March Madness is set to get underway on Thursday, giving NBA prospects a national spotlight to increase their draft stock.
As has become a new trend on the path to NBA Draft eligibility, some of the top 2024 prospects will not participate in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, four of the top five players on The Sporting News' Big Board are either playing overseas or with the G League Ignite.
But that doesn't mean there aren't NBA-caliber players worth watching closely during March Madness.
As you settle in to watch every dribble of the NCAA Tournament, get familiar with some of the best future NBA prospects to watch below.
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Ranking 10 best NBA Draft prospects in March Madness
1. Cody Williams, Colorado
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-8, 190 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 6
Williams is an atypical "number one" NBA Draft prospect to watch in March Madness. He hasn't started or closed games recently for Colorado. He didn't score double figures in any of the Buffaloes' three Pac-12 Tournament games.
And yet, he projects to be a terrific NBA prospect just like his brother, Thunder rising star Jalen Williams.
Williams is the type of long, versatile, athletic wing that every team is looking for in today's NBA. He is a high-energy forward who can defend multiple positions and chase rebounds. He isn't a shooter yet, and he lacks offensive assertiveness at times because of that.
Williams is stuck in a limited role because of the upperclassmen ahead of him. If he gets a chance to shine, you'll see why he's a projected top-10 pick.
2. Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-3, 176 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 7
Like Williams, Dillingham is another top NBA Draft prospect who comes off the bench. But the Kentucky freshman has the ultimate green light on offense and makes a loud impact for the Wildcats.
Dillingham has a case as the best pure scorer in this draft class. He is averaging 26.5 points and 6.7 assists per 40 minutes, which is a better indication of his potential given he only plays 23.2 minutes per game.
Dillingham is a blur with the ball in his hands and changes pace quickly with an elite handle. He's a gifted shot creator, confident shooter and tough-shot maker. His size is a concern on the defensive end, but his offensive tools are so developed that he could help any team that needs a microwave scorer off the bench.
3. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-3, 187 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 4
Believe it or not, each of the top three NBA Draft prospects competing in March Madness all come off the bench. Sheppard has a case as Kentucky's most important player, though.
Sheppard is the biggest riser on draft boards since the start of the season. The freshman guard has proved to be one of the most reliable two-way players in the country.
Sheppard's size (6-3, 187 pounds) and athleticism may not jump off the page, but he's a lights-out shooter, connective playmaker and hard-nosed defender who always makes the right play. The 19-year-old is averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 52.5 percent from 3 on 141 attempts. Defensively, his 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game are hard to fathom for a player of his stature.
Sheppard is the type of winner who could morph into any role on any roster.
4. Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-5, 195 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 11
Finally, a starter.
Walter is Baylor's leading scorer averaging 14.2 points per game. He is a pure bucket-getter who has a knack for knocking down difficult shots. The 6-5 shooting guard has a quick release and is confident shooting off the catch even when defenders are flying at him. His shot looks smooth off of movement and off of screens. He'll only become more dangerous as a scorer when he gets more comfortable creating his own shot off the dribble.
Walter is shooting under 40 percent from the field and just 35.3 percent from 3, though. Consistency will be key if he is going to reach his ceiling as an athletic wing prospect.
MORE: Ranking top 60 NBA Draft prospects ahead of March Madness
5. Stephon Castle, UConn
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-6, 215 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 13
Castle is one of the lead guards for a UConn team that has its sights set on back-to-back national championships.
The 19-year-old is big for his position, listed at 6-6 and 215 pounds. He is a disruptive on-ball defender who uses his length, active hands, footspeed and instincts to shut down opposing backcourts. Castle is a sound playmaker who plays at his own pace. He has no trouble getting to the rim and utilizes his size to finish around the basket.
Castle's biggest swing skill is his jump shot. He lacks confidence as a shooter, even passing up open looks sometimes. He is shooting 28.1 percent from 3 this season with just 16 makes on 57 attempts.
If Castle can show consistent improvement there, he could have a case as the best guard in this class.
6. Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Age: 22, Senior
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-6, 213 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 8
Knecht is the most NBA-ready prospect in this draft class, due in part to being a 22-year-old senior. His path to becoming the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year is remarkable.
Knecht began his college career at a JuCo in Colorado. After two seasons, he transferred to Northern Colorado, where he became a 20-point-per-game scorer during his second year. With his COVID-eligibility year available, Knecht committed to Tennessee and became the most impactful transfer portal player in the country.
The 6-6 forward is a pure three-level scorer. He shoots the ball with unwavering confidence and heats up in a hurry. There isn't a shot he doesn't like, but there also isn't a shot he can't make. Knecht can score with or without the ball in his hands. He can create his own shot, score at the rim or run off screens.
NBA teams looking to win now will see a potential immediate contributor in Knecht.
7. Jared McCain, Duke
Age: 20, Freshman
Position: Guard
Height and weight: 6-3, 197 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 16
McCain is a combo guard who plays with poise and confidence beyond his age.
The Duke freshman is a smooth shooter, connective playmaker and intelligent defender. McCain doesn't force offense, knowing when to hunt his own shot or make an extra pass to set up a teammate. He's a pesky defender and runs the lane hard in transition.
Most importantly for his NBA prospect profile, McCain knocked down nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers this season, proving to be a reliable perimeter threat.
8. Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Age: 20, Sophomore
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 7-0, 248 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 19
It's easy to see how Filipowski projects as an NBA player. The 7-footer is a versatile stretch-four who is physical in the paint but can shoot it from the perimeter.
Filipowski plays with an attitude, crashing the glass for rebounds and protecting the rim with active hands. He has a fantastic shooting touch for a big man, capable of facing up or scoring with his back to the basket. Filipowski is a dangerous pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop threat, and he has even shown some encouraging passing skills in two years at Duke.
He has all the skills an NBA team is looking for in a power forward or "small-ball" five.
9. Donovan Clingan, UConn
Age: 20, Sophomore
Position: Center
Height and weight: 7-2, 280 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 14
Clingan has excelled in his role as UConn's starting center as a sophomore after backing up Adama Sanogo his entire freshman year.
The 7-2 big man is an immovable force in the paint. Clingan is the Huskies' defensive anchor, averaging 2.3 blocks per game. With a reported 7-7 wingspan and 9-6 (!) standing reach, it's easy to see how the 20-year-old protects the rim at a high level.
He's a workhorse on the glass and finishes everything in the paint. He's a lob threat any time he's around the basket, be it as a roll-man or as a safety valve for his guards in the dunker's spot.
He won't wow you with fancy footwork or an array of post moves, but Clingan is a coordinated 7-footer who moves well enough to hold his own at the next level.
10. Johnny Furphy, Kansas
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: Forward
Height and weight: 6-9, 202 lbs.
Mock Draft projection: No. 20
Furphy's draft stock ascended when he got comfortable during Big 12 play. After averaging 5.7 points through his first 15 games, Furphy started to find his groove, averaging 13.6 points and 7.3 rebounds over 12 games from mid-January through February.
Furphy has gone ice cold since then, but Kansas will need his contributions in the NCAA Tournament as it battles injuries to key players.
At 6-9, the freshman wing is a sharpshooter with NBA size. He's constantly moving without the ball, relocating to find soft spots in the defense for open 3s or cutting layups. He's mostly a catch-and-shoot threat at this stage of his development, but he hasn't been asked to create much with the ball in his hands on this veteran Jayhawks team.
He'll need to fill out his frame to reach his 3-and-D potential, but Furphy's size and shooting should translate to the NBA someday.
