The Pelicans are keeping tabs on at least 16 prospects during NCAA Sweet Sixteen action.
The initial, frantic wave of March Madness opening weekend usually produces at least one Cinderella team that surprises the nation. This year’s edition of the NCAA Tournament would be considered a dud if judged by those standards though. The Sweet 16 is mostly Blue Blood programs and Power Five members but that is a good thing from an NBA scouting perspective. They will get a few opportunities to watch a few possible NBA Draft prospects. The New Orleans Pelicans are having a special season but they need every bit of intel on several future options.
EVP David Griffin and GM Trajan Langdon negotiated a 2024 swap option in the Jrue Holiday deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pelicans also control the Los Angeles Lakers 2024 pick but can defer the option to 2025.
The Pelicans and Bucks are practically guaranteed to have a pick in the mid-20s this summer. New Orleans does not have a second-round selection. Arguments for and against picking up the Lakers 2024 pick, or trading back for stashable second-rounders, can be nitpicked after the NBA Playoffs. Good scouting departments build large databases to whittle down before the draft. With that said, here are 16 names that Pelicans fans should still keep an eye on.
Blue bloods, big shots, and big men battles
UConn’s Stephon Castle (1) is likely a lottery pick so the Pelicans would have to either hope the defensive minded yet offensively versatile 6’7” lead guard falls to the Lakers pick, which New Orleans would claim, or have to claim that L.A. option just to trade up for Castle. His three-point shot is well below 30% so Castle could fall further than most mock drafts predict.
Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht (2) has taken the SEC by storm this season, becoming the closest that football dominated conference’s Jimmer Fredette-like experience. He is the Volunteer offense at times, especially down the stretch in clutch situations. No one has to keep an eye out for Knecht. His made-for-prime-time play cannot be missed.
Castle’s teammate Donovan Clingan (3) cannot be missed either. No one 7’2” and 265 pounds goes unnoticed in any setting. If the Pelicans want rim protection, they want to know everything about Clingan’s love of the game. The UConn big man will stick in the NBA as a reserve big man for a few years. He’ll have to improve a dreadful free-throw percentage to ever see a second contract.
Freshman Jared McCain (4) is the highest-ranked Duke player on most publicly available draft boards. His shot looks NBA-ready, his playmaking will be useful at the next level, and his defensive focus will keep him in rotations for a rebuilding franchise. McCain would be worth a flyer if a draft night fall happens.
Purdue’s Zach Edey (5) is a Rorschach test for NBA scouts. Some see a lottery pick that could wind up being worth a first-round, top-10 investment. The big man is due for a big comeback in those circles thanks to Nikola Jokic. Others see a slow-footed defender who gets pulled out of position, rendering his size useless. Edey will be a net negative in the NBA’s transition-based style and pick-and-roll situations on both ends of the court. In those circles, Edey is a second-rounder who could be exposed as a busted bet during Summer League action in a few months.
The 7’0” Kyle Filipowski (6) would get a chance to solve the Edey problem if Duke and Purdue meet in the Final Four.
Mid-Majors making big waves, and Pelicans should take notice
Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro (7) is a whisker short of the seven-foot claim and is also on the Purdue/Duke side of the bracket. One of these three big men will boost their stock in a big way this week, but at whose expense? Ighodaro’s production depends largely on Marquette senior Tyler Kolek (8) being the steady, experienced playmaker he has been all season.
The 23-year-old Kolek is crafty around the rim and when finding creases for teammates to exploit. The red flag on the 6’3” point guard will always be defense and how Kolek’s slight build might hold up over 82 games.
Creighton has moved up in conferences but still has a mid-major feel. Three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner (9) has a high-upside game packed into a 7’1” frame. The trio of Kalkbrenner, Baylor Scheierman (10), and Trey Alexander (11) average over 17 points per game each.
Graham Ike (12) is leading Gonzaga in points and rebounds per game. The 6’9” junior would likely be a late second-round or Summer League invite option. Houston’s L.J. Cryer (13) would be worth a look based on his scoring efficiency and 39% three-point accuracy. Leading one of the best teams in the country all season has to count for something.
Big time program talent, big potential NBA problems
North Carolina freshman Elliot Cadeau (14) is a borderline first-round talent based on potential but has some big holes in his game that cannot be ignored. Being 6’0” with just a 6’2” wingspan is just the start. Cadeau cannot see over defenders, so his shaky outside shot (21% from three-point range) and feel for in-the-paint floaters always feel erratic and off-balanced.
Tyrese Proctor’s (15) comparison on The Ringer is Lonzo Ball due to a wonky work-in-progress shot and affinity for throwing the crowd-pleasing pass over the correct one. The selection of Proctor in the first round would be a gamble akin to some of those risky passes Ball used to throw to Zion Williamson. Duke’s Caleb Foster (16) has all of the same skills and some better decision-making in a 6’5” body more likely to withstand the NBA’s daily grind.
Practically every NCAA Tournament bracket is busted already. The Pelicans have to pay attention to these prospects in the Sweet 16 so their draft does not wind up the same way.
About the Author
Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.
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