2017 NBA Draft: The Biggest Winners From The NCAA Tournament’s Opening Weekend

Frank Mason III, Point Guard, Kansas

I know, I know. I chose a guy from a powerhouse school. But even if you watch college basketball regularly, you may miss the 5-foot-11 guard from Petersburg, VA. What Frank Mason may lack in height (by the basketball world’s standards), he makes up for in grit, leadership, and scoring.

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So far, through two games (both blowouts), Mason has dropped 42 points. While the composite score may not impress you, especially since Kansas played a severely overmatched (under-matched? I’m not sure how it all works) UC-Davis team in the first round and Mason scored at will; (22 points, 3-7 from 3) he is 5-foot-11 folks. It doesn’t matter who you’re going up against, dropping 42 points across two games is an impressive feat for a player of his stature.

The main reason I’m placing him here isn’t because of his height though, it’s because of his heart. Mason has been cut to during these games coaching up his teammates, never really getting flustered, and never giving up on any play. If you can’t find him rising up in the air shooting a jump shot, or driving into the lane to pull back at the last second to put in his patented floater, you’ll probably find him on the ground taking a charge or fighting for a loose ball.

He plays with tenacity that you can’t teach, and he’s putting it on full display. While he won’t go first round, I think he’s already done a great job of convincing someone to take a shot on him, even if requires some seasoning in the G-League next season. (They are going to rebrand next season).