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NBA Draft prospects to watch at Thursday’s NCAA Tournament

By Bill Johnson

Jan 14, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Luke Maye (32) fight for a rebound in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Seminoles 96-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Luke Maye (32) fight for a rebound in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Seminoles 96-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Marcus Marshall, Nevada Wolfpack
Dec 11, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Nevada Wolf Pack guard Marcus Marshall (1) dribbles past Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Marcus Marshall, Nevada

6-foot-3/190 lbs
vs. Iowa State, 9:57 p.m./truTV

Marcus Marshall transferred after three years at Missouri State and did not miss a beat after leading Missouri State in scoring when he moved to Nevada. But at Nevada, Marshall has added playmaking to his scoring

Marshall averages 19 points per game and 3 assists per game for Nevada. Sometimes he may dribble too much, but he can get to the basket and finish.

He is known as a shooter even though his 38 percent 3-point field goal percent and 42 percent overall field goal percentage do not indicate it. It should be mentioned he shoots his 3-pointers from NBA range.  So that number is a good indicator of how he may shoot at the next level.

Marshall is not an explosive athlete, but he still gets by guys in college. Typically a guy like Marshall would not be on the NBA Draft radar, but he has two very important things going for him.

One is his coach is Eric Musselman. Musselman, a former NBA head coach and Orlando Magic assistant, has strong NBA ties.

But more important than Coach Musselman’s connections and tutelage, is the fact Marshall had 32 points and the game-winner against projected top overall pick Markelle Fultz and Washington. That is a big-time shot in a big game that shows something intangible about the point guard.

Marshall may have a lot on the line when he appears in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. He needs to show that his game against Fultz and Washington was not a fluke if he wants to get draft consideration. Iowa State will be a good litmus test.

Next: OMD Roundtable: The final countdown

He will be going against Iowa Sate’s senior point guard, Monta Morris, who has NBA dreams of his own.  So either one of them could make a statement by outplaying the other.