During every collegiate season, there are players who are able to use the NCAA men’s basketball tournament to improve their NBA draft stock.
While talent evaluation is comprehensive and most scouts and NBA decision-makers will not get swayed by a small sample size, it is indeed important to see how prospects perform under the brightest lights in this environment.
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Among those still dancing along in the Sweet 16, the following players are the ones who deserve a closer look as the tournament continues later this week and weekend.
Note that prospects who were eliminated in the opening rounds were not included in this article.
1. Brayden Burries
School: Arizona Wildcats
Latest USA TODAY projection: No. 10 overall (Milwaukee Bucks)
The 2026 NBA Draft is loaded with fantastic freshman guards like Darryn Peterson, Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, Mikel Brown Jr. and Keaton Wagler. But it is past time to add another name to that list: Brayden Burries. He is shooting 7-of-8 on 3-pointers during the tournament, connecting on just as many jumpers off the dribble as off the catch. Burries recorded 18 points with 5 rebounds and 2 assists the first round and then 16 points with 9 rebounds and 2 assists in the Round of 32. He looks like a lottery talent who remains positively impactful even with a low usage rate. His Arizona teammate Motiejus Krivas has also helped himself.
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2. Aday Mara
School: Michigan Wolverines
Latest UDA TODAY projection: No. 27 overall (Boston Celtics)
The 7-foot-3 big man who transferred from UCLA to Michigan is one of the most impressive prospects in the tournament so far. He leads the tournament in dunks with eight, per Bart Torvik, and he has an effective hook shot that has allowed him to shoot 10-of-12 within less than five feet of the basket. His playmaking looks great as he has recorded the second-most assists (10) at the rim among all players in the Big Dance, via CBB Analytics. Mara also has the highest block percentage (19.0) among all players in the tournament, too. Meanwhile, his Michigan teammate Yaxel Lendeborg has improved his draft stock as well.
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3. Chris Cenac Jr.
School: Houston Cougars
Latest USA TODAY projection: Not Included
It was an up-and-down season for former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American big man Chris Cenar Jr. at Houston. While he still remains a candidate to return to college and improve his draft stock for the 2027 NBA Draft, Cenac is getting hot at the perfect time. During his first game in the Big Dance, he recorded a season-high 18 rebounds while also knocking down a 3-pointer and grabbing a steal. Then in the Round of 32, he showed off more scoring with some impressive cuts to the basket, dropping 17 points against Texas A&M. If he has another strong performance in the Sweet 164, he may play his way back into first-round consideration. His teammate Emanuel Sharp has looked great in the tournament, too.
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4. Tarris Reed Jr.
School: UConn Huskies
Latest USA TODAY projection: Not Included
How can we talk about great performances in March Madness without mentioning UConn senior Tarris Reed Jr. this season? He has put up some truly unbelievable stat lines as a dominant paint scorer. In the first round, Reed was absolutely ridiculous, recording 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman. Against tougher competition versus UCLA, he notched another double-double, putting up 10 points and 13 rebounds while also recording 3 blocks and 1 steal. Maybe he isn’t a first-rounder but he has certainly helped himself in this tournament. His UConn teammate, Alex Karaban, has helped himself as well.
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Other honorable mentions not included: Dailyn Swain (Texas) Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s), Alex Karaban (UConn), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa), Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee) and David Mirkovic (Illinois)
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 4 March Madness prospects with rising draft stock before Sweet 16