Tuesday marks the start of one of the most competitive conference tournaments in the country, the Big 12. For my money, the best conference in college basketball will feature some of the best teams and NBA Draft talent in the country, starting on Tuesday. The bracket can be found below.
As for the players you should be keeping an eye on,
there are several known guys in this draft class. Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Kingston Flemings will all be in this tournament. However, there is more to this group than just the headliners. Let’s dive in.
The known commodities
AJ Dybantsa (F, BYU)
Season stats: 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists
Dybantsa’s team is starting the earliest out of these three, as his tenth seeded Cougars must win five games in five days to win the title. BYU is entirely Dybantsa’s after the injury to Richie Saunders, and his offensive numbers bear that out, as AJ is leading the country in scoring. One thing I would like to see from Dybantsa in this tournament is a renewed defensive focus. BYU has been putrid defensively all year, and that has been even worse as of late. Draft range: Top three.
Darryn Peterson (G, Kansas)
Season stats: 19.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists
We asked if Darryn Peterson could consistently string games together, and he has played at least 29 minutes in five straight. The issue is that Kansas has lost three out of those five, including getting swept on the Arizona trip they took, losing to both Arizona and Arizona State. This will present a different challenge for Peterson, as there will be no rest between these contests. To win the tournament, he’ll have to win three games in three days. Draft range: Top three.
Kingston Flemings (G, Houston)
Season stats: 16.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists
Houston is not the same team as last year, as noted by their four conference losses. However, these Cougars could potentially go all the way in part because of Flemings, who has been nothing short of fantastic this season. The Cougars have a favorable draw, as they should coast into the semifinals, where they will likely see the Kansas team that beat them by 20 a few weeks back. For Flemings, can he up the three point volume in these tournament settings when Houston needs some offensive pop? Instead of just over two attempts per game, it would be great to see that get closer to four. Draft range: Four to seven.
The guards
Brayden Burries (G, Arizona)
Season stats: 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Burries is quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects in the entire class. For this Arizona team, he’s not asked to do much in the way of playmaking, but Burries is excellent as a secondary initiator. He’s also 37% from three, defends well and has a great motor. This is a player that doesn’t get enough respect Nationally, but he will once he has a March moment. Draft range: Back half of the lottery, closer to the top than the bottom.
Christian Anderson (G, Texas Tech)
Season stats: 19.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.8 assists
What Christian Anderson has been able to do this year has been a Godsend to the Red Raiders, who have been without JT Toppin for the last few weeks after he tore his ACL. Anderson is shooting nearly 43% on eight three point attempts per game, which makes him one of the best shooters in the class. To top it off, he averages nearly eight assists per game while regularly playing all 40 minutes. I’d like to see him improve with how he handles pressure, specifically blitz and hedges in pick and roll. Other than that, there’s not much to dislike. Draft range: Mid to late first round.
Cam Carr (G, Baylor)
Season stats: 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Tounde Yessoufou (G/F, Baylor)
Season stats: 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Baylor’s year has been thrown off track due to injuries and the lack of point guard, but that hasn’t stopped Carr and Yessoufou from being productive players. Carr is nearly shooting 50/40/80, which is remarkable for a team that is so stagnant offensively. I think there’s something here with both he and Yessoufou, who is much stockier and a better defender. Both guys likely fall in the late first, with Yessoufou potentially sliding into the late second due to worse shooting numbers. However, both are the kind of guys an NBA franchise should be comfortable taking fliers on.
The frontcourt
Koa Peat (F, Arizona)
Season stats: 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists
It’s been an uneven season for Koa Peat, who might not even come out for the NBA Draft at this rate. However, that could be for the best, as next year’s class is much weaker and Peat could easily find himself in the top five of the class through some simple efficiency gains. Draft range: mid to late first round.
Mo Krivas (C, Arizona)
Season stats: 10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists
If Peat has been trending down lately, the arrow is pointed straight up for Krivas. The 7’2” center has been truly fantastic for the Cats, playing in all 31 games coming off of a knee injury last year. Krivas is nearly 60% from the floor, which is complimented by shooting nearly 37% from three and almost 80% at the foul line. The indicators are there that this could be a stretch big. He’s not quite as big as a Donovan Clingan. But, if you squint… Draft range: Late first or back to school.
Joshua Jefferson (F, Iowa State)
Season stats: 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists
On the whole, Jefferson has been phenomenal this season. The numbers he has put up this season rival that of any forward in the country, especially when you look at what he does in the assist category. Iowa State can get really stagnant at times, especially if the outside shots aren’t falling. That puts a ton on Jefferson’s plate, and he has produced time and time again. One thing to look for here is more efficiency, as Jefferson really struggled down the stretch. With fresh legs, expect an uptick. Draft range: Late first.
Milan Momcilovic (F, Iowa State)
Season stats: 17.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists
If you don’t know the name, you should probably start to. This man is the single best three point shooter in the country. On the season, Momcilovic is shooting 50% from three on seven and a half attempts per game. That’s ABSURD! He is going to be drafted, and it could be even higher than you and I would think. Draft range: Second round.
Flory Bidunga (C/F, Kansas)
Season stats: 13.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists
I have a type, and Bidunga is not that type for me. Undersized bigs who can’t shoot can be productive players in the NBA, but they need to be surrounded by perfect pieces to compliment their game. I don’t think the Mavericks are that, so I don’t spend much time on him. However, he’s very energetic and fits Kansas well. Draft range: Early second round.
