2019 NBA Draft: 20 prospects to watch during the NCAA Tournament

Zion Williamson, Forward, Duke (#1 Ranked Prospect)/RJ Barrett, Forward, Duke (#2 Ranked Prospect)/Cam Reddish, Forward, Duke (#4 Ranked Prospect)

It is impossible to have watched any college basketball without hearing about Zion Williamson. He is one of the most unique players of all time. His incredible size mixed with his outrageous athleticism doesn’t seem possible. Williamson is listed at 6-foot-7 and 285 lbs, yet he has a 45-inch vertical.

He has played at a Player of the Year caliber all season long despite only being a freshman, and it became evident how important he is to Duke when he missed some time with a knee injury. Zion’s ability to score inside has led to a 69.3% field goal percentage. He is the second-leading scorer for Duke at 22.1 points per game.

He is the clear-favorite for the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and if you have had any chance to watch him, you can understand why. Zion Williamson possesses unique abilities to score, rebound, and pass that many his size lack. It will be interesting to see how he stacks up against bigs in the NBA, but in college, he has dominated.

Zion’s freshman counter-piece, RJ Barrett, is an incredible player and draft prospect as well. Barrett is averaging 22.9 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting. His ability to score will set him apart from other players in this year’s draft. He has a great touch around the rim and a decent outside game. His jumpshot can use some work, but he has all the makings of an elite scorer in the NBA.

He has great length at 6-foot-7, and he has great potential to be a great player in the NBA. Most people have him going in the first three picks in this year’s NBA Draft. His biggest issue is outside shooting, but he has everything he needs to be a good outside shooter.

Duke’s third high-level freshman, Cam Reddish, is another top-5 level prospect. Reddish is another wing with great size and a next-level ability to score. He would be a stand-out on any other team in the NCAA, but he can sometimes go unnoticed behind RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson.

Reddish has the ability to light up the scoreboard. He has had eight 20-point games this season and is averaging 13.7 points per game. His efficiency from the field is not great at 35.4 percent, but his three-point shooting percentage is an acceptable 32.7 percent. Reddish has what it takes to be a good scoring wing for an NBA team.

Reddish can struggle being the third option on a team so dependent on its other stars. In the NBA, Reddish will be a nice piece for a team to have to add some shooting and length on the wing.

If you get a chance to watch Duke during the tournament, do it. They have great talent, and most of their starting five will be playing in the NBA next season.