Memphis Grizzlies Roundtable: 4 favorite prospects to watch in the NCAA tournament.

Michael Porter Jr.

There is a very real possibility, however small,  that we won’t get to see Michael Porter Jr. in the NCAA tournament. After a lackluster loss to a mediocre Georgia team, Missouri played with fire when it comes to the selection committee.

Fortunately, Missouri should still make the tournament. And that is great since everyone really wants to see Porter play some real basketball.

Porter has missed nearly the entire season with a back injury. It’s only natural that people want to see a future top-5 talent play before they make any real judgments about him.

If everyone is looking to find the next Stephen Curry, they are also looking for the next Kevin Durant. Porter’s 6’10 frame along with his smooth shooting touch and scoring ability only heighten the Durant comparison. The back injury caused many people to cool off of him, but there was a time when people thought of him as potentially the first pick in the draft.

For me personally, he is probably the third prospect that I’d want the Grizzlies to get behind DeAndre Ayton and Trae Young. He may just have the highest ceiling in the draft. However, the back injury may frighten people off, especially the medical ward that is the Memphis Grizzlies.

But if he kills it in tournament play, he may just rise back to the top of everyone’s board. Make it happen, NCAA Selection Committee.–Nathan Chester @BigNateChester

Porter returned for the SEC tournament, which you would assume makes him good to go for the NCAA tournament, barring any setbacks. He had high hopes coming into the season, and a lot of fans should be looking forward to seeing him play. The Missouri Tigers will be in the tournament, and it is very possible they’re in the 7-8 seed range. A healthy Michael Porter could make them a trendy upset pick in many brackets.

This Missouri Tigers team has played pretty well without him as they are a lock to make the NCAA tournament. Who knows how far they can go if he plays even 20-25 minutes for them. It’ll be interesting to see how he fits in after being out for so long.

Maybe some expectations are too high for him, but this guy is special. If he can play solid minutes, he is gonna have a big impact on this team. Draft scouts will all be tuning in to see how he plays. He had the potential to be the number one pick, but he has dropped out of the top five in many mock drafts due to his injury. He may not be able to play big minutes, but any playing time he can give will have a positive impact for the Tigers.–Chris Kern @chriskern11