with the departure of Nique Clifford to greener NBA pastures.
#4 Arizona Wildcats
Carter Bryant
On a team with real championship aspirations, it’s unsurprising that Carter Bryant has had a harder time finding the floor than some of his five-star freshmen peers. Despite his reduced playtime, Bryant has been a shining positive every time he’s touched the court. He’s second on the Wildcats in blocks per game and fourth in steals per game despite only playing the seventh-most minutes for Arizona.
When you see Carter Bryant in person, it’s clear outside of his vast skillset what makes him an NBA prospect already. I hadn’t watched as much of Carter Bryant this season as I’d wanted to, given I wasn’t as moved by his high school tape when I watched, and now I feel bad. That’s because Bryant, in his spurts of play, is a clear future NBA player, but is also a damn fun guy to watch wreak havoc on both ends.
On defense, Bryant was the skeleton key that Tommy Lloyd deployed whenever there was a problem. Bryant stayed in lockstep with guards on the perimeter, outmuscled wings who tried to drive or post him, and soared for weakside and recovery blocks at the basket. There was little that Bryant couldn’t do on defense, as he significantly impacted that end of the floor whenever he checked into the game.
On offense, it was expectedly more muted. Still, I saw that more as a result of his role than his talent. Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, KJ Lewis, and Anthony Dell’Orso all have a steady diet of shots they need, which leaves Bryant and others with the proverbial scraps. He did a great job with said scraps, hitting a trio of spot-up three-pointers, finishing some cutting lobs, and keeping errant passes from flying out of bounds with his monster catch radius. Bryant also notably played to the Arizona-skewed Seattle crowd, hyping up his fans, himself, and the team with his consistent positive attitude and gesturing.
He’s still a raw prospect who needs some seasoning at the G-League level to improve his scoring instincts, but I arguably came away most impressed with Carter Bryant this weekend. Many NBA teams could still use a versatile, athletic, and intelligent wing-forward willing to play a role without any fuss, and that’s where Bryant will start. However, given his rare athletic profile, that’s the floor for him, with several exciting outcomes abound for a player of his drive and talent.
KJ Lewis
I had KJ Lewis in my preseason first round Ouija Board over the summer, and if I remember correctly, he was one of my highest-ranked returners. Lewis’s blend of athleticism, perimeter defense, and shooting was enough to draw me in during his freshman campaign and garner excitement for what he could do this year. Although he’s carved out a more prominent role off the bench, a few things have gone haywire for Lewis to stall his ascent toward the NBA.
The first bump in the road is his shooting. Lewis was pretty inefficient from the field in both contests, unable to get it going without a high volume of shots. That’s concerning, given he won’t have the luxury of chucking to that level at the next level. Lewis also played a bit looser than I would’ve liked, although that’s a byproduct of his energy to both ends.
That energy is what keeps me invested in his play. Lewis flew all over the court on defense, stifling what Akron and Oregon’s guards wanted to do at every turn. He never gave up on plays, was unphased when switched onto bigger players, and forced a handful of turnovers. In transition, Lewis was fearless toward the rim, using his great north-south speed to get down the floor and put pressure on the rim.
If Lewis were shooting anywhere close to league-average from deep, he’d still be in my top 60. He’s that good and impactful as a defender and connector, although he could also benefit from a tighter handle. It’s a complex case for Lewis to get drafted this year based on his offensive struggles. Still, a resurgent season at this volume from deep would quickly give him the evidence he needs to rise on draft boards and be a serious second-round candidate as soon as next season.
Henri Veesar
Henri Veesar has spent a few years on campus for Arizona already, slowly but surely improving behind the scenes. Due to an untimely injury to Motiejus Krivas, he had the chance to emerge from his slumber and wreak havoc against unwitting foes this year. If you asked me a year ago, I’d have told you that I wanted to see Krivas live; now, after watching what Veesar can do up close, the opposite is true, as I want to see more of Veesar in the future.
Let’s start with his size: Henri Veesar is both a large man and a fluid mover. That’s a notable skill for a big, as he glided around warmups and rolled to the rim all weekend. Against a smaller Akron team, Veesar feasted, slamming down numerous dunks and being a menace on the boards. He didn’t have as outsized of an impact against a bigger Oregon roster, but he still stayed active on the defensive end and played an essential role for the team.
I look forward to what Veesar can do in a bigger role in the future for the Wildcats, as there’s a lot to like about his game. His shooting stroke didn’t fall, but it could be a swing skill for him. He didn’t swat any shots but did dissuade some would-be attackers. So far, most of Veesar’s appeal is theoretical, but he has a great frame to build around and enough movement skills for me to keep him in mind while starting my 2026 NBA Draft board.
