Players to Watch at the 2018 NCAA March Madness

With the NCAA March Madness tournament starting today, 68 teams will be competing in a single elimination tournament and the last team standing will be crowned as National Champions. For the die-hard college basketball fans, this is equivalent to the NBA playoffs. However, for the more fair weather basketball fans, the NCAA March Madness tournament is always a chance to catch a glimpse of some of the best prospects in the upcoming and future drafts. Here are some of the must-see and most slept on prospects in this years Big Dance.

The Must See NBA Prospects

This list is comprised of some of the best prospects in college basketball. Come June, all these players will hear their names called early in the first round and many will be franchise players in the future.

Deandre Ayton (Freshman, Center, Arizona Wildcats)

After a dominating freshman season at Arizona, Deandre Ayton, a Bahamian who played high school basketball in the States, is at the top of virtually every single mock draft. At 7 foot 1, he is a huge center and his height makes him an exceptional rim protector. His soccer-inspired footwork allows him to stay with guards on the perimeter. But what really makes him a "once-in-a-generation player" is his offensive capabilities. With his size, he is nearly unstoppable in the paint and on the block. But his Shaq-like dominance in the paint is not the end. Ayton can hit mid-range shots and can even stretch it out to the (college) 3-pt line, where he's finding success as he is shooting 36.4%. Add his incredible prowess on the glass and you have the most complete bigman prospect we have ever seen. Ayton will be leading the 4th seeded Arizona Wildcats as they seek the second National Championship in school history.

Marvin Bagley III (Freshman, Forward, Duke Blue Devils)

After reclassifying to attend college a year early, Bagley is another freshman bigman who has had a great season.  If not for Ayton (and Luka Doncic who is playing overseas), Bagley would have been considered the best basketball prospect in the upcoming draft (although there are still arguments to be made for each player). At 6'11, Bagley has consistently been compared to NBA legend Kevin Garnett because of his motor, rebounding and versatility at both ends of the floor. On defense, Bagley has struggled this year to contain physical forwards and centers. But with his size, length and athleticism, scouts still believe he will blossom into a great defender in the NBA. On the offensive end, Bagley is a bonafide star. He has a polished post game, serviceable mid range and 3pt jumper, the handles of a guard and incredible vision for a bigman. What really separates him from other bigmen prospects is his rebounding. He has an instinctive nose for the ball, a motor that never stops and the athleticism to snatch rebounds out of the air on both sides of the ball. Bagley will be the in the bright lights as he tries to power Duke to yet another national championship.

Trae Young (Freshman, Guard, Oklahoma Sooners) 

Chances are you have heard about Trae Young in some capacity over the past few months. The 6'2' point guard has been setting the college basketball world on fire with his ridiculous 3pt shooting and scoring performances. Comparisons to Steph Curry have just added to the hype around Trae Young. And with the incredibly intense March Madness games getting under way, Young will definitely be getting more attention, if that's even possible. On the floor, Young has limitless range and a quick trigger. When he steps across half court, he is a threat to score from anywhere. But its not just his shooting. Young is also deceptively quick. When opposing guards try to prevent him from shooting, Young can blow past them and finish at the rim. In addition, Young's vision and passing is also exceptional. Young is currently leading the nation in points and assists averaging 27.4 points per game along with 8.8 assists. While his Oklahoma may not go far in the tournament, Trae Young will put on a show in every game he plays in.

Collin Sexton (Freshman, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide)

Think De'aaron Fox with a jump shot. Collin Sexton has seen his draft stock shoot up because of his strong play in the SEC tournament. Dubbed "Young Bull", Sexton plays with an intensity and passion that is unrivaled in college basketball. The score first point guard has emerged as the leader of Avery Johnson's Alabama team. He is an explosive athlete and a speed demon on the court. Sexton is virtually unstoppable in transition. Sexton has a decent mid range jumpshot, but can improve his range.  On defense, his intensity and fiery nature makes him a physical and pesky defender. Sexton will definitely be a can't-miss player for all basketball fans during the March Madness tournament and could lead Alabama on a Cinderella run.

