Top 10 NBA Prospects in the Big East
Ahead of conference tournament week, let's dive into the players with the most NBA intrigue
Casual basketball fans (and big NBA fans) really start to pay attention to the college season around the start of the NCAA Tournament. March Madness is always a coveted time for getting eyes on future NBA players in high-pressure situations as they perform on the big stage.
In our world, college tournament week tends to be my favorite week of the year. Conference-level intensity provides for some fascinating matchups, particularly as teams duel for the second or even third time. There are more games on television, lots of even matchups, and the opportunity to see how players handle back-to-back situations. It’s a glorious week of hoops.
So in advance of next week’s multitude of conference tournaments, we’re giving a preview of seven of the most loaded conferences with pro talent. We’ll provide a prospect review for the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-12, SEC, and American Athletic Conference in terms of the best immediate draft prospects that NBA fans should get to know and scouting departments are watching closely.
Today’s installment takes us to the Big East, where the [potentially] best prospect in college basketball resides, a ton of teams are filled with multi-year impact players, and there’s no shortage of intriguing long-term players. This is a deep conference of teams and of fringe NBA prospects. There are a few who catch our eye as first-round targets, but correctly scouting the rest of the Big East can bring those high return-on-investment second-rounders that so many teams covet.
Honorable Mentions: Manny Bates, Butler; Souley Boum, Xavier; Eric Dixon, Villanova; Ujoma Gibson, DePaul; David Jones, St. John’s; Kam Jones, Marquette; Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton; Brandon Murray, Georgetown; Ryan Nembhard, Creighton; KC Ndefo, Seton Hall; Olivier-Maxcene Prosper, Marquette; Adama Sanogo, Connecticut
Long-term guys not ready yet: Mark Armstrong, Villanova; Desmond Claude, Xavier; Kam Craft, Xavier; Alex Karaban, Connecticut
10. Justin Moore - CG, Villanova
Those who follow my draft coverage year after year are aware of rule #47: never bet against a Jay Wright guard. Moore’s impact for the Wildcats has been notable since his return, propelling Villanova to a late-season surge. He hasn’t shot the ball the way he’s capable of, but his intensity on defense and confidence on offense matters. The Wildcats may not get to the NCAA Tournament, and Moore could come back for an additional season next year. But if we’re simply talking about guys outside of the top-75 in the Big East who could turn into good pros, Moore is a must-mention player.
9. Baylor Scheierman - W, Creighton
Scheierman profiles best as a long-range sniper and shooting specialist. But he’s got more to his game than just being a spot-up threat. Scheierman is a smart passer within a team system, and he’s somewhat crafty around the hoop. Defense will be a challenge for Baylor at times, but he isn’t your typical shooting specialist. He’ll get a look from some team, and he’s got a real toughness to him.
8. Donovan Clingain - P, Connecticut
I’m not as high on Clingain as others seem to be. He’s absolutely massive and has incredibly soft hands. He catches nearly everything, eats up space near the rim, and finishes effectively on righty hooks. In deep drop coverages, Clingain can be effective on defense, and his competitiveness as a freshman has helped the Huskies a ton.
Mobility isn’t his strong suit, though, and he has a body and frame that we wouldn’t expect to hold up over the long-term. Clingain is a good player and supremely effective in college; he could turn into the next Zach Edey. But we aren’t overly excited about him as a pro prospect… just not our cup of tea or the guy we’d chase at such a young age.
7. Arthur Kaluma - F, Creighton
Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma checks every single box in theory. He’s long and powerful, athletic and smooth, built at 6’8”, and can shoot the ball from deep. Kaluma has a devastating pump fake (I swear he gets one guy to bite on it every game), and that tends to be his only source of gaining separation as a driver. The shot is solid (32% from 3 on the season) but nobody should be running him off the line or chasing shot fakes.
Coming into the season, hopes were high for Kaluma to become a first-round pick and a defensive-stopper at the 4.
There are some real encouraging games from Kaluma where he’s confident on offense and looks the part on defense. But there are also too many games where Kaluma blends into the background and doesn’t play like a future pro. He’d be an interesting second-round flier, but there’s still a lot to fix and clean up to get the most out of him.
6. Bryce Hopkins - ATH, Providence
A tough-as-nails 6’6” bucket, Hopkins made the 100% right decision to transfer to Providence and leave Kentucky. His athleticism and physical nature are accentuated with the Friars, and he has grown a great deal as a perimeter scorer. He’s shooting almost 40% from 3 on decent volume, something we did not think would happen in just one year’s time.
Whether Hopkins declares for the draft this year or comes back to Providence remains to be seen. If he leaves, Hopkins should be drafted or one of the first-signed UDFA players. His strength and toughness are very real, and his physicality on the wings can help some NBA teams if he continues to refine his skill package. The Friars aren’t the most aesthetically-pleasing team to watch at all times, but they compete like hell and are insanely together as a group.