The final game of the 2014 NCAA Tournament will be a busy night for NBA general managers and scouts.
The Kentucky Wildcats are loaded with NBA prospects as coach John Calipari has essentially turned his program into a home for one-and-done players. Impressively, he’s still been able to put out successful teams year after year despite the high turnover rate. Kentucky won with a team full of freshmen as recently as 2012.
Since Calipari came over from Memphis, the Wildcats have recruited and developed more NBA players than any other program in college basketball. The list of Kentucky alumni who have gone on to the NBA since 2010 alone includes Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Enes Kanter, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Brandon Knight, Nerlens Noel and John Wall.
Other notable NBA players who suited up at Kentucky before Calipari’s tenure include Patrick Patterson, Chuck Hayes, Rajon Rondo and Tayshaun Prince.
The Connecticut Huskies haven’t had the same success developing high-end NBA talent in recent seasons, but they’ve still produced their fair share of pros. Kemba Walker, Andre Drummond, Rudy Gay, Emeka Okafor and even former Toronto Raptor Charlie Villanueva (sorry Rob Babcock) were all top-10 picks over the past 12 years.
With both programs’ penchants for producing pros in mind, here’s a look at all of the NBA prospects playing in Monday’s National Championship game and where the most prominent NBA Draft websites project them to land.
KENTUCKY
Name: Julius Randle
Age: 19 (FR)
Position: Power forward
Height: 6’9” Weight: 250 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 5th overall to Utah
DraftExpress projection: 4th overall to Utah
The skinny: Along with Andrew Wiggins and Duke’s Jabari Parker, Randle was one of the most highly touted freshman in the country coming into the season. He’s lived up to the hype, averaging 15.0 points on 50 percent shooting along with 10.5 rebounds per game. Randle posted double-doubles in four of five tournament games thus far and is a surefire top-five pick in June.
Name: Willie Cauley-Stein
Age: 20 (SO)
Position: Centre
Height: 7’0” Weight: 230 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 29th overall to Oklahoma City
DraftExpress projection: 12th overall to Denver
The skinny: Cauley-Stein will miss Monday’s game with a foot injury he sustained during Kentucky’s victory over Louisville in the Sweet 16. He came off the bench, scoring just four points in 23 minutes, in Kentucky’s upset over undefeated Wichita State in the opening weekend of the tournament.
Name: James Young
Age: 18 (FR)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6’6” Weight: 215 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 21st overall to Memphis
DraftExpress projection: 25th overall to Houston
The skinny: Young has been a reliable secondary scorer for Kentucky this season. He has a strong jumper with a quick release and excellent size for his position. Young has chipped in double-digit point totals in three of Kentucky’s five tournament wins. He also led the Wildcats in scoring—17 points on 5-of-11 shooting—in Saturday’s last-minute win over Wisconsin.
Name: Aaron Harrison
Age: 19 (FR)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6’6” Weight: 218 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 35th overall to Utah
Draft Express projection: 25th overall in 2015
The Skinny: Harrison’s value is on the rise after an incredible display throughout the tournament. He put his outside shooting on display hitting game-winning three-pointers against Wisconsin and Michigan in back-to-back rounds. Both those shots came from NBA range and took extreme confidence, considering the game situations. Harrison has 14 three-pointers in five tournament victories.
Name: Andrew Harrison
Age: 19 (FR)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6’6” Weight: 215 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 27th overall to Miami
Draft Express projection: 30th overall in 2015
The skinny: The other Harrison hasn’t grabbed the headlines like his brother, but he’s been no slouch. In fact, with 24 assists over his first five tournament games, including the key pass that set up Aaron’s winning shot against Michigan, he’s been critical for the Wildcats. Harrison is expected to be drafted in the late first round but might be better served by staying in college for another year to further develop his skillset.
Name: Dakari Johnson
Age: 18 (FR)
Position: Centre
Height: 7’0” Weight: 265 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 42nd overall in 2015
DraftExpress projection: 18th overall in 2015
The skinny: Johnson has helped fill in for the injured Cauley-Stein, contributing 33 points and six rebounds over the past three games. For an 18-year-old, he has a huge frame—one that will continue to fill out as he gets older. With Cauley-Stein expected to declare for the 2014 draft, Johnson is likely to stay at Kentucky for at least another year. He has big upside.
Name: Alex Poythress
Age: 20 (SO)
Position: Forward
Height: 6’8” Weight: 239 pounds
NBADraft.net projection: 32nd overall in 2015
Draft Express projection: 41st overall in 2015
The skinny: Poythress was one of the highest-rated high school players in 2012, but has failed to live up to the hype thus far. He doesn’t look like the lottery pick he initially projected to be, but he’s proven himself to be a solid bench player for Kentucky. NBA draft websites believe hs’s more of a second-round talent at this point. He added eight points and seven rebounds against Wisconsin, but injured himself during the team’s celebration. He’s expected to play on Monday, though.
CONNECTICUT
Name: Shabazz Napier
Age: 22 (SR)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6’1” Weight: 182 pounds
NBADraft.net projection: 24th overall to Charlotte
Draft Express projection: 46th overall to Washington
The skinny: The best college players don’t always make the best NBA prospects, which is certainly true Napier’s case. After making significant strides under former NBAer Kevin Ollie—including vast improvements to his abilities as a playmaker—Napier has been the most dynamic guard in the tournament this year, something that has surely helped his value in the 2014 draft. Hoping to show scouts he’s worthy of a first-round pick, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so against several future NBAers on Monday.
Name: DeAndre Daniels
Age: 21 (JR)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6’8” Weight: 195 lbs.
NBADraft.net projection: 32nd overall in 2015
Draft Express projection: 41st overall in 2015
The skinny: Daniels has thrived for UConn throughout the tournament, averaging 17.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in five games—huge increases on his regular season production. It’s a great sign that he can perform at his best on the biggest stage, but he’ll need to display more consistency to increase his NBA value. Right now, he’s considered a second-round pick in 2015.