10 NBA draft prospects to watch during March Madness, from the no-brainer star to the biggest riser

March Madness is the greatest scouting event of the year. It’s an opportunity for NBA teams to see prospects under the brightest lights of their lives, either rising to the moment or wilting under it.

Here’s who and what to watch through a draft lens with the NCAA tournament tipping off this week.

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The Elephant in the Room: Darryn Peterson, Kansas guard

Peterson arrived at Kansas as the consensus top prospect. Some people still have him there. But he dealt with cramping all season long that knocked him out for stretches and caused him to pull himself out of games. Kansas is statistically better when he’s not on the floor, with a better offensive rating, defensive rating, net rating, assist rate, and free throw rate, per CBB Analytics.

Even if you toss away the numbers, it’s apparent just using your eyeballs how much better the Jayhawks flow without the star whose health has been one of the great unanswered questions of the college basketball season.

I reported on my podcast in February that Peterson had received IVs, undergone blood tests, changed his diet, and tried out different workout regimens over the past year to resolve his cramping issues. The Kansas City Star reported some specific details: Peterson made a switch to tonic water, and during a preseason training session — not even playing basketball, just sprints — he suffered a full-body cramp so severe he was hospitalized and received two IVs.

“I was doing all types of tests and stuff on my body and everything was coming back normal,” Peterson told the Kansas City Star. “I still don’t know what kind of fixed it. But I’m feeling good now. Something along the road fixed it.”

“Feeling good” … really? I don’t buy it at all.

Ever since Peterson exploded for 23 points in 18 minutes against Oklahoma State on Feb. 18 before pulling himself from the game, he’s played in seven games and averaged 31.6 minutes. But he’s shooting just 27.3% from 3 and making only 39% of his layups, per Synergy. He looks less athletic now than he did at the start of the year. And he certainly looks far less explosive than he did one year ago at Prolific Prep.

Is Peterson merely forcing himself to play through pain? Could he have done this all year long? Those are the questions NBA scouts and executives are asking now. Either way, he’s playing the most minutes of his season, but it’s translating to his worst production. And still, nobody has a diagnosis yet.

March is Peterson’s chance to remind everyone who he was in high school: a two-way dynamic guard that drew comparisons to Kobe Bryant. The talent is still there. But at some point, “feeling good now” has to show up on the court.

The Player You’re About to Fall In Love With: Morez Johnson, Michigan forward

Every tournament features a guy who doesn’t show up in the box score the way the stars do, but whose fingerprints are on every important possession. Johnson sets bone-crushing screens, sprints to the rim for vicious lobs, blows up actions on defense, and flies out of nowhere for rebounds. He’s 250 pounds of chaos and serves as the connective tissue for one of the four 1-seeds in this tournament.

From an NBA perspective, there are concerns about the fact that Johnson can’t shoot yet. But that hasn’t slowed down Michigan so far. If the Wolverines make it to the Final Four, Johnson is going to be a massive reason why.

The Riser: Darius Acuff, Arkansas guard

Acuff is the hottest player in college basketball right now. In three consecutive nights heading into the tournament: 37 points, 24 points, 30 points.

Despite standing at only 6-foot-3, NBA executives are discussing whether he should be ranked ahead of North Carolina big man Caleb Wilson, who is sidelined following surgery to his thumb, or even ahead of Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, due to the lack of clarity surrounding his health.

March will be valuable for Acuff to answer lingering questions about his game, while also verifying what he does best against the toughest competition.

At first glance, Acuff is a classic bucket-getter who can catch fire as a shooter from any spot on the floor using a deep bag of moves. He made over 60% of his shots at the rim despite being a below-the-rim finisher, and nearly 50% of his floaters. But he’s not just a modern day Stephon Marbury. Acuff can also serve as a playmaker. He had three games with at least 10 assists and zero turnovers, and he looks comfortable spraying the ball all around the court. But he’s not just an on-ball engine in the spirit of Trae Young either. There’s a bit of Jamal Murray or Tyrese Maxey in him. He moves off screens and handoffs like a natural, has clean footwork to launch jumpers, and understands how to use his body to create space without the ball. Acuff made nearly 50% on catch-and-shoot 3s.

Acuff is not the biggest guard or the most freakish athlete. But he’s a chameleon who can take on different shapes and styles depending on what his team needs.

Arkansas has a tough draw falling in the West region. In the first round, the Razorbacks face Hawaii. Next round, it could be Wisconsin. And if they make the Sweet 16, odds are they’ll meet Arizona. Acuff will be tested, especially on defense, where he too often plays with an olé style. But is his defense poor because he doesn’t know how to or want to use his muscular football player frame? Or is it because he needs to conserve energy as the team’s primary source of offense?

Arkansas is nothing without his shot creation. But to make a run and for him to rise up boards even more, Acuff will have to play both ends.

The Guy Who Got Better: Thomas Haugh, Florida forward

You already know Haugh. He was the guy diving on the floor, taking charges, setting screens, cutting to the rim, crashing the boards, and blocking shots from behind during Florida’s national title run last year. He did all the dirty work. And still today, there’s arguably no one that plays harder.

But this year Haugh doubled his shot attempts and increased his scoring from 9.8 points to 17.1 points per game. Florida is a 1-seed for good reason, and Haugh’s development is a huge reason why. But now’s his chance to prove that progress is real to NBA scouts and perhaps ramp it up to an even higher level.

