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.

(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

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.

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“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…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/10-nba-draft-prospects-to-watch-during-march-madness-from-the-no-brainer-star-to-the-biggest-riser-032722844.html

Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-03-18 03:27:00

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