2016 NBA Draft Prospect Viewing Guide for ‘Feast Week’

Thanksgiving week: A time for America to gorge themselves with food, watch a lot of football and awkwardly interact with extended family members. Though football is the Thanksgiving sport that comes to mind, the true basketball fan knows that Thanksgiving is really the time for “Feast Week” — one of the best weeks of college basketball during the year.

We’ve gotten our first look at this year’s batch of college prospects, but this week brings us the best chance yet to evaluate many of the top guys against stiff competition. As per the rules of the prospect viewing guide, I’m only suggesting a max of two games to be watching for a single time slot.

Monday

2:30 PM ET – No. 17 Vanderbilt vs. St. John’s

The first game in the Maui invitational is a great one, as both Vandy and the Red Storm have some intriguing prospects to watch. Vanderbilt’s Junior big man Damian Jones has started off the year a little slow, but he’s a 7-footer with athleticism and some shooting touch. He’ll have a great chance to rebound over the course of the tournament. His teammate, Wade Baldwin, is a sophomore point guard who after surprising folks last year has started off the season with efficient and well-rounded play, and is looking like a potential draft sleeper.

St. John’s has two exciting European freshmen in Italian point guard Frederico Mussini and Spanish big Yankuba Sima. Both have played well to start the year and look like they should be a part of draft conversations in no time. Mussini’s 155 pound frame and underwhelming athleticism limit his NBA future, but he’s a skilled enough shooter and scorer that he could earn a second round selection. Sima, on the other hand, looks like he could be a first rounder by year’s end. He’s using his athletic 6-11 frame to average 10 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, and even has some shooting touch in the midrange. Watching him and Jones battle it out will be super interesting.

5:00 PM ET – No. 14 Indiana vs. Wake Forest

Indiana’s offense, full of firepower, is one of the most fun to watch in the country. On the perimeter, returners Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon and Troy Williams are all dynamic scorers, with Ferrell being a fantastic passer, Blackmon a great outside shooter and Williams an explosive athlete around the rim. They’re all probably future second rounders, though Williams would have a decent shot at the first if he ever gets a consistent outside shot.

On the interior is freshman Thomas Bryant, whose play to date has been some of the best of any freshman in the country. He’s a bit awkward in his movements, but he’s a pogo stick around the rim on both ends, and he’s even flashed the 3-point shot already this year. If he keeps up his strong play he’ll be firmly in the lottery conversation.

6:30 PM ET – NJIT at Providence

Any opportunity to watch Providence point guard Kris Dunn play at this point is one you should take. I mean he’s averaging 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 5 steals per game and has even managed to keep his turnovers down compared to last year. If he can continue to improve his decision making and his outside shot, he won’t be sitting in the green room for long come draft night. In the meantime, he’s probably the best player in college basketball, and a treat to watch.

7:00 PM ET – No. 23 LSU vs. Marquette

If Dunn isn’t the best player in the country, that’s because LSU freshmen Ben Simmons is already that freaking good. So far he’s been simply dominant and making it look like his game isn’t meant for the college level. Thankfully, against Marquette he’ll finally be facing interesting competition, and fellow freshmen forward Henry Ellenson squaring off with Simmons could be one of the best matchups all season. Ellenson started off the season well, but struggled in Marquette’s loss to Iowa and will be looking to show off his diverse offensive game with the spotlight on.

Alongside Simmons, freshman scoring guard Antonio Blakeney will try and keep up his scorching start to the season against an opponent that can at least somewhat match up with him athletically. Watch to see if Simmons is forced to test out his jump shot in this game, as he’s yet to take a 3-pointer so far this year.

9:30 PM ET – No. 1 North Carolina vs. Northwestern

UNC won’t be No. 1 for much longer, coming off their loss to Northern Iowa, but watching how their team comes back from such a tough loss will be interesting. The scoring load has been predictably balanced amongst Kennedy Meeks, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson, and guards Joel Berry and Nate Britt. The most interesting players on UNC remain Jackson and Theo Pinson for me, and I’m looking to see if either sophomore wing can step into a bigger role.

11:00 PM ET No. 15 California vs. Sam Houston State

Cal’s trifecta of Tyrone Wallace, Jaylen Brownand Ivan Rabb have all started the season off strong against weak competition. Sam Houston State won’t be the bump in level of play to truly test these guys, but seeing if they can keep up what has been really impressive performance from all of them is worth your time.

For Brown the key is his jump shot. We’re on a super small sample size right now, but 61 percent from the line and 25 percent from 3 is not how the freshmen wing would like to start off the year. Rabb’s been simply dominant in his only 22 minutes per game so far, so hopefully we’ll see him start to get a slightly longer leash as the season progresses.

11:30 PM ET – UNLV vs. UCLA

For UCLA, both forward Jonah Bolden and center Thomas Welsh are worth keeping an eye on as potential second round guys. Bolden has a freaky long frame with bounce and some offensive skill, while Welsh is a good athlete around the rim who runs the floor well.

