Studs built for today’s physical NBA
Watch the NCAA tournament for David Thorpe’s draft steals
BY DAVID THORPE
The only constant in the NBA is change, and the change this season was summarized by an NBA assistant coach who told me “they don’t call fouls anymore.” Every night some broadcast team is aghast at a no-call.
You know how you can adjust your phone’s sensitivity setting? The whole NBA is recalibrated, so—some star calls aside—it’s not a foul unless someone really gets clobbered. It already affects who goes to the line, who scores, and who wins. (Last week we wrote about how it’s leading to more fights.) With the 2025 draft, it’ll also affect who gets NBA jobs.
Think about that as you watch this year’s NCAA tournament. Duke is the toast of the town and a popular pick to win it all, thanks in large part to freshmen Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach. Heaven forbid, though, the NCAA officials let ‘em play like they do in the NBA. Those freshmen are vulnerable to what amounts to the muscliest draft class I have ever seen.
NCAA opponents are ready to rough up the Blue Devils. They’re good at it. In the SEC, they’ve been practicing all season. One team’s scouting report noted that Tennessee does a wonderful job fouling every single play, and only a tiny percentage of that contact is whistled. Players who train like that will be exceptionally ready for Duke, and, nowadays, for the NBA—if they’re big and strong enough.
They are. In person at the SEC tournament last weekend, it was almost breathtaking the degree to which college players are not beanpoles anymore. (Actual thing I overheard: “they’re sending their goon in.”) It’s a tough conference.
If this year’s draft is like most years, many teams will be stupid, and they will draft the guy who has never produced and never really won, but has some good measurements or skillset and is high in mock drafts.
There’s a better way: Use the draft to toughen your roster. We're going to find out which teams are smart–after the first five or ten picks, they’ll be drafting players who are built to thrive in the new, more physical NBA. They might average 11 points a game, with three assists, four rebounds–but they’re built like bodybuilders.
We are only just beginning to write about the 2025 draft. But for now, here is a list, that will grow over time, of some players who are not in most mock drafts, but who I believe have sneaky NBA potential:
ALIJAH MARTIN
Florida guard
6-2 fifth-year senior
Two seasons ago, before transferring to Florida, Alijah Martin led Florida Atlantic University to the Final Four, where he scored 26 points in the semi-final. He also won the MVP award at both a prestigious holiday tournament last season and at Damian Lillard’s Formula One camp. Martin’s a certified on-ball demon, the new kind of defender your team can’t live without. He is the top on-ball and perimeter defender for the SEC’s second-best defense (and KenPom’s tenth-best in the nation). In league play, Martin also led the nation’s best offense in 3-point shooting. Over his last three games he has made 14 of 17 2-pointers. He’s a captain and leader with a 6-7 wingspan and a 43-inch vertical. He projects to impact NBA games in the manner of Miles McBride or Alex Caruso.
ZAKAI ZIEGLER
Tennessee guard
5-9 Senior
Little guard with a huge on-ball demon game. An elite defender, winner, and leader. Ziegler’s quickness and power would make him a pain for any scoring point guard to go up against. To succeed in the NBA he’ll have to shoot better from 3, but it’s not hard to imagine he’ll figure that out. If he does, he’d help a lot of NBA teams as a backup guard.
CHRIS YOUNGBLOOD
Alabama guard
6-4 fifth-year senior
Chris Youngblood was the AAC conference player of the year last season at South Florida. Then he brought his toughness, leadership, and 39 percent 3-point shooting to Alabama. Alas, a lingering pre-season injury kept him from truly showing off his elite 3-and-D game. Healthy, I see him as Josh Hart with a better 3. He’s a winner and a culture builder who was very athletic before the injury, and hopefully will be bouncy again in time for his draft workouts.
DENVER JONES
Auburn guard
6-4 senior
Like most players on this list, Jones plays with more famous teammates. But the NBA needs players who can defend like crazy while making 42 percent from 3. His game tape shows more craft with the ball than most shooters. Auburn is the top seed in the tournament without a single NBA lottery pick, in a college conference bulging with talent. How? The answer is guys like Jones, efficient on offense who can make opponents struggle on the other end.
JAHMAI MASHACK
Tennessee guard
6-4 senior
Watch this highlight reel. Mashack is powerful, quick, and athletic. He gets his role and embraces it. He’s a decent shooter (36 percent from 3) who made one of the biggest shots of the regular season to steal a win against Alabama. Players like Mashack get overlooked because of pedestrian box score averages, but he could do wonders for plenty of NBA rosters. Reluctant to shoot now, the NBA tends to solve that.
WILL RICHARD
Florida guard
6-4 senior
I asked a smart SEC coach with NBA experience what he thought of Richard as an NBA prospect. His one-word reply: “Interesting.” Long and athletic, Richard is a 3-and-D wing who competes hard, makes 36 percent of his 3s, and is a big part of Florida’s success. Like many Florida players, he’ll have to hone his shot selection at the next level, but that’s not hard to imagine.
CHAZ LANIER
Tennessee guard
6-4 senior
For a while, Lanier was in the running for National and SEC Player of the year. He lagged a bit in SEC play, but finished well. I see a lot of Rip Hamilton in his game. He’s potentially an elite scorer, who can shoot from deep–making 40 percent of his 3s. And he played for the best defense in America. NBA teams will pick younger guards ahead of him, but Lanier’s floor is much higher.
GRANT NELSON
Alabama forward
6-11 fifth-year senior
Nelson, who tweaked his knee in Alabama’s last game and is listed as day-to-day, plays as hard as anyone in the country. That’s a talent. Although he’s 6-11, he handles and passes like a guard, and moves his feet well on defense. He can thrive in dribble drive offenses (hello OKC!) and the intensity of his competitive drive will give him a chance to make it. Another reason he’d be great on the Thunder: they have one of the league’s best shooting coaches, and Nelson will need it to succeed in the NBA.
AMARI WILLIAMS
Kentucky center
7-0 senior
A long and mobile big, Williams plays mostly on the perimeter. He’s effective pushing the ball, playing in the pinch post, rebounding, and blocking shots. The right offense would take advantage of his incredible passing. If he can develop a perimeter shot—he made just a quarter of his 3s this season—he has a chance to get a lot of NBA minutes.
And one to watch for next season:
MOUHAMED DIOUBATE
Alabama forward
6-7 sophomore
Every game, the Crimson Tide staff award a hard hat to the player who makes the most blue collar plays. “Mo D” usually wins. There are some college players I know personally. Outside of them, Dioubate is my favorite player in college. I think of Dioubate as a powerful and athletic Chuck Hayes, or a smaller Kevon Looney.
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Good article! You can tell coach Thorpe lives in the Southeast, however. Any players like this in the Big 10 or 12 or East?