The NBA Draft 2016 is only three months away but they could still be shaped by the current NCAA tournament.
There have been instances of strong tournament performances that influenced their draft order. While most of the teams would rather look at the overall performance or even just the upside, a spectacular March Madness run could elevate a player's status, for better or worse.
One example of this is Derrick Williams, now with the New York Knicks. The Arizona standout went up to no.2 in 2011, challenging Kyrie Irving of Duke who missed the Big Dance due to injury. The Cleveland Cavaliers did not fall for the hype and still went with Irving which proved to be the right choice in the long term.
Not to many are familiar with Domantas Sabonis aside from being the son of legendary Russian/Lithuanian star Arvydas Sabonis. In contrast, Jakob Poeltl was the top center prospect and was slowly rising up the mock drafts. Thus, their meeting in the second round was a must-see.
Sabonis shined for 11th seed Gonzaga as they upset 3rd ranked Utah, and SB Nation had more observations in the Sabonis-Poeltl match-up.
"Poeltl had only five shots and four rebounds because Sabonis wouldn't let him touch the ball," SB Nation's Kevin O' Connor recounted. "He initiated contact whenever possible by pushing Poeltl off his spot and boxing him out. Poeltl looked overmatched, while Sabonis came away looking like a lottery prospect. It was a complete reversal of how scouts and draft experts generally view both players."
Sabonis is energetic but not really athletic. He also does not have a freakish wingspan (6'11 wingspan on 6'10 height is actually kind of short these days). However, he relies on fundamentals and positioning to overcome these shortcomings.
It might be more challenging for him when he takes the leap to the NBA, so it would still be ideal for him to be picked by a team with athletic rim protectors.
However, he can still contribute on offense and he's improving his long-range shooting-a must in today's NBA. "Sabonis' bread-and-butter is in the post, but he'll more likely be used in pick-and-rolls at the next level. He's one of those players able to find openings due to his fantastic footwork and patience."
From ESPN draft guru Chad Ford, his player profile is projected to improve as Gonzaga marches to the Sweet 16.
"His stock has been rising for weeks and I think his strong play this weekend just helped it again. He has a good shot at the late lottery, especially if he continues his tear next week," Ford wrote.