SAN FRANCISCO – Like tens of thousands across the country, Steve Kerr is a loud and proud supporter of his alma mater during March Madness.
But unlike your average civilian, the Warriors’ coach was doing more than just rooting for his Arizona Wildcats when he watched them in the Elite Eight at SAP Center last week.
While he’s mostly a fan, Kerr also couldn’t help but use his coaching eye as he and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. watched talented players for both Arizona and Arkansas run up and down the SAP Center court.
It was a group that might include a player he will coach next season.
“Mike was there, and that’s obviously his job, but when I watch college games I try to envision what a guy would look like (in the NBA),” Kerr said last week.
The Warriors are currently the 10th seed in the conference and would be in line for the No. 11 slot in the upcoming draft, assuming they lose the first play-in tournament game to the No. 9 seed.
Though that would take them out of the running for the truly elite prospects such as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cam Boozer there is still a wealth of talent that should be available then assuming Golden State does not trade the pick.
They could draft even higher if the Warriors jump inthe NBA draft lottery on May 10, much like the Mavericks did last season after making the play-in, but the odds of that are slim.
Fortunately for Warriors fans who have their eye on the draft, each team that will participate in Saturday’s Final Four features a prospect who could realistically be available at No. 11.
They are:
Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona
Bay Area high school basketball fans should already be familiar with Burries’ talent. He scored a California Interscholastic Federation Open Division championship record 44 points in a victory over Archbishop Riordan last March, dominating arguably the greatest team in San Francisco preps history.
The 6-foot-4 dynamo has rocketed up draft boards as a freshman for Kerr’s Wildcats, scoring 16.1 points per game and flashing an NBA-ready offensive game from all three levels. Though on the shorter side for a shooting guard, he has the athleticism and 205-pound frame that can fit next to Steph Curry.
Keaton Wagler, SG, Illinois
Wagler owns perhaps the best single-game performance in college basketball this year, which is when he scored 46 points in an upset over then-No. 4 Purdue in January. Despite being a spindly 180 pounds, he has not been worn down by the rigors of the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament, having scored in double figures in every game since the calendar turned to 2026.
The true prototype combo guard, Wagler is a deadeye shooter from 3-point territory (40.7%) and has been comfortable running pick-and-roll (4.3 assists per game) while utilizing change of pace moves to create space. Though not an overwhelming athlete, he has the kind of mature offensive game that the Warriors appear to favor as of late.
Braylon Mullins, SF, UConn
Make that three freshman shooting guards in a row. This one can boast having the most Curry-like moment of the tournament, which is when he splashed a 35-foot 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left to complete an improbable comeback over top seed Duke in the Elite 8.
Unlike Wagler, who is built similarly at a spindly 6-6, Mullins is more of a classic shooting guard who does his damage off ball. He is not the most consistent shooter (32.8% from 3-point) but has shown an ability to attack closeouts and finish at the rim. Both are qualities the Warriors could use.
Yaxel Lendeborg, C, Michigan
One of the older players in the draft, he will turn 24 early next season. But with age comes an NBA-ready game for a Warriors team that is trying to maximize the final years of Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis.
The consensus All-American is a well-rounded force at center. He averages 3.2 assists per game in the slower college game, and it is easy to envision Lendenborg feasting as a playmaker in the Green role. He is also a capable shooter and is tall enough to bang inside at 6-9, giving the team depth it will need in the middle, even if Porzingis re-signs.