March Madness: NBA Draft Prospects to Watch Vol. 2
Syracuse: Michael Gbinije
vs. Dayton, 12:15 p.m. (CBS)
Michael Gbinije is a 6-foot-7 swingman who should be able to play three positions on offense, though he may be best suited as a 2-guard. He can make plays, he is smart with the ball and he has proved to be a good creator for Syracuse this season. He averaged 17.8 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game in his senior season this year.
Weber State: Joel Bolomboy (No. 59, DraftExpress)
vs. Xavier, 9:20 p.m. (TNT)
Joel Bolomboy is a 6-foot-9 senior power forward at Weber State who averaged a double double this season with 17.2 points and 12.7 rebounds per game while blocking 2.3 shots per game. He was inconsistent at times this season, but he can absolutely take over games on the glass. Bolomboy will need some time to fill out in the weight room, but he is likely to go in the second round. He could be a lot like Kenneth Faried.
Michigan State: Deyonta Davis (No. 13, DraftExpress), Denzel Valentine (No. 19, DraftExpress)
vs. Middle Tennessee, 2:45 p.m. (CBS)
Deyonta Davis is a 6-foot-10 power forward expected to fall in the late lottery in this year’s draft. Denzel Valentine also should go in the late lottery or middle of the first round.
Davis is a long 6-foot-10 and will have no problems playing the 4-spot at the next level. He could even fill out his 240-pound frame to become a part-time center in the NBA. He can jump out of the gym and teams will have no problem creating lob opportunities to get him buckets. Davis should be a premiere shot blocker in time, and to see him become a lot like Serge Ibaka would be unsurprising. He blocked 1.9 shots per game in just 18 minutes per night for the Spartans this season.
Next: March Madness: Who to Watch Volume I
Valentine is a 6-foot-5 senior guard who can fill it up. He has NBA range and averaged 19.4 points per game this season while shooting 44.7 percent from behind the arc. He has good size to play the 2-guard spot, and he may be able to fill the 3-spot in smaller lineups. The Magic have been needing more shooting, and if the team decides to part ways with Evan Fournier he could be a similar talent who should be available when Orlando is on the board.