Welcome, NBA fans, if you are just joining the college basketball party as many do in March. Heavy is here to give you a rundown of the players you need to watch during March Madness. We realize best is a subjective term but for the context of this article we are outlining the ten players in the NCAA tournament with the most NBA potential. Washington's Markelle Fultz, who many consider the best prospect in the 2017 NBA Draft, will not be playing. Washington was dreadful all season, and Fultz has already declared for the draft. UCLA's Lonzo Ball is playing in March and has a chance to overtake Fultz as the top prospect before June's draft. A deep UCLA run while Fultz is absent could only help Ball's stock. Ball continues to stay in the news as his father, Lavar Ball, wants to make sure the entire country knows just how good of an NBA player his son will be. Ball seems content to let his play (and his dad) do the talking. Draft fans were deprived of a late season re-match between Fultz and Ball. Fultz missed his last four college games with a knee injury. Another battle to keep your eye on is how the top swingmen perform. Duke's Jayson Tatum, Kansas' Josh Jackson and Florida State's Jonathan Isaac are battling to be the first one taken off the board in June. All three players will look to lead their team on a deep March run. Overall, you will want to watch the standard teams that have a history of performing well this time of year. Kentucky, UCLA and Duke are the three teams with most coveted prospects. North Carolina, Florida State, Michigan State and Gonzaga are a few more teams to keep your eye on. There are always new players that will emerge during the NCAA tournament which is part of the excitement of March Madness. The following players are listed in order from least to greatest. Click the arrow on the right side of the above image to see Heavy's best college basketball players and NBA prospects. (Getty)
No. 10 G Luke Kennard (Duke)
School: Duke
Position: Guard
Size: 6'6"/202 pounds
Class: Sophomore
Why Watch: College basketball fans are asking NBA fans, "What took you so long?" Kennard is one of the best college players in the country and is generating considerable NBA buzz. With the emergence of Tatum, it is easy to overlook Kennard, but he is the glue that keeps the Duke team together. Tatum has only helped Kennard who has had 20 or more points in four of the last five games. Kennard is one of the best shooters in college basketball shooting at an alarming rate of 44 percent from behind the three-point line. In the NBA, if you can shoot you will always have a role. It is easy to see Kennard being just as deadly a shooter at the next level. Kennard averaged over 20 points a game and could push himself into the late lottery with a deep Duke tourney run. (Getty)
No. 9 F Justin Jackson (North Carolina)
School: North Carolina
Position: Forward
Size: 6'8"/210 pounds
Class: Junior
Why Watch: Yes, a junior made the list. At (gasp) 21 years old, he is "over the hill" in some draft circles but continues to be the go-to guy on one of the best teams in the country. Jackson may slip to a playoff team in the draft but odds are he will not disappoint. While he is not a lights out shooter, Jackson's three-point shooting has drastically improved. He shot 37.7 percent from behind the arc this season up from just 29 percent the previous season. While he does not have the same upside as the top players in the draft, his floor is much higher than some of the younger players ranked ahead of him. Jackson likely fits in as a solid rotation player at the next level. Jackson had 20 or more points in 16 games this season but will need to get stronger as he makes the jump to the NBA. (Getty)
No. 8 G Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
School: Michigan State
Position: Guard
Size: 6'7"/230 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: Bridges does not get as much publicity as some of the other prospects but is firmly in the NBA Lottery discussion. He has flashed his potential throughout the season notching nine games with 20 or more points. Bridges is one of the more well-rounded players in the draft. He averaged over eight rebounds a game during the regular season including eight games with double-digit boards. While not deadly from long-range, Bridges is a solid shooter at 48 percent from the floor and just over 38 percent from the three-point line. It will be difficult for Bridges to add to his resume given the Spartans are a nine seed and would need some magic (i.e. upsetting Kansas) to make an extended run. (Getty)
No. 7 PG De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky)
School: Kentucky
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'3"/187 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: After Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz, Fox is one of the best point guards in the upcoming draft. If Fox had the ability to shoot from long-range, he would be a lock to be a top-five pick. Fox shoots a dismal 24 percent from the three-point line. Overall, he shoots 47 percent from the field and has a knack for attacking the basket with force. Despite his poor shooting, he still sits comfortably in the top 10, because he does so many other things well. Fox is a good defender and a solid passer with room for improvement. Comparisons to John Wall seem too idealistic, but Fox jumps out during any Kentucky game. Fox has been shooting the ball well from outside over the last month of the season. NBA teams hope it is a sign he can improve his shooting after he is drafted. (Getty)
No. 6 SF Jonathan Isaac (Florida State)
School: Florida State
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6'10"/210 pounds
