There is no better time for an NBA prospect to improve his draft stock than March. The stakes are higher, the lights are brighter, and the best players tend to rise to the occasion in the biggest ways. There are exceptions, of course. Markelle Fultz's college career is officially over without ever playing a game in March, but there's still a strong likelihood he hears his name called first on the night of June 22. For other prospects, though, the next two weeks will prove crucial.
The next few weeks are going to be important for NBA teams, as well. The Boston Celtics--who will have the right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets--are set to enter the lottery with the best chance at earning the No. 1 pick, but the No. 2 spot is still very much up for grabs. The Phoenix Suns' youth movement hasn't exactly gone according to plan, as guys like Tyler Ulis and Alan Williams have helped them win three of the last five games, allowing to the Los Angeles Lakers to "pass" them, but still only a game separates the two.
Ultimately, there are a number of pending trades that will depend on the order of the Top 10, and a number of different developments that may shake things up, but with conference championships on the horizon, it's the perfect time to take a closer look at the best prospects and where they may land. With that in mind, you can click through the gallery for my 2017 first-round mock draft. Note: Draft order is based on standings as of March 10 (Getty)
1. Boston Celtics Select Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington
Year: Freshman
Though Fultz's season is over while most of the other top prospects will be playing postseason basketball throughout the month, he has already proven everything he needed to prove at the collegiate level. He's 6-foot-4, he's an explosive athlete, he's nearly unstoppable as the pick-and-roll ball-handler, he can shoot (41.3 percent from deep), he can distribute (5.9 assists per game) and he's a defensive playmaker (1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game).
Whether the Celtics trade the pick or opt to pair Fultz with Isaiah Thomas in an all-Washington backcourt that would give teams defensive nightmares, the dynamic freshman appears to be locked in at this spot. (Getty)
2. Los Angeles Lakers Select Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Year: Freshman
My favorite stat for Lonzo Ball, who has a plethora of different amazing ones to his name: Of all his field-goal attempts, 38.6 percent come at the rim, 55.2 percent are from beyond the three-point line and just 8.4 percent are two-point jumpers. That's a good reason why he ranks seventh in the nation in effective field-goal percentage (66.7) and 14th in true-shooting percentage (67.1).
The Lakers may already have a point guard of the future, but Ball's efficiency, playmaking ability and passing would allow Luke Walton to move D'Angelo Russell to the 2, where he would likely be more effective as a pure scorer. (Getty)
3. Phoenix Suns Select Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
Year: Freshman
Falling to the 3 spot might actually be the best-case scenario for the Suns. Already boasting a talented backcourt in Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis, they now won't be tempted by one of the top two point guards and can instead go with Jackson, who fits into the starting lineup much easier.
The 6-foot-8 athletic wing would immediately give the NBA's fourth-worst defensive team a difference-maker on that end of the court, while his offensive game could be given time to grow thanks to the presence of scorers like Bledsoe, Booker and TJ Warren. (Getty)
4. Philadelphia 76ers Select Dennis Smith, PG, North Carolina State
Year: Freshman
Smith, like Fultz, won't get another chance to prove himself in live game action, but that shouldn't matter after averaging 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.9 steals for a bad NC State steam. Among other things, he brings scoring and stunning athleticism (ahem) to the table, two things the 76ers, who are currently starting T.J. McConnell and Gerald Henderson, need in their backcourt. (Getty)
5. Orlando Magic Select Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Year: Freshman
Tatum's draft stock is obviously already pretty high, but he's someone who could continue to rise throughout March. He seems to get better every game, and if he carries Duke on a deep tournament run, it wouldn't be surprising if he snuck his way into the Top 3.
For now, the Magic get a 6-foot-8 small forward with a 6-foot-11 wingspan who can score at all three levels and already looks polished enough on the offensive end to average about 15 points per game at the next level. While someone like Jonathan Isaac is considered to have more upside down the road, Tatum would immediately improve a Magic squad that ranks 29th in the NBA in offensive rating. (Getty)
6. Sacramento Kings Select Jonathan Isaac, SF, Florida State
Year: Freshman
As we just alluded to, Isaac's upside is undeniably compelling. At 6-foot-11 with a wingspan than measures over 7 feet, his frame is reminiscent of Kevin Durant's (to be clear, not comparing the two), while he has the fluidity of a wing and a variety of offensive moves that can make him a mismatch waiting to happen.
He's still a little raw, but the rebuilding Kings can afford to wait. (Getty)
7. Sacramento Kings Select Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky
Year: Freshman
Will the acquisition of Buddy Hield, who the Kings got in the DeMarcus Cousins trade and clearly have an infatuation with, deter them from grabbing probably the best scorer in the draft at No. 7? I don't pretend to know what the Kings are ever thinking, but even with Hield, they could use some more backcourt scoring.
Monk provides exactly that. The talented freshman is averaging 21.2 points per game with a 56.0 effective field-goal percentage, and when he gets hot, there's no one who can slow him down. (Getty)
8. New York Knicks Select Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
Year: Born July 28, 1998
With Derrick Rose likely on his way out in free agency and Ron Baker serving as the next point guard on the depth chart, it's pretty clear the Knicks will need to address the position. Both Ntilikina and De'Aaron Fox are options here, with the latter having an opportunity to further make his case the next few weeks, but the former has a lot of traits--heady floor general, strong in the pick-and-roll, good defender--that suggest he'll at least be able to serve as a role player right away. That gives him the edge for a team that believes it should be competing rather than rebuilding. (Getty)
9. Minnesota Timberwolves Select Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona
Year: Freshman
Markkanen has question marks about his ability to defend, but an offensive attack that already features Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine (when healthy) would become even more dangerous by adding a 7-footer who can stretch the floor with his shooting. (Getty)
-Getty
11. Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges, PF, Michigan State
12. Portland Trail Blazers: Robert Williams, PF, Texas A&M
13. Denver Nuggets: Isaiah Hartenstein, PF, Germany
14. Milwaukee Bucks: Justin Patton, C, Creighton
15. Miami Heat: John Collins, PF, Wake Forest
16. Chicago Bulls: Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina
17. Detroit Pistons: Ivan Rabb, PF, California
18. Indiana Pacers: Johnathan Motley, PF, Baylor
19. Atlanta Hawks: Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
20. Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: T.J. Leaf, PF, UCLA
22. Toronto Raptors: Rodions Kurucs, SF, Latvia
23. Orlando Magic: Luke Kennard, SG, Duke
24. Brooklyn Nets: Harry Giles, PF, Duke
25. Utah Jazz: Dillon Brooks, SF, Oregon
26. Brooklyn Nets: Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
27. Portland Trail Blazers: OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana
28. Los Angeles Lakers: Terrance Ferguson, SF, Adelaide
29. San Antonio Spurs: Josh Hart, SG, Villanova
30. Utah Jazz: Caleb Swanigan, PF, Purdue
NBA Mock Draft 2017: 1st-Round Predictions, March Madness Edition