PORTLAND, Ore. — The men's NCAA tournament is a great time for basketball fans to get a closer look at the country's top college players and NBA prospects.
Not all of the top projected picks in this summer's NBA draft will be playing. Projected top pick Victor Wembanyama won't be there. The 7-foot-3 French prodigy doesn't play for a college in the United States so he won't be participating in March Madness.
The same goes for projected second pick Scoot Henderson and a couple other projected Top 10 picks in brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson. All three chose alternative, non-college pathways to the NBA. Henderson plays for the G League Ignite and the Thompson brothers suit up for Overtime Elite.
Some other lottery-projected players didn't make it to the NCAA tournament, including Villanova small forward Cam Whitmore, UCF power forward Taylor Hendricks, Ohio State small forward Brice Sensabaugh and Michigan shooting guard Jett Howard (all freshmen). Some of those players are competing in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
Outside of those prospects, there are a handful of players expected to hear their names called early in this summer's NBA draft who will be playing in first-round games Thursday and Friday.
That should be of particular interest to fans of the Portland Trail Blazers, who could have two first-round picks this summer, including a lottery pick for the second year in a row, and other fans of NBA teams expected to have draft selections among the Top 14 picks.
Here's how to watch the top NBA prospects in Thursday and Friday's first-round NCAA tournament games (all times PT):
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Brandon Miller, Alabama, SF
When: (1) Alabama vs. (16) Texas A&M-CC, Thursday, 11:45 a.m., CBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-9, 200-pound freshman (age 20) is averaging 19.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while shooting 40.1% on more than seven 3-point attempts per game.
Current projected draft range: Top 3
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Jarace Walker, Houston, PF
When: (1) Houston vs. (16) Northern Kentucky, Thursday, 6:20 p.m., TNT
Player profile: The 6-foot-8, 240-pound freshman (age 20) is averaging 11.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Current projected draft range: Top 10
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Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas, PG
When: (8) Arkansas vs. (9) Illinois, Thursday, 1:30 p.m., TBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-5, 185-pound freshman (age 19) is averaging 14.0 points and 2.0 assists per game. Only played in 14 games so far this season.
Current projected draft range: Top 10
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Keyonte George, Baylor, SG
When: (3) Baylor vs. (14) UC Santa Barbara, Friday, 10:30 a.m., TNT
Player profile: The 6-foot-4, 185-pound freshman (age 19) is averaging 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Current projected draft range: Top 10
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Cason Wallace, Kentucky, PG
When: (6) Kentucky vs. (11) Providence, Friday, 4:10 p.m., CBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-4, 193-pound freshman (age 19) is averaging 11.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
Current projected draft range: Top 10 to late lottery
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Anthony Black, Arkansas, SG
When: (8) Arkansas vs. (9) Illinois, Thursday, 1:30 p.m., TBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-7, 198-pound freshman (age 19) is averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
Current projected draft range: Late lottery (10-14)
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Gradey Dick, Kansas, SG
When: (1) Kansas vs. (16) Howard, Thursday, 11 a.m., TBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-8, 205-pound freshman (age 19) is averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 39.9% on nearly six 3-point attempts per game.
Current projected draft range: Late lottery
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Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana, PG
When: (4) Indiana vs. (13) Kent State, Friday, 6:55 p.m., TBS
Player profile: The 6-foot-6, 213-pound freshman (age 20) is averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Current projected draft range: Late lottery
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SCHEDULE (in chronological order)
(All times PT)
Thursday's games
11 a.m. — (1) Kansas vs. (16) Howard, TBS | Player to watch: Gradey Dick, Kansas (uniform number 4)
11:45 a.m. — (1) Alabama vs. (16) Texas A&M-CC, CBS | Player to watch: Brandon Miller, Alabama (uniform number 24)
1:30 p.m. — (8) Arkansas vs. (9) Illinois, TBS | Players to watch: Nick Smith Jr. (uniform number 3) and Anthony Black, Arkansas (uniform number 0)
6:20 p.m. — (1) Houston vs. (16) Northern Kentucky, TNT | Player to watch: Jarace Walker, Houston (uniform number 25)
Friday's games
10:30 a.m. — (3) Baylor vs. (14) UC Santa Barbara, TNT | Player to watch: Keyonte George, Baylor (uniform number 1)
4:10 p.m. — (6) Kentucky vs. (11) Providence, CBS | Player to watch: Cason Wallace, Kentucky (uniform number 22)
6:55 p.m. — (4) Indiana vs. (13) Kent State, TBS | Player to watch: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana (uniform number 1)