Oklahoma's Buddy Hield drives to the basket against Oregon's Elgin Cook. (Photo : Getty Images/Harry How)
As the NCAA tournament reached the Final Four, some players made the most to boost their draft stock while the players of a fallen giant may get bumped to the second round.
Buddy Hield of Oklahoma may boost his draft stock all the way to the Top 5, a rarity for seniors. He led the Sooners all the way to the Final Four, beating no.1 seed Oregon by scoring a phenomenal 37 points.
He's having one of the best tournament performances since a player named Stephen Curry of Davidson. That player is on the verge of winning back-to-back MVP awards and probably NBA championships.
ESPN draft guru Chad Ford lists him as the player who helped his stock the most.
"I said last week I don't think he slips past the Pelicans or Kings (currently slotted to draft No. 6 and No. 7)," Ford assessed. "However, I'm not sure he will get by the Celtics or Wolves at No. 4 or No. 5 now."
Ford continued: "If that holds, it will be a nice jump of at least four spots in the lottery. A great Final Four could cement that status for him."
After Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, the draft will be a toss-up. Dragan Bender may have an edge at no.3 if the team that picks need size. But between Jamal Murray of Kentucky, Kris Dunn of Providence, Jaylen Brown of California and Hield, it will be a close call. Hield is the only player who still has a chance to improve his standing among those players mentioned.
On the other hand, the Kansas Jayhawks, the favored team to win it all, was upset by Villanova, a team without a star. This loss may take its toll on senior Perry Ellis, who is already the subject of internet memes as he is also teased for looking older than his age.
Wayne Selden, a junior and Chieck Diallo, a freshman are also projected to join the draft but Kansas early exit may exclude them from breaking into the first round. In Draft Express 2016 mock draft, Diallo is at 36th, Selden at 41st and Ellis at 59th.
If these players went all the way as expected, scouts would have seen how they perform at the big stage. Instead, their loss cast doubts on their poise under pressure.
