SAN DIEGO β One of the perks of playing in the NCAA Tournament is that the national exposure can often improve oneβs NBA Draft stock.
Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin is widely projected as a lottery pick in the first round. ESPN.com has the Arizona guard going No. 10 overall to the Portland Trail Blazers, while NBADraft.net predicts Mathurin to go sixth to the Sacramento Kings.
Depending on how he plays in the tournament, Mathurinβs stock could soar even higher.
The Star talked to ESPN draft expert and UA alumnus Mike Schmitz about Mathurinβs future, which other Wildcats could get drafted, and how Tommy Lloydβs coaching style will attract NBA-level players.
What is your overall impression on Arizona in Lloydβs first season?
A: βMan, theyβve been fun to watch. I think the way Tommy Lloyd has come in empowered these guys to play an NBA style where theyβre getting up and down, theyβre sharing the ball, theyβre shooting a lot of 3s and I think these guys are playing with a lot of confidence. You can tell that from Kerr Kriisa to Dalen Terry and all the way down. Itβs infectious and itβs been really cool to watch, that spirit spread throughout the whole group.β
What were your initial expectations at the beginning of the season?
A: βI thought they were gonna be really good, because I had gotten to know Tommy a little bit from his time at Gonzaga, and I had a feeling that some of his staff that he was putting together also β obviously, keeping Coach (Jack) Murphy, (Riccardo) Fois is a name that brings experience from the NBA and experience with the Italian National Team, heβs got experience from all over and heβs kind of like a hidden gem. Ken Nakagawa, Rem (Bakamus), TJ Benson β those guys come in with different experience and a winning culture. I thought they were going to be really good, and then you add in the fact that Sean Miller did a great job recruiting these guys, preparing these guys and getting them to understand how to play hard. You put all of that together and you have this perfect storm of things.
βListen, I didnβt think theyβd be one of the best teams in the country probably, but Iβm sure even theyβre surprised by how quickly itβs come together. I did have high hopes for them, knowing the people involved and the situational factors.β
Has Mathurin exceeded your expectations? Assuming he declares, where do you see him landing in the upcoming draft?
A: βHe looks like a lottery pick, top-10 pick, all those things. If you look at what NBA teams look for in that position, heβs a prototype (No.) 2-guard in todayβs game. Heβs young for his age, positional size, length and athleticism, and he can really shoot the ball. Every guy needs a βWhatβs your NBA skill?β And I think thatβs his NBA skill. You can run him off screens, shoot off the dribble.
βWhere Iβve been really impressed with is that heβs slowing down a little bit and making better decisions and added a floater, added some pocket passes, and when he really wants to he can defend. He checks a lot of the boxes that teams look for at that position. With the success that theyβre having, taking a guy from a winning program is always a plus, too. Heβs got a good chance to go in the top 10.ββBradley Beal, everyone wants to be like Bradley Beal with his shot-making ability, his touch. Jimmy Butler, in terms of his defensive toughness. These are the modern wings that guys study. If (Mathurin) can find some blend of all those guys, youβre talking about an All-Star for many, many years. If you have a bunch of names to compare yourself to, that usually means youβre sticking in the NBA for a long time.β
Christian Koloko, who was named the Pac-12βs Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player, is a name that has surfaced as a potential NBA draft prospect. What kind of player could he become at the next level?
A: βHis improvement is incredible. I remember him at Basketball Without Borders in L.A. β¦ I remember seeing him in the drills and he was about 170 pounds at the time, but you could see his length and the way he moved and how he played really hard. He had some movement to him that you didnβt really see with guys that size. Now to see how heβs developed his body, heβs more confident than heβs been in the past. The way Arizona has been playing, they have him more comfortable making entries from the elbow and playing out of hand-offs and short rolls, things that are important in the NBA. He has a couple clear skills that translate, like blocking shots. Heβs one of the better rim protectors in the country. And catching lobs. You have those vertical spacers that put a lot of pressure on the defense because of their ability to go up and finish. Heβs got a pretty high floor because of that.
βHeβs gotten better getting out on the perimeter and switching onto smaller guards. Thatβs something teams look for. Heβs like the Rudy Gobert of college basketball in some ways. If he continues to study that type of prototype, thatβs important for him. I think heβs got a chance to be a first-round pick, if he decides to leave. β¦ If this team makes a deep run, goes to the Final Four and Christian Koloko puts a lid on the rim every single game, itβs going to be hard (if youβre) drafting 25th and passing on a guy who you think can have an impact right away. Now, I think thereβs another level he can get to, if he were to come back and improve some other things. Itβs a good problem to have if youβre both parties.β
Who do you think can make a jump as a potential draft prospect?
A: βI think itβs Dalen Terry. I think Dalen is the one who you watch and notice heβs got his fingerprints all over the game with his energy. He plays with an infectious joy that I really like. Iβve been able to go to a couple practices and shootarounds to see what heβs like. He has a good way about him and when you talk to the staff, theyβll tell you heβs hungry for information. He wants to know, βWho am I guarding and what does he do? Whatβs the scouting report?β Heβs really a junkie about those types of things. Now itβs just about becoming a shooter and a better scorer in the halfcourt. Wings who can handle the ball, pass and have length, and heβs still really young, I think he has a real good chance in becoming a first-round pick in 2023, if he takes another step. β¦ I think heβs one of the best prospects on this team.β
How does Lloydβs coaching style translate to the NBA?
A: βGreat. If you look at the bigs they had at Gonzaga, like Domantas Sabonis, Brandon Clarke, all those great players from Gonzaga year after year, there are so many guys who have gone on to the NBA and in Europe. I think guys like that make it because itβs a very skill-oriented offense and itβs predicated on understanding where to be and making quick decisions and sharing the ball. Thatβs the way NBA teams want to play. They donβt want to play at this smash mouth, slow-it-down, pound-it-inside pace. You look at some of these college programs and it feels like youβre watching a different sport. I think NBA teams will feel comfortable knowing that theyβre drafting a guy who understands NBA terminology, spacing, the point-five mentality of getting off the ball and moving it. Itβs great for all these guys to come from that program, and I think a lot of these guys are going to have a chance.
βI think Kerr Kriisa is going to play in NBA games, I really do. With his toughness, you canβt teach the moxie and fearlessness that he has. I remember him when he was just 14 and he was the exact same way in Estonia. And (Azuolas) Tubelis, this guy is a walking double-double and his skill level and ability to handle the ball. I think this is just the beginning to be honest. I think itβs really cool to watch and I think Arizona fans should be excited for not just the present but the future as well.β