Buckle up for the Final Four! Can any of these impending games unseat some of the truly bonkers March Madness contests we’ve enjoyed thus far?
And, more importantly for Chicago Bulls fans, can some of these remaining young stars in the NCAA Tournament greatly improve their 2026 NBA Draft prospects?
Let’s dig in.
2026 NBA Draft Prospects — Stock Up
Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
We bet you thought we were going to talk about Keaton Wagler yet again? Not this week. We feel like we’ve talked your ear off. You get it. You see the big upside (can score against anybody) and the downside (defense). Josh also covered Wagler’s rising draft stock earlier this week.
So let’s look at Brayden Burries.
© Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesOn Saturday, Burries will do his darnedest to punch a ticket to the Championship Game by besting the mighty Michigan, a Big Ten club filthy with pro prospects. In fairness, Arizona power forward Koa Peat will do his darnedest to handle the Wolverines’ stacked frontcourt. Center Motiejus Krivas — an early second-round prospect — could help, too.
The All-Big 12 honoree has elevated his game for the NCAA Tournament. Through the Wildcats’ four Big Dance wins so far, Burries has been averaging 17.8 points on .579/.684/.824 shooting splits, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks a night across just 30.3 minutes per.
Yaxel Lendeborg, PF, Michigan
Lendeborg has flashed some surprising handles during the Wolverines’ return to the Final Four this season.
Michigan has three players who are expected to be possible first-round picks this season: Lendeborg, power forward Morez Johnson Jr., and center Aday Mara.
But Lendeborg has been the standout. The consensus All-American absolutely massacred Nate Ament’s Tennessee Vols while guiding Michigan to a dominant Elite Eight victory.
In a 95-62 win, Lendeborg scored 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor (3-of-9 from long range) and 4-of-7 shooting from the foul line, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four dimes, blocked two shots, and picked up a steal.
Hard to overstate Yaxel Lendeborg’s impact in an absolute shellacking of Tennessee.27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 0 turnovers in a 30+ point Elite Eight win.Imposes his will on both ends while playing within his means, bringing competitive fire, and… t.co/2qqtXpcOrq pic.twitter.com/J9075GSVUB
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) March 29, 2026Lendeborg is an incredibly polished product. This season, he’s been averaging 15.2 points while slashing .520/.372/.816, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals per bout.
What’s holding him back, probably more than anything else, in the draft standings is something he can’t really help: his age. He had three years of junior college seasoning, spent two seasons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is now running roughshod at Michigan.
Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn
The longer Mullins lasts in the tournament, the more he can impress pro scouts.
That insane near-halfcourt trey (see below) to seal Connecticut’s 19-point comeback over the favored Duke helped cement the freshman shooting guard’s legend at the NCAA level.
© Amber Searls-Imagn ImagesStill, it would help if he boosted his scoring in his Final Four matchup. The 2026 Big East All-Freshman Teamer scored just 10 points in that contest, on 4-of-10 shooting from the floor (1-of-5 from deep) and 1-of-1 shooting from the foul line, while grabbing a rebound.
During this likely one-and-done collegiate season, Mullins has been averaging 11.9 points while slashing .434/.328/.886 shooting splits. The numbers might not pop off the page, but his deep sniping ability at high volumes should make him a fun fit somewhere in the league.
2026 NBA Draft Prospects — Stock Down
Cayden Boozer, G, Duke
Given that his bizarre turnover blew the Blue Devils’ chance of salvaging an Elite Eight victory against UConn and knocked Duke out of the playoffs, Cameron’s less-heralded twin brother may need some more college seasoning.
OH MY GOODNESS ?UCONN LEADSSSS UNBELIEVABLE #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/IPX2JWiw0b
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026He doesn’t have above-the-rim athleticism, but has the size and strength to compete against NBA-size backcourts. Much vaunted for his defense, Boozer might get picked apart by scouts (unfairly) for one terrible decision.
In 38 games mostly off the bench, the NCAA All-Region freshman averaged 7.7 points on .500/.303/.813 shooting splits, 3.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.8 steals a night.
Isaiah Evans, SG/SF, Duke
The All-ACC honoree was an absolute no-show during the Connecticut loss. Evans scored just seven points on 2-of-6 shooting in 29 minutes of action, while passing for zero assists and pulling down zero rebounds.
For the season, the sophomore guard has been averaging an appetizing 15.0 points on .433/.361/.860 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. To his credit, Evans looked pretty great against St. John’s, scoring 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field (4-of-8 from beyond the arc) and 1-of-2 free throw shooting, while pulling down four rebounds.
ISAIAH EVANS WITH THE DRIVE AND SLAM ?(via @MarchMadnessMBB)pic.twitter.com/ROEUrc8Qqp
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 27, 2026His lack of a passing game throughout his NCAA career reinforces his upside as more of a catch-and-shoot piece.
Evans’ defense, of course, came under the microscope after he failed to even put a hand up against Mullins’ game-winning bucket in that UConn loss. Will he now linger in Duke for an extra year and try to live down this painful Huskies moment?
Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston
Considered a fairly undercooked prospect, Cenac struggled to make much of an impact on a good Cougars club this month.
Listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, he has plenty of athleticism and size to impress at the NBA level, but Cenac’s scoring has been suspect.
He scored a scant seven points while shooting 2-of-4 from the floor during Houston’s first-round victory over Idaho, while notching six points on 3-of-12 shooting in an early 65-55 Sweet 16 defeat. Cenac had snuck into the late lottery in midseason mocks, but has since slipped to being more of a mid-first round guy — at least, according to Tankathon.
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