The Size Question: Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt guard

If you haven’t watched Tanner before, tune in to Vanderbilt this week against McNeese. You’re going to spend the whole time watching him thinking about how small he is, and then you’re going to look up and realize he just went for 25 and six with three steals and you have no idea how it happened.

The Vanderbilt sophomore is posting nearly a 50/40/90 slash line while averaging 19.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He’s made 67% of his shots at the rim despite being a below-the-rim finisher. He averages more than double assists to turnovers. He is a defensive menace in ways that guards his size simply aren’t supposed to be. He’s a 6-footer on a good day.

Vanderbilt has a legitimate path to the Sweet 16 though — McNeese in Round 1, potentially Nebraska after that, and then Florida waiting if they get there. Every round Tanner advances is another chance to make teams believe his production outweighs concerns over his size.

The No-Brainer Star: Cameron Boozer, Duke big

There isn’t much left to prove for Boozer. He’s been one of the best freshmen in the country all year and his draft stock is cemented as a top-three pick. And depending on who lands the top pick, he might be the choice regardless of what happens this month. The more interesting question heading into March is whether we can learn anything new. And that’s where Patrick Ngongba’s foot injury becomes quietly useful for evaluation purposes.

With Ngongba sidelined or limited, Boozer could end up playing more center, or at least be tested more defensively while playing power forward next to Duke’s backup center Maliq Brown. We already know he can operate as a 4 next to a traditional big. What scouts want to see more of is whether he can anchor a defense, rebound against true centers, and do it while carrying the team offensively. A deep Duke run without Ngongba answers all of those questions at once, and could increase the number of NBA teams willing to take him first.

The Name You Don’t Know Yet: Allen Graves, Santa Clara forward

Santa Clara has a history of producing pros: Kurt Rambis, Steve Nash, Jalen Williams, Brandin Podziemski. Allan Graves wants to be next.

He’s a 6-foot-9, 225-pound redshirt freshman who has a rare combination of length, intelligence, and athleticism. He made 41.6% of his 3s, while also posting more than double the assists to turnovers. He’s got a nose for the ball too, whether he’s ripping down boards, getting in the passing lanes, or blocking shots. But he played only 22.5 minutes and came off the bench for 30 of his 34 games. That limited responsibility is concerning on top of the fact that Santa Clara doesn’t play many elite opponents.

When Graves faced Gonzaga, he struggled. Now he gets Kentucky in the first round. The Wildcats haven’t had their best season by any means, but it’s another test for Graves. If he can produce his usual numbers against that level of competition without being completely overwhelmed, his stock takes a real leap. If he can’t — well, that’s useful information too. Either way, it’s the most important game of his college career. He says he wants to turn pro. Kentucky will help him figure out if he’s ready.

The Big Question: AJ Dybantsa, BYU forward

Dybantsa is the most gifted player in this tournament, and he’s already carrying an enormous load. His 33.5% usage rate is second among all tournament players, and was ninth in the nation leading up to Madness. So it’s not like BYU is hiding him. And yet, watch the final five minutes of the team’s loss to Houston: Dybantsa shot only three times and there was a two-minute stretch where he didn’t touch the ball.

Robert Wright can’t be running the show for BYU to have any chance of making a run. The ball has to be in Dybantsa’s hands even more. Kevin Young came from the NBA to run a pro offense in college. So with Dybantsa already shouldering one of the heaviest loads in the tournament, can BYU make sure that load is distributed in the right moments? Because if it does, it’s dangerous. Dybantsa can score from everywhere on the floor, and the game has slowed down for him as a playmaker. If BYU doesn’t lean into him in key moments, we know how it ends.

The Boom or Bust: Mikel Brown, Louisville guard

When Brown is on, there is nothing you can do about him. The pull-up, the floaters, the finishes with either hand off either foot through contact. He can dunk on people. He can rifle skip passes cross-court. He can get a bucket in limitless ways. After a rough start to his season while dealing with injuries, his 45-point breakout earlier this season felt like a star being born.

But soon after, he reaggravated his back injury and has been sidelined since Feb. 28. There’s a chance he doesn’t even play during opening weekend. But if he does: What version will the Cardinals get? Brown has been streaky all year, something that was the status quo for him in high school too.

Louisville has South Florida in the first round and a potential Sweet 16 path. If Brown puts together a four-game stretch where he’s hitting everything, then he could soon be the hot name in draft conversations. It’s happened before. It’ll happen again. It’s just a matter of whether it’ll be Brown next.

The Most to Prove: Nate Ament, Tennessee forward

Ament arrived at Tennessee projected as a top-five pick. At 6-foot-10 with skill as a shooter and ball-handler, he had enough tools to believe he could someday fill any role. But this year started out as a disaster for him. He couldn’t get to the basket thanks to his slow first step, and he couldn’t make a shot. In his first 18 games, he made only 24% of his catch-and-shoot 3s, per Synergy. That has since increased to 42%. But he’s still not scoring from the midrange, his at-rim finishing has actually worsened statistically, and he too often feels forgettable as a defender.

If there’s a version of Ament who comes back next year, gets stronger, develops that first step, turns those midrange pull-ups into genuine blow-bys, and makes catch-and-shoot 3s at a higher clip, he could contend for the top pick in 2027. But if he plays well enough this month, he could go top 10 despite his rawness. March Madness is the test to find out what’s the best path for his future because tournament basketball has a way of clarifying things.

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