NBA Draft 2019: Prospects To Watch On Each Final Four Team
By Chris Kern
Auburn Tigers
The Auburn Tigers getting to the Final Four are the most surprising of the four teams to get in. They aren’t your typical Cinderella, but they’re a five seed so it is surprising to see them participating in the Final Four. The talent they have has never been in question though.
Chuma Okeke is their top draft prospect, but he will not be able to play in the Final Four. His season came to an end after suffering a torn ACL in their Sweet 16 win against North Carolina. They beat SEC rival Kentucky in the Elite Eight so they have shown they can win without him, but here are two of their players who will be playing that have NBA potential.
Jared Harper
Jared Harper is an exciting young player who is an extremely talented player with a lot of speed. At 5’11” he is undersized, but he has shown the ability to score the ball well from all over the floor. His ability to attack the basket and finish through contact, paired with his ability to score the ball makes him an exciting prospect.
His NBA journey will most likely start in the G-League, but he does have a chance to get drafted if he does end up going pro this year. I would say it’s likely he returns, but if he is able to sneak into the second round then he should take it because it would be tough for him to improve his draft stock any more than he has during this NCAA Tournament.
Bryce Brown
The way Bryce Brown has been able to score the ball during the season makes him an extremely exciting prospect to watch. He has shot the ball very well which has helped him improve his draft stock a lot. The way he has played during the NCAA Tournament is impressive and likely makes him a second round pick now.
There is a chance he does go undrafted, but even if that is the case he shouldn’t worry. His ability to score the ball will make him a highly coveted undrafted free agent if it were to come to that. He will likely spend some time in the G-League where he has a chance to be a star as he continues to develop his game to prepare for the NBA.
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All of these prospects should be guys the Memphis Grizzlies front office needs to get familiar with. De’Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver are two guys who are possible picks in the first round this year, while the rest of them should be considered later in the draft. The good teams build their team later in the draft and these are guys who can help with that.