The first weekend of March Madness has already passed us by and a handful of upsets have eliminated a chunk of potential lottery picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Prior to the first two rounds, I ranked the 10 best NBA prospects competing in the NCAA Tournament. With teams like Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana and Duke all being eliminated in the first weekend, only four of those 10 prospects are still standing going into the Sweet 16 and Elite 8.
That means there are six slots to be filled, giving other NBA hopefuls an opportunity to increase their draft stock with a brighter spotlight as March Madness rolls on.
Take a look at the 10 best prospects who will be competing in the Sweet 16 this week.
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Top 10 2023 NBA Draft prospects in the Sweet 16
1. Brandon Miller, Alabama
Age: 20, Freshman
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-9, 200 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 3
Miller is the consensus best prospect in college basketball but his start to the NCAA Tournament was far from what would be expected from the potential No. 2 pick.
Miller went scoreless — yes, zero points — in the Crimson Tide's blowout win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Round of 64. It was revealed after the game that he was dealing with a nagging groin injury from the SEC Championship game, limiting him to just 19 minutes in his March Madness debut.
Miller didn't go through live practice prior to Alabama's Round of 32 showdown with Maryland, but the star freshman still bounced back in a big way.
While he didn't score with his typical efficiency (shooting 5-for-17 from the field), Miller still finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and one block in a decisive win. Plays like this sequence below showed why Miller is projected to be a two-way threat at the next level.
THIS SEQUENCE FROM BRANDON MILLER 😱#MarchMadness @AlabamaMBB pic.twitter.com/NhUxH5VQMH
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2023
MORE: Brandon Miller scouting report: Strengths, weaknesses
With five days off in between games, expect Miller to look more like himself as he tries to lead Alabama to the Final Four.
2. Jarace Walker, Houston
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-8, 240 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 5
Over Houston's first two games, Walker did everything that makes him a potential top-five pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Against Northern Kentucky, Walker used his size and physicality to exploit mismatches inside, scoring in the paint at will. He scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, muscling defenders for position on the block for easy dunks or flashing his surprisingly soft touch on push shots in the paint.
Against Auburn, Walker proved how he could impact a game without scoring (as he has done all season). The freshman forward was a difference-maker on the glass and on the defensive end, registering 10 rebounds and six blocks to help the Cougars advance to the Sweet 16.
He evaporated shots at the basket, using his defensive instincts, agility and length to come out of nowhere to protect the rim on multiple occasions.
His versatility (and role adaptability) is what makes the 6-8, 240-pound 19-year-old such an intriguing NBA prospect.
3. Anthony Black, Arkansas
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-7, 198 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 10
It was a fairly quiet opening weekend for Black despite Arkansas pulling off an upset win over No. 1 seed Kansas in the Round of 32. The potential top-10 pick brought it on the defensive end but he didn't have much to show on the offensive end.
Starting with the positives, Black did all the things on defense that make him one of the best prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft class. He was suffocating on the ball, navigating screens and using his size and length to disrupt his matchup and come up with deflections, steals and blocks. His individual defense played a huge role in Arkansas holding projected lottery pick Gradey Dick to just seven points in a win over the Jayhawks.
As for Black's offense, he left much to be desired. The freshman guard had the same number of assists (3) as turnovers in his first two games. He shot 5-for-18 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts.
He'll get another chance to show his typically impactful playmaking skills in the Sweet 16.
4. Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Age: 18, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-5, 185 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 8
Smith did not help his draft stock during the opening weekend of March Madness. The freshman guard struggled to find a rhythm with his jumper, he didn't get many looks at the rim and his floater wasn't falling.
Against Illinois, he forced some bad shots to try and shoot himself out of a funk. Against Kansas, he only logged 16 minutes because he wasn't adding anything on offense and the Razorbacks had better options on defense.
Smith finished with six points on 2-of-14 shooting from the field over his first two NCAA Tournament games. He also only added one rebound and one assist to his totals, failing to make an impact in any area of the game.
It was far from the potentially resume-boosting performance I expected from Smith, but he'll get another life this weekend with upperclassmen guards Ricky Council IV and Devonte Davis carrying Arkansas to the Sweet 16.
