NBA Mock Draft: Ranking 11 best draft prospects in NCAA’s Sweet 16

9. Marcus Sasser, Houston

If the Houston Cougars end up winning the NCAA Tournament this season, Marcus Sasser will have played a big role in that. And his projection heading into the 2023 NBA Draft, at least in my opinion, remains to be one of the most interesting. There’s an argument to be made that if he was two inches taller, Sasser would be a surefire first-round pick, and possibly even a lottery selection.

But that’s another conversation for another day. Sasser is a 6-foot-2 offensive microwave that should get a shot in the NBA. Whether he’s drafted in the first or second round remains to be seen, but he’s a hooper to the level where his value can’t entirely be measured by the stat sheets or raw figures.

During his senior season at Houston, Sasser has averaged 17 points on 44 percent shooting from the field overall. There’s an argument to be made that he’s actually had a down season compared to what he put up last season. But, at least in my opinion, that should be a positive for his book. He at least has shown some overall consistency over his last two seasons in college basketball.