Top Prospects in Jeopardy: Who’s at Risk of Missing the NCAA Tournament?
Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson and Other Top Freshmen Fighting to Keep Their Seasons Alive
March Madness Watch: Top NBA Prospects on the Tournament Bubble
With March just days away, the madness is about to begin. This is the time of year when teams battle to keep their seasons alive, coaches fight to secure their futures, and agents make their final recruiting pushes to lock in their draft classes. As the season winds down, pre-draft workouts and draft prep are just weeks away. Meanwhile, conference tournaments are on the horizon, and NBA scouts are gearing up to travel across the country for one last round of in-person evaluations before the pre-draft process kicks into high gear.
For the 2025 NBA Draft class, this was supposed to be the year of the freshman. A deep and talented group, headlined by projected lottery picks like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and VJ Edgecombe, entered the season with significant hype. Add in a strong sophomore class featuring Collin Murray-Boyles, JT Toppin, and Zvonimir Ivisic, and this season was expected to be a showcase for future NBA stars.
But as we head into March, reality is setting in. A significant number of projected first-rounders are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament altogether, as their teams struggle to stay afloat. Programs like North Carolina, Indiana, and Arkansas are fighting just to make the field. South Carolina, Miami, and Syracuse are essentially out. And Rutgers—home to two of the draft’s top three prospects—is staring down a lost season.
This raises the question: How much does March Madness actually matter for NBA Draft stock? On paper, it shouldn't. Scouts and evaluators have months of film, and a handful of games in March shouldn't drastically change a player's standing.
But the reality is different. A strong showing in the NCAA Tournament can elevate a prospect’s stock, while missing the tournament entirely removes a key opportunity to shine under the brightest lights.
Here’s a look at the key draft prospects whose seasons could end before the madness even begins.