With March Madness in the rearview mirror, the attention of fans whose teams are not in the playoffs will turn to the NBA Draft. By now most people have heard about Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, the centers for Duke and Kentucky. In fact, they probably know all about the myriad future pros comprising those rosters.
But there are other schools too! These are three underrated prospects that aren't being talked about enough.
Montrezl Harrell, C Louisville
Harrell is a 6'8 beast that seems outdated by today's 3-point happy NBA standards. He averaged 15 points and nine boards for the Cardinals this season, and helped them reach the Elite 8, where they took Michigan State to overtime, even though they lost their third-leading scorer in the middle of conference play.
He was a 56 percent shooter this year, and he isn't a 3-point shooter, but he isn't necessarily afraid to launch one here and there. Harrell was uncommonly productive on offense for a player with his size and ability on the defensive end. Harrell will never be the stretch-four that NBA coaches covet these days, but he has the potential to be a force on the boards and a high-level post defender. He can also be an ideal small-ball center.
Branden Dawson, F Michigan State
With the rise of one-in, four-out offenses in the pro ranks, length on the perimeter is now a must. Dawson offers just that; he is a 6'6 forward that can guard wing players as well as clean the glass. As a senior for the Spartans Dawson averaged 11.9 points and 9.1 boards and was pivotal for the Spartans making a Final Four run as a No. 7 seed.
Dawson has warts. He was a 49 percent free throw shooter this year and didn't attempt a single 3-pointer. Those skills can be learned though. His athleticism, on the other hand, can't be taught.
Stefan Moody, G Ole Miss
At 5'10 it's very likely that Moody returns to school. However after some of his performances toward the end of the season it wouldn't be a shock if he left. Moody is a born scorer, and even though he's at a severe height disadvantage, his superior athletic ability will allow him to make plays against any competition.
Moody, like Nate Robinson, is a gifted 3-point shooter. That skill above all else will allow him to hang with the taller players on an NBA court. He shot 35 percent from deep this season on 6.5 attempts per game.
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