6. Colby Jones, Xavier
One of the biggest reasons why Xavier was somewhat of a dark horse to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament was because of the emergence and continued development of Colby Jones. The junior guard has potentially played his way into being a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and he could end up being one of the steals of the draft if he isn’t taken in the top 20.
Jones is an experience 6-foot-6 guard that will bring a level of versatility heading into the NBA. He can probably guard 1-3 and has emerged as a good 3-point shooter this season. He averaged 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game on 51 percent shooting from the field this season for Xavier.
During the first two rounds of the Tournament, Jones hasn’t had a breakout game just yet. Though, if he can offer up a big performance in the Sweet 16 or Eight Eight if the Musketeers make it that far, this is a prospect that could hammer home his worth as a top 20 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Jones isn’t the sexiest of prospects but he is one that gets the job done on a consistent basis.