Mikal Bridges (Junior, Forward, Villanova Wildcats)

The only upperclassmen on this list, Mikal Bridges is a two way player who could blossom into a star at the next level. With the NBA game transitioning into positionless switching and pace and space, 3 and D players have become a hot commodity. Bridges fits this 3 and D mold perfectly. He is shooting an insane 43.3% from three along with 1.1 blocks per game and 1.6 steals per game. Leading the number 1 seed Villanova on offense and defense, Mikal Bridges is a treat to watch. With a 6'11 wingspan, he is a terror on the defensive end as he can guard position 1 through 4. He is always in the right spot on help defense, demonstrating his high basketball I.Q. With Villanova and Bridges poised for a great tournament, Bridges could see himself drafted in the top 10 on draft night in June.

The Sleepers

We all know that the March Madness tournament is famous for drastically improving the draft stocks of unknown "sleeper" players. This year will be no different and here is a list of some of the biggest sleepers you should pay attention to. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Freshman, Guard, Kentucky Wildcats)

Coming out of high school, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only a 4 star recruit. He had committed to play at Florida, but eventually wound up at Kentucky, the one-and-done powerhouse. Despite not being one of Kentucky's big recruits, Gilgeous-Alexander has solidified himself as the leader of the young Wildcats team and is looking like a one-and-done player himself.  At 6'6, Gilgeous-Alexander is an excellent defender. Against smaller guards he uses his height and incredible 7-foot wingspan to overwhelm them. He can also match up against bigger players and use his length to disrupt the opposing team's offense. On offense, he is the epitome of a floor general. He is a pass first point guard who has excellent vision. He can get to the rim whenever he wants and has a decent 3pt shot. While Kentucky has not had a great season, their hopes for a national championship rests in their leader, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oshae Brissett (Freshman, Forward, Syracuse Orange) 

When Oshae Brisett committed to Syracuse, it was a small footnote in the eyes of many basketball fans. However, he's been a special player for Syracuse, who will play against Arizona State in the First Four. At 6-8, he is slightly undersized for the power forward position. However, he has not let that stop him from becoming one of the best freshman in the whole ACC conference. Despite his smaller size, Brissett is an excellent rebounder. On the offensive end, he has great hands and great touch around the him. While he does not have a great jumpshot, Briseet is an athletic freak and loves to finish above the rim, including this rim-rocking poster against Miami. As a freshman, he is third in scoring for Syracuse at 14.7 points per game. He was recently named to the ACC All-Freshman team. If Syracuse is going to have chance in the tournament, Brissett will have to play well and show the basketball world how good he really is.

Aaron Holiday (Junior, Guard, UCLA Bruins)

With the departure of Lonzo Ball last season, the UCLA Bruins were in need of a point guard to lead them. Aaron Holiday has emerged as the leader of this relatively young UCLA team and has played very well throughout this season. The younger brother of NBA players Justin and Jrue Holiday, Aaron is a crafty combo guard who can put up buckets. He has a sweet stroke and currently averages 20.3 points per game. Holiday has great vision and has developed into a great facilitator. On the defensive end, Holiday is an excellent perimeter defender, who hounds the opposing guards. UCLA is also competing in the First Four and their hopes of a successful run will depend on the play of their floor general Aaron Holiday.

Landry Shamet (Sophomore, Guard, Wichita State Shockers)

Landry Shamet is another guard who could have a huge NCAA tournament and see his draft stock increase dramatically. At 6'4, Shamet has good size for the point guard position. But what he's really known for is his shooting. Similar to Trae Young, Shamet is an excellent 3pt shooter as he is shooting a blistering 45.9% from three over the entire season. He may just be the best pure shooter in all of college basketball. Shamet also has high basketball I.Q., which allows him to run the Wichita State offense without many turnovers or mistakes. With Wichita State ranked as a 4 seed, they will rely on the steady and calm Shamet to bring them deep into the tournament and potentially make a run for the national championship.

Moe Wagner (Junior, Forward, Michigan Wolverines)

Stretch fours. That has been the buzz word of late in the NBA. And one of the best stretch fours in college basketball has been the German Moe Wagner. Like Lauri Markkanen, Mo Speights and Ryan Anderson, Wagner is versatile on the offensive end. He can stretch out the defense with his smooth stroke (Wagner is shooting 39.6% from 3), school opposing bigs in the post and be the roll man in pick and roll sets. He also has a great handle for a 6'11 forward. He has been so good on offense that Michigan runs their whole offense through Wagner. However, Wagner struggles on the glass and on the defensive end. Michigan will be eyeing a lengthy run in the tournament and Wagner will be the player to watch for the Wolverines.