Nevada basketball player Kobe Sanders entered the pre-draft process as a bit of a long shot to be selected.

With exactly one week until the draft is held, it seems better than even odds he’ll be picked. Count ESPN’s Jay Bilas among those not shocked by Sanders’ ascension over the last three months.

“I’m not surprised that he’s moving up because he’s got positional size,” Bilas told Nevada Sports Net during a national video call Wednesday. “He’s about 6-7. He’s an older player for the NBA draft. He’s at least 23 years old. But with his positional size, he can initiate offense. He’s a very good handler, and, I think, a very good playmaker. We use the word ‘feel’ a lot with players like Kobe Sanders because he has a feel for the game and for making the right play, and he’s a low-turnover player.”

Sanders, who turned 23 last month, spent five seasons in college, including his first four at Cal Poly. He capped his career at Nevada where he largely played point guard, setting a career high with 4.5 assists while adding 15.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He made 46 percent of his shots, including 34.2 percent from three. He was a career 32.9 percent shooter from three in his career, which Bilas said is the biggest proving point for him in the pre-draft process.

“The question, I think, is his 3-point shooting,” Bilas said. “Can he become a more consistent shooter? He can make shots, but can he become more consistent? And he hasn’t really been a lockdown defender, but he’s certainly got the length and the ability to be better in that area. But his positives are very, very good. And he shoots it well off the dribble, and I think he’s one of the best pick-and-roll handlers in the draft with his passing and decision-making, and he’s actually very good pulling up for his jump shot off pick-and-roll situations.”

Sanders has worked out for a dozen NBA teams after taking part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and NBA Draft Combine, although he was unable to take part in the scrimmages at the combine due to an ankle injury. Sanders, from Spring Valley, Calif., south of San Diego, would become the first player from Cal Poly selected in the NBA draft. The last Nevada player selected by an NBA team was Jalen Harris in the second round in 2020 when he was the penultimate selection.

A third-team All-Mountain West pick, Sanders is rated by ESPN and The Athletic as a top-60 prospect in the 59-player draft and is mocked at No. 52 overall to the Phoenix Suns by ESPN. He’s No. 57 to Orlando on NBADraft.net.

While Sanders is a potential second-round draft pick, the MW should have at least one guaranteed player picked in Colorado State’s Nique Clifford, who was a first-team All-MW and defensive team selection. Clifford, also a fifth-year senior at his second school, averaged 18.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals last season. He made 49.6 percent of his shots, including 37.7 percent from three. Also a wing player, Clifford is a projected first-round draft pick.

“He’s a 23-year-old, so we’ve seen a lot from Nique Clifford,” Bilas said. “He had a great year for Colorado State. On the offensive end, he does, I think, everything well. He shoots the ball well. He’s good in pick-and-roll situations. And he’s a playmaker. He can pass the ball. He averaged close to 19 a game. He’s an excellent rebounder. Even though he’s only 6-6, maybe 6-7, his rebounding is an important piece. He can be physical, and he’s a good, solid defender.

“I think he’s NBA ready right now. I think he’s going to be able to step in and play. Can he step in and start? I don’t know the answer to that. But he’s gonna be be able step in and compete. He’ll have to shoot it a little bit better from the perimeter on spot-up threes because that’s an important factor in being a floor spacer. But with his NBA readiness and versatility, it makes him very attractive. He’s one of those guys I can’t really say he’s a high-ceiling guy, but he’s a high-floor guy. You know where his floor is, and it’s pretty darn good.”