Ahead of NBA Draft, Arizona Basketball should have a big night

The NBA Draft is nearly here, and with moves still happening ahead of the draft, Arizona Basketball should have a big evening! 

The hype and anticipation are nearly over! After months of waiting, the NBA Draft is here and that means Arizona Basketball could have a potentially big evening.

Coming into the draft, Arizona is likely to have the trio of Bennedict Mathurin, Dalen Terry, and Christian Koloko drafted. The question; however, has been where will they end up?

Many projections have come and gone, with most having Mathurin being a Top 10 pick, while Terry and Koloko could be early second-round picks.

Luckily, as Terry and Koloko have continued to work out, both have steadily climbed the rankings, and recent projections have changed a bit, meaning, there is still a chance Arizona could have three players taken in the first round.

Here is the most recent look at the Arizona Basketball NBA Draft projections ahead of Thursday night’s draft.

Bennedict Mathurin

Shooting Guard
6’6″ / 210 lbs.
Latest NBA Projection: 1st Round, 5th pick (Detroit Pistons) – CBSSports

Bennedict Mathurin is full of surprises, and just as he did this past season with the Wildcats, he surprised many people with his athleticism, upside, and tremendous shooting ability.

To me, he has All-Star potential and given his length, athleticism, and versatility, he is going to make one lucky very happy.

He has a great motor and his defensive upside has made him a lock to be a Top 10 pick in the upcoming draft.

Dalen Terry

Guard/Forward
6’7″ / 195 lbs.
Latest NBA Projection: 1st Round, 20th pick (San Antonio Spurs) – CBSSports

As we all saw, Dalen Terry did a little bit of everything for Arizona Basketball as a high-level role player and key starter last season.

Primarily playing off the ball in several situations, Terry has the length and athleticism to thrive at the next level and has a shot that became more consistent as the season went on.

He is a hardworking kid with tremendous upside, and with the steady improvements he has made over the past several months, many have him now going in the first round.

Christian Koloko

Center
7’0″ / 221 lbs.
Latest NBA Projection: 2nd Round, 40th pick (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Sports Illustrated

Christian Koloko has developed into being one of the better centers in the draft this year, and just as we saw in Tucson, he became one of the top rim protectors in college basketball last season.

His athleticism and upside make him an intriguing prospect for many teams as he is likely to continue to improve on the offensive end, as well as be a solid defensive presence. When you consider those things, you can see why there’s a possibility he may slide into a late-first-round pick.