Anthony Dell’Orso
Like many others, I was a big fan of Anthony Dell’Orso when he entered the portal last season. Dell’Orso’s sell was simple: a big guard with great shooting chops and some real downhill juice. He was a sophomore star for Campbell last season and left the comforts of his stardom to play a smaller role for the Wildcats. While he’s flown under Arizona's roster this year, I think Dell’Orso could be in line for a future bump if the stars align.
There are some immediate positives for Dell’Orso when you see him in person. He’s great-sized for a guard but without any expected slowness in his game. I’d instead describe it as methodical, as Dell’Orso never got sped up by any defender. He’s a savvy ball-handler and passer, has a crisp shooting stroke, and was one of Arizona's more consistent offensive players all weekend.
Dell’Orso could play better perimeter defense, but he doesn’t have enough juice to be a consistent rim threat. However, I view him more as a connective wing anyway. Pending a major breakout in March and April, I don’t think Dell’Orso has an NBA case this season. Still, he could step into a more consistent role next year at Arizona and establish himself as a veteran leader and floor general for a team that will once again reload with pro talent.
#5 Oregon Ducks
Jackson Shelstad
It’s been a successful season overall for the Oregon Ducks, who’ve followed up their minor March Madness noise last season with another tremendous all-around season. That hasn’t equaled much professional attention for Jackson Shelstad, who looked like a freshman phenom a year prior. However, none of that is his fault, nor is it due to any difference in his play.
I’m still in on Shelstad as a potential future NBA player, and it’s frankly a failure of the constant draft cycle that he’s fallen out of favor. While undersized, the Shelstad who took the court on Friday and Sunday is the exact type of guard who can succeed in the NBA. He wouldn’t be the first undersized guard to make it to the league, and most of the skills he brings would give him a solid shot at sticking.
Shelstad is a supremely confident scorer, capable of getting downhill with his scalding handle and livewire setups. He masterfully manipulated the screens he received, baited both defenses into overcommitting, and then picked them apart at will. It was an impressive offensive performance as any player I saw this weekend, especially with Shelstad’s marksmanship from beyond the arc.
He’ll need to overcome his height, but Shelstad is already an elite shooter, passer, and ball handler at the college level. Add a real commitment to defense and a willingness to dive on the floor for loose balls, and you will have a clear winning player. It may not come this year, especially due to his unfairly depressed draft stock, but there will come a time in the future when Jackson Shelstad will leave a multitude of GMs, coaches, and fans confused about how they didn’t see his NBA career coming from a mile away.
Kwame Evans Jr.
Like several No Ceilings team members, I was high on Kwame Evans Jr. heading into this season. He was a first round player on my preseason Ouija Board, making his slow, thudding descent much more of a bummer. Part of his falloff comes from the veterans that Dana Altman brought to Eugene in the offseason. Still, Evans Jr. hasn’t looked like the same athletic defensive playmaker that garnered draft attention last season.
In person, I can still see the signs that made me a believer in Evans Jr. in the first place. He was active on the boards all weekend, worming his way into easy shots at the basket and finishing them easily. Evans Jr. also moved with the litheness of a player half his size, which is what I expected from him this and last season due to his impressive all-around athleticism.
Still, Evans Jr. played way too passively and never imposed his will on either end like I wanted him to. It’s concerning that the defensive aptitude he showed last year also appears to have stagnated, as he wasn’t walling off the basket nor sticking tightly with perimeter players. It’ll be another season at best for Evans Jr. before the NBA will come calling, and though it’s still possible, it won’t come without a marked improvement in key areas for him.
Nate Bittle
It’s a fun wrinkle for Nate Bittle that, after a steady climb up Oregon’s pecking order and despite an injured year last year, his draft stock is seeing its sharpest increase. The sell for Bittle comes from his gargantuan size and newfound shooting touch. There are never too many spots for seven-footers who can hit three-pointers, which could be great news for Bittle if he can prove he’s a consistent shooter.
The size, though, is what stands out first for Bittle. I mean that both positively and negatively, as he towered over and dominated Liberty before playing like a smaller and flimsier player against Arizona. The physical nature of the Round of 32 game flustered Bittle for most of the night. He fumbled passes, short-armed shots, and was a net negative for most of the night until a solid close to the game.
It may do Bittle some good to return to Eugene if he can get a redshirt season. He’ll be able to prove his shooting flashes are real, get stronger in the paint, and take on another leading role for the Ducks. While there were some murmurs around him in the past weeks, nothing I saw from Bittle screams that he’s close to a 2025 draft prospect, even with a murkier bottom to the current draft class.
TJ Bamba
Like several other players this weekend, it was a full-circle moment to watch TJ Bamba play for the Ducks in a scouting context. I’d watched Bamba two years ago in March when he had a career night for the Cougars against the Huskies in Seattle. While his career has taken some turns since that transcendent night, I still see some shades of that player in him.
