March Madness Edition (7 Days of NBA)

Hey everyone! This week I decided to change it up since it was a relatively slow week for the NBA and talk about the big basketball event that is about to start: March Madness. Many of our favorite NBA stars played in the tourney, and no matter how big or small of a college fan you here, it seems like everyone makes a bracket. I'm gonna show my sleeper picks, the top players (that we'll most likely see in the NBA next year), and reveal my completed bracket and who I think will win this year.

Sleepers:

1. Texas Tech

My big sleeper pick this year is Texas Tech, who are a 6 seed in the South. Tech is led by transfer guard Mac McClung, who averages 15.7 points per game and looks to be a prospect for the NBA. He is a legit scorer who can create his own bucket and lead the offense. Including McClung, Texas Tech has 4 guards who average at least 10 PPG, which shows their depth at guard and the ability for the bench to come in and score. Marcus Santos-Silva is their big man, which is unique to their small-ball strategy being 6'7". I think the small ball gameplan will work well to stretch out the defense and allow the guards to find great shots. I personally think Tech would have the easiest 3 seed to play in Arkansas, and if Ohio St and/or Baylor have an off night and McClung gets the scoring going, they can be a legit sleeper.

2. Ohio

Usually every year, there is one double-digit seed that at least gets to the Sweet 16. This year, my pick for that is the Ohio Bobcats, led by their great point guard Jason Preston. Preston averages 16.6 ppg while shooting nearly 41% from 3. They also have a talented forward in Dwight Wilson III who is a contender for a double double every time he plays, averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds a night. Ohio is a fantastic offensive machine, and while their defense can lack, they can score with most teams in the tourney. I think the underperforming Virginia team is a great matchup for the Bobcats, and I see them being able to make a run to at least the second weekend.

3. Purdue

In an extremely deep Big Ten, the Purdue Boilermakers seemed to fall into the shadows. Purdue finished 4th in the regular season, ahead of a 2 seed in this year's NCAA tournament, Ohio State. Purdue took Ohio St. to overtime in the Big Ten tourney before falling, but I saw a lot of potential in them. Trevion Williams is the star big man on the team, who earned Big Ten First Team this season. Once you get him down in the post, he can score on anybody with his expansive arsenal of moves and can get a board when they need one. Jaden Ivey is a solid scorer from the guard spot and Sasha Stefanovic shoots 40% from behind the arc. The one problem I see with Purdue is their depth, but if their main guys stay healthy and play up to their potential, I can see them coming out of the shadows of the leaders in the Big Ten.

Top Players:

Cade Cunningham, PG, Oklahoma State

Cade is the consensus #1 pick in the upcoming draft and is the ultimate player that every bad NBA team wants to help in rebuilding. Cunningham lead the Cowboys to a 4 seed in the tourney and got them to the Big 12 championship. He is averaging 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game shooting 41% from 3. He is a big guard at 6'8" who can get boards, hit tough shots, create open looks for his teammates, and clamp up anyone from the 1-4 spot on the other team. He is everything you would want in your prospect and should be able to lead the Cowboys to at least 2 wins.

Corey Kispert, SF, Gonzaga

Kispert is the leader of the top team in the country, which should put him high up on draft boards. The Bulldogs clinched the top spot in the tourney with a 26-0 season. Kispert averaged 19.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He isn't a stat stuffer, but he is a legit scorer who can fit in great with any offense. It's hard to overlook Corey's leadership and winning he has had in his career. He is a senior, which means his ceiling may not be as high as other prospects, but you know what you'll get with Kispert: a tall forward who can get you a basket.

Evan Mobley, C, USC

The primary reason why USC is in this season's tournament, Mobley is the top big man in almost every single mock draft. Averaging 16.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3 blocks each game, Mobley is an athletic 7 foot big guy who can dominate the basket. Being a big man in the NBA requires being agile and athletic while also working your way for rebounds, and Mobley fills all those criteria. USC may not make it far due to the team around him, but it's hard to overlook Evan Mobley.

My Bracket:

After a thoughtful time making my bracket, this is my final product. There may be some bias, but I do think that Michigan is one of the most completely well-rounded teams in March Madness. I think if Isaiah Livers can come back, Michigan is definitely a favorite. Illinois is also intriguing due to their great play from Ayo, Kofi and Curbelo. The only reason I didn't pick Illinois is because if Ayo has an off night and Kofi gets into foul trouble, they may have some struggles. I think this is one of the most well-rounded brackets in quite a long time and there is no obvious choice. What do you think of my bracket? Let me know in the comment section.

Next Week I will be back with NBA Blogs!