Getty DeAndre Hunter is one of the top NBA prospects in the NCAA tournament.
Heading into the Sweet 16, seven of the top ten players in our latest NBA mock draft are still playing in the NCAA tournament. Duke escaping Columbia with a win over UCF helped preserve three of these seven prospects.
Having been at McDonald’s All American practices this week in Atlanta, the sense is the 2020 class has less talent than the upcoming draft. The 2019 NBA draft is not perceived to be particularly strong, but it will be interesting to see if teams value these picks more with next year’s class looking weaker.
One player to continue watching during March Madness is Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter. The wing does not have an opportunity to put up massive stats on a Cavaliers team not known for its fast pace. With Virginia once again on the ropes against a No. 16 seed, it was Hunter who helped them surge past Gardner-Webb in the second half.
Hunter finished with 23 points and six rebounds in the first round matchup. Hunter’s shot looks great in person, and he shot 44.6 percent from the three-point line this season. Hunter’s size and length gives him position versatility on both offense and defense.
One player that the NCAA tournament has not done any favors is Duke point guard Tre Jones. UCF’s defensive attack showed just how much of a liability Jones can be on offense if his jumper does not improve. For Jones, his poor shooting has as much to do with confidence as it does form.
UCF spent much of the second half matching Jones up with big man Tacko Fall who dared the Duke guard to shoot with so much space. It will be worth watching how Jones responds during the rest of March Madness.
The following draft order is based on the NBA lottery standings as of Thursday, March 28, per Tankathon. Here is a look at my latest NBA mock draft.
NBA Mock Draft 2019: 1st Round Picks
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| No. 1 Knicks | PF Zion Williamson, Duke |
| No. 2 Suns | PG Ja Morant, Murray State |
| No. 3 Cavaliers | SG RJ Barrett, Duke |
| No. 4 Bulls | SG Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech |
| No. 5 Hawks | SG Cam Reddish, Duke |
| No. 6 Hawks (via Mavericks) | SF De’Andre Hunter, Virginia |
| No. 7 Grizzlies | PF Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga |
| No. 8 Pelicans | PG Darius Garland, Vanderbilt |
| No. 9 Wizards | SF Romeo Langford, Indiana |
| No. 10 Lakers | SG Keldon Johnson, Kentucky |
| No. 11 Timberwolves | PG Coby White, UNC |
| No. 12 Hornets | SF Nassir Little, UNC |
| No. 13 Heat | C Jaxson Hayes, Texas |
| No. 14 Celtics (via Kings) | PF PJ Washington, Kentucky |
| No. 15 Magic | SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Virginia Tech |
| No. 16 Pistons | PF Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga |
| No. 17 Nets | SF KZ Okpala, Stanford |
| No. 18 Spurs | PF Sekou Doumbouya, Guinea |
| No. 19 Thunder | C Bol Bol, Oregon |
| No. 20 Celtics | G Tyler Herro, Kentucky |
| No. 21 Pacers | SF Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State |
| No. 22 Jazz | C Goga Bitadze, Buducnost |
| No. 23 Celtics | PF Cameron Johnson, UNC |
| No. 24 Cavs (via Rockets) | C Bruno Fernando, Maryland |
| No. 25 Sixers | PF Grant Williams, Tennessee |
| No. 26 Blazers | F Jalen McDaniels, SDSU |
| No. 27 Nets (via Nuggets) | SF Admiral Schofield, Tennessee |
| No. 28 Warriors | SF Matisse Thybulle, Washington |
| No. 29 Spurs (via Raptors) | PG Tre Jones, Duke |
| No. 30 Bucks | F Chuma Okeke, Arizona |