2019 NBA Draft: Top 10 prospects to watch during March Madness

By Tony Pesta | Mar 21, 2019

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Teammates Zion Williamson #1, RJ Barrett #5, and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

8. Brandon Clarke — F (Gonzaga)

In his third collegiate season and first for Gonzaga, Brandon Clarke is proving his worth. After transferring from San Jose State, Clarke has elevated his game and become a key member for Gonzaga, which is the 1-seed in the West region.

This season, Clarke is putting up 16.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. He is an outstanding rim protector. With over 100 total blocked shots this season, Clarke ranked third among all NCAA players in this category.

Clarke is a player who seems like he is always running. His motor never ends and a team will never question whether he’s giving 100 percent effort. This has been a major reason for his success in college and should translate well to the NBA level.

However, there are some serious problems for Clarke. He is undersized at only 6’8″ and shoots a horrid 28.8 percent from the 3-point line. In a league where 3-point shooting is becoming more and more important, it will be tough to imagine Clarke succeeding without expanding his range.

Still, he has already shown that he is willing to work hard at improving his game. Even if he doesn’t translate to the NBA, his defensive capabilities and finishing around the rim should be enough to do damage in the NCAA Tournament.