On UNLV’s side is freshman big man Stephen Zimmerman, who faces his first real test of the year against Welsh’s size and athleticism. Zimmerman combines a skilled offensive face up game with the athleticism to protect the rim on the other end of the court, and so far is looking the part of a one-and-done type of guy. If he can maintain his level of play against stiffer competition he’ll be right in the conversation with Rabb and Bryant for most impressive freshmen big so far.

Tuesday 

7:00 PM ET – St. Francis at Louisville

This probably won’t be the most exciting game all week, but Louisville’s duo of 6-6 senior guard Damion Lee and big bodied 6-10 sophomore Chinanu Onuaku are always worth a watch. At age 23, Lee doesn’t have the most upside, but he’s got the size, athleticism and shooting stroke that will allow him to find a spot in the league in addition to solid handles and scoring ability. Onuaku isn’t the most exciting player on offense, but he’s a good athlete with long arms and great instincts on the defensive end, which allow him to rack up both steals and blocks. His lack of skill might make it hard for him to fit in the modern NBA, but he’s got good enough passing vision that I’m a big fan of his future.

7:30 PM ET – Maui Invitational “Game 7”

This time we get the winner of St. Johns-Vandy verse the winner of Indiana-Wake Forest, meaning a likely Indiana-Vandy game that should be a joy to watch. Wade Baldwin versus Yogi Ferrell on the perimeter and Damion Jones versus Thomas Bryant on the inside are both great matchups for draft junkies.

8:30 PM ET No. 3 Maryland vs. Illinois State

Note: St. Francis-Louisville probably won’t be very interesting at this point.

Maryland’s team performance has been a bit rocky to start the year, along with the play of their prospects. Melo Trimble and Jake Layman have both played similarly to last year, but it would be nice to see either of them show some marked improvement. Freshman big man Diamond Stone has struggled and has been limited to 17 minutes per game so far. His touch on the offensive end is evident, but it is unclear what else he brings to the table and he’s going to have to start proving he belongs in the top-20 conversation where he currently is.

9:00 PM ET – Boston University at No. 2 Kentucky

Kentucky’s load of NBA talent is always worth a watch, no matter the competition. All of Kentucky’s players have flashed both the good and the bad, particularly supposed top-10 picks Skal Labissiere and Jamal Murray. Skal needs to have more of a consistent impact on both ends of the floor, while Murray needs to show he can guard on the perimeter at a higher level. The rest of the Kentucky crew of prospects — Isaiah Briscoe, Tyler Ulis, Marcus Lee, Alex Poythress and Isaac Humphries — have all been interesting in their own right and are well worth continuing to monitor.

10:00 PM ET – Maui Invitational “Game 8”

I’m going to assume you can tune away from Maryland-Illinois State by now.

The winner of UCLA-UNLV from earlier in the day will get to play Kansas in all likelihood. Kansas isn’t as full of prospects as in year’s past (at least until Cheick Diallo becomes eligible) but will still make for an interesting opponent against hopefully Stephen Zimmerman and UNLV. Veterans Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden Jr. loom as potential second rounders, while the young talent of Carlton Bragg Jr. and Sviatoslav Mykhailuk are both young talents that have started off the season quietly, but could figure prominently in draft conversations if they manage to break out.

Wednesday

12:00 PM ET – No. 10 Gonzaga vs. Washington

Sophomore forward/center Domantas Sabonis comes off the bench for Gonzaga, but has clearly been their best player so far and is definitely their best long term prospect. He’s a super aggressive player on both ends of the court, a solid athlete and a fairly skilled player on the offensive end.

For Washington, athletic 6-9 freshman forward Marquesse Chriss has been a revelation with his ability to score and rebound the basketball. Watching him duel against Sabonis and the rest of Gonzaga’s formidable frontline will tell us a lot about how legit his hot start to the year is and just how much attention he should be demanding.

7:00 PM ET – Yale at No. 5 Duke

Yale is good enough to make this an interesting game, though Duke is well worth watching either way. Outside of the Kentucky game Grayson Allen has been simply dominant. If he can keep up his current level of play, it’s going to make it hard for scouts to figure out just how much they should balance one awful performance with a bunch of outstanding ones.

Freshman wing Brandon Ingram was not just bad in the Kentucky game but has looked unimpressive all year for Duke. Yale is the type of mid-level opponent that could allow him to get going, and he needs to prove that the top-5 hype for him isn’t as insane as it looks right now. Better effort level on both ends and more consistent shot making are the first steps for him regaining his standing.

9:30 PM ET – No. 19 Connecticut vs. No. 24 Michigan

For Connecticut, big man Amida Brimah and wing Daniel Hamilton aren’t the most exciting of prospects, but both could be second rounders when they enter the draft due to their NBA frames and athleticism for their position. Hamilton isn’t a very good scorer for a wing player, but he is a fantastic passer, making him an interesting guy to watch.

On the other end of the floor is senior wing Caris Levert, who seems to have stepped up his game so far this year, as many hoped he would’ve done last year before his season-ending injury. He’s a great outside shooter who can put the ball on the floor to create for himself and his teammates, and has the length and quickness to be a pest on defense. If he can put it together on both ends of the floor this year, it’s hard to see him not finding a place in the NBA.