It’s been a down year for Bamba shooting the basketball, as his efficiency inside and outside of the rim has hurt his overall impact. However, he’s grown as a passer, showing a greater knack for spreading the ball to his teammates. Bamba has also become a better defender on the perimeter, forcing steals at a rate that does make it look repeatable at the next level.
It’s explosions like the one he had at Washington State or plays like his driving poster against Arizona that make me still hold out hope for TJ Bamba. He’ll need to have a great overseas career or an amazing NBA summer to make a roster this time next year, but of all the other players on Oregon, I feel the most encouraged and hopeful about Bamba’s chances to one day make an NBA roster.
#5 Memphis Tigers
PJ Haggerty
After one of the country's more productive and under-the-radar freshman seasons last season, PJ Haggerty did what many college stars do: hit the portal. Haggerty stayed in the AAC and headed to play for Penny Hardaway with excellent results. Haggerty helped Memphis to an AAC title, won AAC Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American. Other than winning the Mega Millions, there’s not much better this year could’ve gone for Haggerty.
But how will he fair at the next level? It’s a fair question, especially after one of his tougher games of the season. Haggerty looked the part physically, standing a bit taller than most Colorado State guards and getting into the lane easily. He also showed some shake to get to the spots he wanted while setting up him and his teammates for good looks throughout the game.
Sadly, Haggerty had difficulty cashing those looks, which is the crux of his issues as a prospect. It’s hard to buy him as a reliable shooter, given that he has a career with a 33.2% percentage from deep. Haggerty couldn’t get enough lift on his jumpers as the game went on, including his mid-range money maker. He also gave up the ball a bit too often as Memphis pressed to stay in the game, but that can be blamed on the team’s dearth of ball handlers.
Haggerty didn’t particularly move me as a draft prospect in his lone game. I had him as a fringe second-round pick coming into the day, and he’ll stay there for me. There’s a lot to like from him on offense, but he isn’t quite big enough to be a combo guard nor skilled enough to play point at the next level. That leaves him as a future flier for the NBA and a supremely skilled college guard who should have sustained success at Memphis next season.
Dain Dainja
The funky nature of the portal has created opportunities for players to carve legacies that legends of the past never had. Let’s take Dain Dainja, for example: after a quiet first season at Baylor, Dainja transferred to Illinois and found a home as a gadget big for one of the better Fighting Illini teams in recent memory. Then, as their roster shifted, Dainja joined up with the mercenary monolith of Memphis basketball under Hardaway and played a major role in their run to this year’s AAC title.
It was a breakout season for Dainja, who played the most minutes per game of his career for a team that needed a sturdy big man. Memphis needed every ounce of beef that they got from Dainja in this game, and despite the loss, he delivered as best as he could. He led the team in scoring, dominated the shorter Rams interior, and played with a constant extra gear to his game. It was, frankly, a wake-up call for me in the first game of the day.
Games like this from players like Dainja offer the clearest picture of what he could do at the next level. Dainja can’t shoot outside nor reliably guard the rim, but he can outwork anyone and keep an offense humming on a given night. That’s enough for me to move him into my top 150 and elevate him toward a potential senior camp invite. With his motor, finishing, and rebounding, there’s enough of a successful bench profile in Dainja’s game to come out of a dominant game like this and see how he could scale his game down to make it to the next level.
#13 Grand Canyon Antelopes
Tyon Grant-Foster
The second time’s the charm for me this season, as I ventured out to Seattle University a few weeks ago hoping to catch Tyon Grant-Foster in person. The injury gods were against me then; although the game was great, they couldn’t stop me twice in a row. After a rousing return to the Lopes for the WAC Tournament, I had the chance to watch a player who was in my top 60 just last season before he returned to college.
As I noted before, it hasn’t been the most straightforward second act for the star version of Grant-Foster. He’s dealt with injuries all year but came out strong in his final game of the season. Grant-Foster looked like an NBA athlete, getting easily to the basket and earning fourteen trips to the line while driving. He also elevated well for his jumpers from the wing, even though his form is still a bit funky for my tastes.
With four turnovers and shaky wing defense, Grant-Foster’s flaws were just as clear to see as his strengths. That may not matter as much in a draft class that has more questions the further down the board one gets, but it doesn’t work in Grant-Foster’s favor that he’s a finished product already, given his age.
Overall, what I saw from Grant-Foster was what I expected to see. He was the leading scorer on his team, showed off some versatile offensive skills, made some confusing decisions while forcing the issue, and ultimately looked like a player who peaked last season. He still could work his way into the NBA, but that’ll come from a dominant summer league performance or an extended overseas climb instead of the potential second-round selection he could’ve been last year.
