Last fall as the NBA and college basketball seasons began, there was some expectation that Utah Jazz fans would end up paying more attention to the college game to scout top draft prospects since the Jazz were supposed to very bad.
It hasn’t quite happened that way, of course, as the Jazz got off to a hot start, and even now with 13 games remaining in the regular season were just a game out of the final play-in spot in the Western Conference entering Wednesday.
Nevertheless, the NCAA Tournament, which begins in earnest Thursday morning, is generally seen as a great platform to watch players who are expected to be top draft picks and this year is no exception, even though two of the top prospects — Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson — aren’t in it.
In the draft, the Jazz are primed to have three first-round picks — their own, a likely mid-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves and a likely late-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers, so there is a wide range of players to keep an eye on.
Here is a look at some of the players for Jazz fans to watch in the tournament over the next few weeks. The list is based on the first round of the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Brandon Miller
Team: Alabama
Position: Forward
Height, weight: 6-foot-9, 200 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 3
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 12 p.m. MT, CBS
Jarace Walker
Team: Houston
Position: Forward
Height, weight: 6-foot-8, 240 pounds.
Current ESPN mock draft placement: No. 6
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Northern Kentucky, 7:20 p.m. MT, TNT
Nick Smith Jr.
Team: Arkansas
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 7
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Illinois, 2:30 p.m. MT, TBS
Keyonte George
Team: Baylor
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 9
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. UC Santa Barbara, 11:30 a.m. MT, TNT
Anthony Black
Team: Arkansas
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-7, 198 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 10
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Illinois, 2:30 p.m. MT, TBS
Gradey Dick
Team: Kansas
Position: Wing
Height, weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 11
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Howard, 12 p.m. MT, TBS
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Team: Indiana
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds.
ESPN mock draft selection: No. 12
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. Kent State, 7:55 p.m. MT, TBS
Cason Wallace
Team: Kentucky
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 193 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 13
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. Providence, 5:10 p.m. MT, CBS
Kyle Filipowski
Team: Duke
Position: Center
Height, weight: 7 feet, 230 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 17
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Oral Roberts, 5:10 p.m. MT, CBS
Kris Murray
Team: Iowa
Position: Forward
Height, weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 19
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Auburn, 4:50 p.m. MT, TNT
Dereck Lively II
Team: Duke
Position: Center
Height, weight: 7-foot-1, 230 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 20
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Oral Roberts, 5:10 p.m. MT, CBS
Jordan Hawkins
Team: UConn
Position: Guard
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 23
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. Iona, 2:30 p.m. MT, TBS
Colby Jones
Team: Xavier
Position: Wing
Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 26
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. Kennesaw State, 10:40 a.m MT., truTV
Noah Clowney
Team: Alabama
Position: Forward
Height, weight: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 28
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 12 p.m. MT, CBS
Dariq Whitehead
Team: Duke
Position: Wing
Height, weight: 6-foot-7, 220 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 29
First-round tournament info: Thursday vs. Oral Roberts, 5:10 p.m. MT, CBS
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Team: Indiana
Position: Forward
Height, weight: 6-foot-9, 245 pounds.
ESPN mock draft placement: No. 30
First-round tournament info: Friday vs. Kent State, 7:55 p.m. MT, TBS