5. Colby Jones, Xavier
Age: 20, Junior
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-6, 205 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 24
What Jones did for Xavier in the opening weekend of March Madness is exactly what he'll do for an NBA team at the next level — make winning plays in any way possible.
He can defend multiple positions at a high level, he can facilitate an offense as a playmaker, he can play off the ball as a scorer and he's an above-average rebounder at his position.
Jones showed off his jack-of-all-trades skillset against Pittsburgh in the Round of 32, going for a near-triple-double of 10 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Most importantly for his draft stock, he went 2-for-3 from 3 to prove he can keep defenders honest from range.
Jones is the type of plug-and-play prospect that any team in the mid-to-late first round should be targeting as a potential rotation player.
6. Jordan Hawkins, UConn
Age: 20, Sophomore
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-5, 195 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 25
Hawkins is a pure bucket-getter who projects as a bench scorer at the next level. The sophomore guard got out to a slow start to the tournament, missing his first six shot attempts in the first round against Iona. After entering halftime with zero points, he proved why he's considered to be a microwave-scoring prospect.
Hawkins buried his first two 3s of the second half, one being an and-one. That appeared to help him find a rhythm going into UConn's Round of 32 matchup against Saint Mary's, where he shot 4-for-5 from 3.
Over his first two games, Hawkins converted 7 of his 12 3-point attempts (58.3%).
7. Marcus Sasser, Houston
Age: 22, Senior
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-2, 195 pounds
Mock Draft projection: No. 29
Houston was unsure if Sasser would even be able to suit up in its first March Madness game due to a groin injury. The senior guard tried to play through the pain but never stepped foot on the floor after halftime against Northern Kentucky.
Perhaps a precautious decision, Sasser looked much more like the All-American we saw all season in the Round of 32 against Auburn. He went for 22 points on 14 shots, knocking down five 3s to lead the Cougars' offense.
Sasser had at least a portion of his burst and speed back, showing off his tough-shot-making prowess and competing on the defensive end to lead Houston to the Sweet 16.
As his groin continues to heal, Sasser will have the chance to prove he's worthy of a first-round pick with a deep tournament run.
8. Noah Clowney, Alabama
Age: 18, Freshman
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-10, 210 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: Fringe first-rounder; Potential return to school
Foul trouble limited Clowney to just nine minutes in Alabama's Round of 64 win over Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. In the Round of 32 against Maryland, his impact was only felt on the defensive end and on the glass.
Normally an inside-out offensive threat, Clowney still projects as a promising NBA Draft prospect. He can stretch the floor as a shooter, he's coordinated enough to defend in space for a big but he also has the size and length to protect the rim.
Still only 18 years old, the question is: will he declare for the draft or return to school? How the rest of the NCAA Tournament shakes out for Clowney could make a big difference in that decision.
9. Julian Strawther, Gonzaga
Age: 20, Junior
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-7, 205 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: Fringe first-rounder
It was a strong opening week of March Madness for Strawther, who could work his way into first-round consideration with a convincing NCAA Tournament run.
The junior forward was the best player on the floor in Gonzaga's Round of 64 win over Grand Canyon, putting up 28 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and one steal. He was stroking it from 3 and displayed the type of shot-creating potential that will certainly intrigue NBA talent evaluators as a 6-7 forward.
He has the size and lateral quickness to be a versatile defender, he crashes the glass with energy and his improved 3-point shot (converting a career-best 42.3 percent this season) has only helped his draft stock.
Strawther is a rising name to watch if Gonzaga makes a run.
10. Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Age: 22, Senior
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-7, 225 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: Second-round pick
Jaquez should be a familiar name at this point. The senior forward has been an impactful player for UCLA for years now, helping lead the Bruins to the Final Four two seasons ago.
Coming off of the best year of his career, earning Pac-12 Player of the Year, Jaquez is looking to get UCLA back to the National Championship.
He showed out over the Bruins' first two March Madness wins, going for 17 and 24 points, respectively. He's a three-level scorer who invites physical play on both ends of the floor. He uses his size to his advantage on post-ups and can finish through contact on drives. He works relentlessly on defense, where his effort and IQ make up for his athletic limitations.
Jaquez is more of a college star than a pro but he'll get a look in the NBA because of his consistent success at UCLA.