JaKobe Coles
I was a big fan of JaKobe Coles’s game when I watched him a few weeks ago, as he was the straw that stirred the muddled Grand Canyon drink in a slugfest game. Coles’s size, fluidity, and skillset were on full display, as he was the best player on the floor despite some early foul troubles. The matchup with Maryland offered Coles one of his strongest challenges this season, as a day against Derik Queen and Julian Reese is not for the faint of heart.
Coles was not playing faint, but he struggled in his matchup. Both Queen and Reese were able to disrupt the usually physical Coles into some brutal misses and stonewalled attempts, which is a bummer to watch. While Coles did his best to control the glass on his end and swat two shots, he coughed up the ball twice and couldn’t right the ship for Grand Canyon.
In the vein of Dain Dainja and Julian Reese, JaKobe Coles must be near-perfect in his role to have a shot at the NBA. He has better touch and driving capabilities than both forwards but doesn’t bring the same defensive talents, so his future is a similarly mixed bag. While I’d slot Coles below Reese and Dainja, he likely has a fruitful professional career ahead of him, whether in the States or for a talented overseas squad.
#13 Akron Zips
Nate Johnson
It’s been a steady rise for Nate Johnson, as he’s finally blossomed in his third season with the Zips. Johnson’s taken a big leap this year as an on-ball creator for Akron due to improvements in his passing numbers and his ability to get easy points at the line. He’s also shown the grit necessary to play a major role in March with his late game-winner for the Zips in their massive comeback against Miami (OH) in the MAC championship game.
It’s hard to see a clear NBA case for Johnson at this juncture. Johnson was hounded all night by the Arizona guards and wings, leading to a rough shooting performance that sunk any chance of an Akron upset. He didn’t look big or fast enough to get around or stay with NBA athletes, which, combined with his lack of outside shooting, worried me more than I expected.
Still, Johnson was among many Akron Zips who decided to run it back for next year. With improved shooting and efficiency as a lead guard, I’d be willing to give Johnson another look for the 2026 draft class. Still, he may find his best future pro prospects at the G-League level or overseas with a team that needs a gritty guard who can drive at will and get an easy bucket.
Amani Lyles
File Amani Lyles in deep sleeper territory, as he’s neither a flashy small-conference player primed for the portal nor a young stud who has dominated a mid-major from the jump. Lyles has steadily improved for the Zips, playing off the bench for the team and providing Akron with a springy, energetic mix on both ends.
Lyles came off the bench for the Zips, but he was one of the better players in the team's blowout. He canned a shot from deep, got involved in loose balls on the floor, and swatted a pair of shots against a more athletic team. There were still some finishing concerns that I’d like to see ironed out, alongside a lack of other NBA skills, but Lyles has time to develop those.
There will need to be a similar meteoric rise for Lyles next year as it would be for Nate Johnson to make it to the NBA, but it’s not impossible. There’s always room for energetic wings who can play bigger than their size and impact the game in a handful of ways. For Lyles to be that, however, he’ll have to start having a more profound impact and not just flashing that type of talent a few tantalizing times a game.
#12 Liberty Flames
Taelon Peter
Liberty isn’t a typical place where one looks for NBA talent, but they’ve been a powerhouse program under Ritchie McKay. This year is no different, as the team fought to a CUSA title behind an egalitarian offense that bombed freely from deep. Choosing a clearcut potential pro prospect with so many talented shooters is hard, but Taelon Peter is a solid bet.
However, I wouldn’t have known it from this game, as Peter had as flat of a contest as the rest of the Liberty roster. He picked up two early fouls that kept him from seeing the floor despite the blowout and never worked into his shooting rhythm. He was a bit small for his wing position, and he did get pushed around a bit, but there were also some shifty moments to his game.
Peter’s NBA future will have to come from his shooting touch, as no other part of his game looks remotely NBA-level at this juncture. There’s always room for a deadeye shooter in the NBA, however, and if Peter can find a spot to showcase his offensive specialties further, he could one day attract the attention of a front office eager to juice their offense.
Owen Aquino
It’s not all just fireworks and excitement for the Liberty Flames; they have some solid beef in the middle to maintain their team formula. The biggest man for them in the middle is Owen Aquino, who started every game this year and led the team in blocks while ranking second in rebounds per game.
Although he hasn’t popped on many deep dive queries in my research this year, I agree with Maxwell’s NCAA guide conclusion that Aquino could be in for a boost next season. Aquino had a stinky offensive game against a bigger frontcourt for Oregon but held his own on defense on the other side of the court. He has enough speed and size to frustrate guards who try to test him at the rim, too.
For Aquino to have a stellar senior year that puts him on draft boards, he’ll have to dominate the boards more, become a better defender overall, and show some sort of standout offensive skill. That’s not impossible, but given his shorter stature, it will be an uphill battle despite his fun and rugged style of play.
very detailed write up!!!