Class: Freshman Why Watch: Isaac has all the potential in the world, but it does not always show. By all accounts, Isaac is a great teammate, but sometimes he can be too passive offensively. He only averages eight shots a game, but is extremely efficient shooting over 50 percent from the field. Early in the season he was drawing comparisons to Kevin Durant which now seems a bit lofty. What he has in common with Durant is his slight frame. Like most college players making the jump, he will need to get stronger at the next level. With players like Duke's Jayson Tatum coming on strong late in the season, Isaac could really help himself with a nice tournament. Florida State has a challenging first round matchup against Florida Gulf Coast and would face Xavier-Maryland in the next round with a win. Assuming he enters the draft, where Isaac gets selected will mostly be based on potential given his body of work in college is incomplete. (Getty)
No. 5 Malik Monk (Kentucky)
School: Kentucky
Position: Shooting Guard
Size: 6'3"/200 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: Monk is one of the most exciting players in college basketball but it comes at a cost. He is streaky, but can heat up in a hurry as his 30-point second half showing against Florida demonstrated. There is a lot to like offensively, but he is an undersized shooting guard at the next level. It is unclear whether his game translates to an NBA point guard. There is enough raw materials to work with that an NBA team will take a chance on him early, especially one in need of offense. Monk has been and continues to be one of the most debated prospects in college basketball. There are a lot of mouths to feed on this Kentucky team, but Monk's ability makes him first in line. Monk has had 20 or more points in 17 games this season. He has the ability to get his teammates involved but could use March to demonstrate that skill more frequently along with his scoring ability. (Getty)
No. 4 SF Jayson Tatum (Duke)
School: Duke
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6'8"/205 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: No NBA prospect has been hotter over the last month of the season than Tatum. He ended the season scoring 20 points in three of Duke's last four games. After missing the first eight games of the season with an injury, Tatum has found his form and proving to be one of the better scorers in the draft. Tatum is not a great shooter but can have his way on the blocks using his length to his advantage. He averaged just under 17 points and seven rebounds during the season. ESPN's Chad Ford noted on the Locked on NBA podcast that Tatum can still be in the discussion with Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz for the top pick in the NBA Draft. There are still questions as to whether Tatum's offensive game can translate to the NBA. (Getty)
No. 3 PF Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)
School: Arizona
Position: Power Forward
Size: 7'0"/230 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: Markkanen may be the best college basketball player you've never heard about. He is originally from Finland and a freshman at Arizona. Markkanen was lethal in Las Vegas and a big reason Arizona won the Pac-12 tournament. He had a career-high 29 points against UCLA in the semi-finals. Markkanen is the best shooting big man we have seen in quite some time. He is shooting 43 percent from the three-point line and 49 percent from the field. Markkanen also holds his own down low averaging seven rebounds per game. The seamless transition of Kristaps Porzingis could help an NBA team pull the trigger on Markkanen in the top five picks. Markkanen has struggled with consistency during the season but heads into the tournament riding a hot streak. He is one of the more fascinating players to watch during March Madness. (Getty)
No. 2 SF/SG Josh Jackson (Kansas)
School: Kansas
Position: Small Forward/Shooting Guard
Size: 6'8"/207 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: It has been a rough couple weeks for Jackson who got in trouble for kicking the car door of a Kansas women's basketball player. Kansas suspended Jackson for the first game of the Big 12 Tournament where the Jayhawks ended up losing to TCU. Kansas remained a one seed despite the loss, and is the favorite to reach the Final Four coming out of the Midwest Region. Jackson plays with high intensity and adds buckets of offense when he is on the floor. Jackson is at his best when attacking the rim and has no problem getting after rebounds. From a draft perspective, the story line of the tournament will be how Jackson compares to Duke's Jayson Tatum. Both are considered the top forwards in the draft with each player looking to emerge as the next guy in line after Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball. It would be no surprise if Jackson ends up being the player of the tournament. (Getty)
No. 1 PG Lonzo Ball (UCLA)
School: UCLA
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'6"/190 pounds
Class: Freshman
Why Watch: Casual fans may be tired of hearing Lonzo Ball's father, Lavar Ball, talk about how good his son is, but Ball really is a joy to watch. He is as complete of a player as we have seen coming out of college, especially at point guard. At first, you will likely be distracted by his unorthodox shot but it goes in at a surprising rate. He shoots over 54 percent from the field and over 41 percent from the three-point line. Ball loves to get his teammates involved but has no problem scoring on his own. A popular comparison has been to Jason Kidd and while it is not perfect it has some merits. Kidd was a much better defender coming out of Cal, but Ball is a better shooter than Kidd was at this point in his career. Right now, Ball is ranked slightly below Washington's Markelle Fultz on most draft boards but the gap is not insurmountable. UCLA has enough talent to make a deep run in the tournament. It will be interesting to watch if Ball's thumb injury will impact his play in the Big Dance.(Getty)
NBA Draft 2017: Top 10 Best College Basketball Players for March Madness