2024 NCAA Tournament: NBA Draft Prospects to Watch in Thursday's NCAA Tournament Opening Round"
A Comprehensive Breakdown of Top Prospects and Matchups in the Big Dance
As the NCAA tournament kicks off, basketball fans are not only treated to the excitement of the games but also the opportunity to get to know the potential future stars of the NBA. In this article, I break down each matchup of Thursday's opening round, providing Eastern Standard Time game schedules.
Currently battling jet lag after a grueling 23-hour journey to Dubai, I am here for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament, a personal favorite for discovering budding talents from the European prospect pipeline.
Despite the daunting 9-hour time difference from my home base in Dallas, I'll be hitting the gym for scouting sessions all day and burning the midnight oil to catch every moment of the NCAA tournament action. Stay tuned for tomorrow's edition, where we'll dive into the matchups set to tip off on Friday.
No. 9 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Mississippi State
12:15 p.m. (CBS) West Region - 1st Round
Tyson Walker
Michigan State
Senior
Guard
6’1”| 185
The Numbers: In 32 games, Walker is averaging 18.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals per game and shooting 44.2% from the field and 37.3% from 3.
As a 5th year senior, Walker boasts a wealth of experience and a reputation as a big-time scorer capable of getting hot and carrying the Spartans offense. His quick first step, coupled with his athleticism and shifty ball-handling allows him to get to his spots. Walker is an efficient shooter from deep on a high volume of attempts, boasting a 38% career three-point percentage over 152 games. He's comfortable playing off screens or orchestrating plays on the ball, and can score on three levels. Despite his small stature, Walker proves to be an efficient finisher at the rim making 61% of his attempts around the basket.
However, concerns arise due to Walker's undersized frame, lacking the ideal positional size typically desired at the NBA level.