Brooklyn Nets: Players to Watch in Second Round of NCAA Tournament

The Brooklyn Nets comfortably out of the playoffs, and attention can be given towards offseason plans. With the NCAA tournament underway, it’s a great chance to get a look at some players the Nets might consider come draft day.

With the NCAA tournament kicking off on Tuesday, it’s officially draft season for NBA teams out of the playoff picture. While the Brooklyn Nets won’t own their own draft pick, they’ll still have multiple selections in this years draft.

The Nets will likely have two picks in the top 40. Both come from their trade acquiring DeMarre Carroll, as Toronto dumped Carroll’s salary to clear cap space. They’ll have Toronto’s first-round pick–likely number 28. They’ll also have a second-round pick from either the Lakers or Magic–whichever falls later in the draft.

While this marks another disappointing year without the rights to their draft pick, the 2018 NBA Draft is supposed to be deep. With just 32 teams left and several top prospects no longer in action, who are the players in action this weekend that might catch the Nets’ eye?

Keita Bates-Diop

Injuries plagued much of Bates-Diop’s 2016-2017 season, and Ohio State struggled in his absence. The Buckeyes exceeded expectations this season, led by Bates-Diop’s resurgent season. The 2017-2018 Big Ten Player of the Year dominated college competition, putting up 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 35% from three, per ESPN.

He has a versatile offensive game, capable of operating as a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop man. He’s a solid post player, able to exploit and shoot over smaller defenders. He put together a double-double, 24 points and 14 rebounds, in Ohio State’s first-round victory over North Dakota State:

A 6’7, 235 pound (almost identical to Quincy Acy) junior with a 7’2 wingspan , Bates-Diop finds himself somewhere between a three and a four. He lacks the quickness of an NBA three, and lacks the ball-handling acumen and quickness other wings possess.

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His future in the NBA likely projects as a stretch-four. His improvement shooting threes (32% in his freshman year, 21% last year, 35% this year) should make him more appealing to NBA teams. Much of his work, though, comes on mid-range pull-ups and isolation plays.

As the focal point of Ohio State’s offense, he’s dominated. It’s unclear if he’ll get the same opportunities in the NBA, though, and how much of a factor he can be without those opportunities. The Nets are thin at forward beyond Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and DeMarre Carroll with Quincy Acy set to hit free agency. If Bates-Diop is available, the Nets could add a talented scoring forward to fill the void.

With strong play of late, a deep tournament run could shoot him higher up in the draft. Bates-Diop and the Buckeyes will take on Gonzaga at 7:45 on Saturday.

Zhaire Smith

It’s unclear where Zhaire Smith will land. Zach Wasserman of Bleacher Report has him ranked as the 31st prospect. The Ringer’s draft guide has him ranked as the ninth best prospect. Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated didn’t list him in the top 60. There’s no certainty he’ll even enter the 2018 NBA Draft.

Nonetheless, Smith projects as an explosive, defensive-minded guard, Smith wowed in his first NCAA Tournament game with a 360 alley-oop:

TEXAS TECH’S ZHAIRE SMITH WITH A 360 🔄 ALLEY OOP FINISH IN A GAME❗️(via @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/xp1Hp8L1E8
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 15, 2018

Smith hasn’t put up remarkable offensive numbers, just 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. His efficiency, though, is impressive. During the season, he shot 56.3% from the field and and 42.4% from three, per ESPN. He’s capable, with multiple 20 point scoring outputs during the season. He just rarely puts up more than 10 shots per game.

A three star recruit out of high school, the freshman has garnered more attention as the season has progressed. Smith’s defensive acumen was key for the third best defense in the nation, per Ken Pomeroy’s rankings. He averaged more than one steal and one block per game this season. At 6’5, 195 pound guard, he has good size for a two in the NBA.

He’d be a nice fit alongside the Nets offensive-minded, ball-dominant guards. Having attracted attention in the Raiders’ first contest, Smith can continue to dazzle if Texas Tech goes on a run. They’ll be in action on Saturday at 8:40 against the Florida Gators.

Jacob Evans III

Evans is a well-rounded player that offers a number of skills NBA teams are seeking. Evans has been an efficient, high-volume three-point shooter during his sophomore and junior seasons at Cincinnati. He shot 41.8% from three last year, hitting 1.8 per game, and shot 37% this season while knocking down 1.9 per game.

A member of the Bearcats, Evans is an important cog in the second best defense in the nation. At 6’6 210 pounds, Evans’s size allows him to occupy both the two and the three. While not proficient at creating off the dribble, he did take charge to lead the Bearcats to a victory over Temple earlier this season:

https://twitter.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/949269765356269568

Evans projects as a three-and-D player in the NBA, but has a well-rounded game. He averaged 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.2 assist per game to go along with 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. In a win against six-seeded Houston in January, he had an impressive 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two threes. Cincinnati will be in action on Sunday against Nevada.