10:00 PM ET – Maui Invitational Championship Game

My prediction is a Kansas vs. Indiana final, but whoever it is, it should make for an exciting game from both a scouts and fans perspective.

Thursday

1:00 PM ET – Battle 4 Atlantis Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 3

In all likelihood, this is just another chance to watch Sabonis play — assuming Gonzaga beats Washington, they will face the winner of Texas-Texas A&M in this game. Whoever the opponent, it should be a decent game, particularly if we get to see Sabonis versus Texas’s large frontline.

2:30 PM ET – Wichita State vs. USC

Not a game full of first round talents, but Wichita State’s backcourt of Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet are about as good as it gets at the college level and both could be second rounders in June. Baker has more hype as a prospect due to his chance of playing the backup 1 at 6-4, but Van Vleet excites me more due to his uncanny instincts on both ends of the court.

6:30 PM ET – No. 18 Notre Dame vs. Monmouth

Notre Dame’s duo of Demetrius Jackson and Zach Auguste have been fantastic thus far, with Jackson looking like a clear first round guy and Auguste looking like a deserved second rounder. Monmouth isn’t a great test for either due to their superior athleticism, but seeing if Jackson can keep up what has been incredible play so far should be interesting.

9:00 PM ET – Providence vs. Evansville

Another opportunity to watch Kris Dunn is another opportunity I’m happy to take. He’s on serious triple-double watch, and against a team like Evansville he could even be on quadruple-double watch with the way he wreaks havoc on the defensive end.

11:30 PM ET – No. 12 Arizona vs. Santa Clara

A game against Santa Clara won’t swing things one way or another, but freshman guard Allonzo Trier is looking like he may have been overlooked in the pre-season. He’s averaging 14 points per game in only 24 minutes and has the frame and athleticism to guard at the NBA level. If he can up his 22 percent shooting from outside — according to his reputation, he should be able to — he looks like he could be a late first round prospect.

12:00 PM ET – No. 15 California vs. San Diego State

If you can somehow manage to stay awake this long after your Thanksgiving meal, you’re in for a treat — and this time, not pumpkin pie (I’m sorry). San Diego State sophomore wing Malik Pope hasn’t been very impressive to start the year, but if he can show out against fellow wing Jaylen Brown and the rest of Cal’s talented squad, it will quiet a lot of the current doubters.

On Cal’s side, Brown, Wallace and Rabb all get a chance to show that they can be just as dominant against a talented squad like San Diego State, and Rabb, in particular, will be fun to watch against an experienced San Diego front court.

Friday

1:00 PM ET – Arkansas State at No. 20 Baylor

Versatile wing Taurean Prince has started off the year doing a good job distributing the ball and showing a little variety to his offensive game but has struggled to do what’s most important for his future by hitting outside shots. He needs to up his current 23 percent shooting from deep if he wants a chance at becoming a first rounder based on his 3-and-D potential.

3:00 PM ET – Battle 4 Atlantis Championship Game

It is most likely that this game will be Sabonis and Gonzaga versus either Connecticut or Michigan, either making for an intriguing game. If Michigan doesn’t advance this far, Levert will either be playing in the third place game at 12:30 or the 5th place game at 7:00. I’ll be watching to see if coach Mark Few ends up playing Sabonis significantly more than the starters in a big game like this.

5:00 PM ET – No. 2 Kentucky vs. South Flordia

Same old story with Kentucky here — we don’t get the most exciting of matchups, but nonetheless get to see Kentucky in action. At this point, the guy I’m most closely watching during Kentucky games is Skal. He doesn’t seem to have anywhere near the defensive instincts that Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel and Karl Towns had, and appears to have an offensive game more centered on his jump shot than his ability to score inside. If that continues to be the case, it’s fair to say I doubt he’ll be in the No. 1 pick conversation for all that much longer.

7:00 PM ET – No. 7 Iowa State vs. Virginia Tech

Iowa State has only played two games as of this writing, but point guard Monte Morris is currently averaging 13 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 3.5 steals while playing his typical efficient basketball. He doesn’t look like an NBA athlete at first glance, but if he keeps dominating the college game so thoroughly it’s going to be tough to keep his draft hype down.

9:00 PM ET – No. 16 Utah vs. Idaho State

Sophomore big man Jakob Poeltl has maybe been the best big man in the country so far this season in the five games he’s played. He’s providing his usual mobility on the perimeter, blocking shots (2.0 per game), rebounding the ball (9.8 per game), scoring way more than even I expected (20.8 per game with a 32-point performance against Temple), and doing so crazily efficiently from the field and by getting to the line (67 percent from field, 9.6 free throw attempts per game on 71 percent shooting). I loved Poeltl coming into the year because of how well-rounded he was in the pick-and-roll on both ends of the floor, but now he’s scoring at Jahlil Okafor levels of efficiency and volume.

It is 100 percent worth watching Utah to see if he can keep up such incredible play.