EG’s stock is down (Stephen Hill)

Every year, March serves as a valuable rake for NBA scouts to help weed out NBA pretenders and legit prospects. In ‘07, Mike Conley Jr. went from being Greg Oden’s point guard to the fastest kid in the tourney. He carried the Buckeyes past Georgetown when Oden spent nearly the entire first half on the bench in foul trouble. And in the National Championship, he looked quicker than Taurean Green. That’s what earned him Top 5 money. Also in ‘07, Nick Young jumped to the Wizards at No-16 after he stole the show from Kevin Durant in USC’s 87-68 win over Texas to go to the Sweet 16. Young had 22 and 7 in that game, and averaged 19 points and 7 boards during the tourney.

But the Madness can also create future NBA disasters: Case in point, Patrick O’Bryant. In ‘06, O’Bryant mushed Pitt’s Aaron Gray for 28 points and 7 boards, making NBA scouts heads spin even though he only averaged 13.3 points during the regular season. Leading Bradley to the Sweet 16 was the only reason O’Bryant was taken 9th overall. Now, he’s warming pine for Golden State, and is only mentioned during March as a warning to NBA GM’s about the momentum the tourney can give to otherwise questionable prospects.

Check out how the ‘08 Dance has affected the draft board so far…

Stock Up

Stephen Curry: Through the roof. Even more impressive than the 70 points that he’s scored in two tourney games is the fact that he’s scored 55 of those points in the second halves of Davidson’s two wins. Dick Vitale called his performance in these two rounds the “best I’ve ever seen” over the last ten years. But realistically, how high can this 6-3 sophomore go come draft day? Size and strength is a serious problem - at 185 lbs., he’s skin-and-bones in an NBA arena, and doesn’t have the outright speed to get past an NBA point guard. But his ability to square to the basket in the blink of an eye and sink jumpers from 22-feet should earn him serious consideration in the first round.

Joe Alexander: Joey Deliverance is the truth. His numbers during West Virginia’s two wins are strong: 18 points, 9.5 rebounds per. But what’s been most impressive about this 6-8 230 lbs. small forward are his hops. He can get a good look at the rim whenever he wants with a simple rise-and-fire. Plus, he’s the most athletic white guy in the tourney. Don’t believe us? Check this photo of him doing the honey dip.

Courtney Lee: Lee was projected as a mid-to-late second rounder going into the Dance. He’s gained national recognition as his Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are this season’s lowest seed in the Sweet 16. At 6-5, 200 lbs., he displayed the athleticism necessary to make a living in the NBA during the regular season. And he’s answered questions about his accuracy from beyond the arc during WKU’s first two games: he went 2-4 from three for 15 points against Drake, and sunk another four triples in five attempts for 29 points against San Diego.

Scottie Reynolds: We’ve known that Scottie has the heart of a lion for a while. But we didn’t know how this kid could translate leadership into wins and losses. I’d love if the NCAA could calculate the amount of time that Scottie spends with the ball in his possession. It’s probably more than 25% of ‘Nova’s T.O.P. Whatever he lacks in physical assets is made up for in basketball IQ.

Joey Dorsey: The ‘Glassman’ doesn’t just beat up on weaklings in the C-USA. He beats up on everyone. Who on Mississippi State didn’t have their stuff thrown to the second row by Dorsey? He officially blocked 6 shots, but it felt like so many more. His flair for the dramatic will overshadow the fact that he shoots free throws below 40%.

Stock Down

Roy Hibbert: Hibbert was exposed by Dickinson’s 6-5 center Andrew Lovedale (OK, he’s really 6-8). JTIII realized that his prized 7-footer was bogging the team down. As his Hoyas were drowning, Roy was sitting on the bench watching them go down. He mustered 6 points and 1 rebound in 16 minutes. At this point last year, Hibbert was on his way to a Final Four and if he left then, he would have likely been a lottery, possibly even Top 10 pick. Now he’s sitting on the edge of the first round, depending on how desperate teams are to have a big body.

Blake Griffin: Unfortunately for Griffin, anything short of a double-double was going to be construed as a disappointment. The expectations for this athletic forward with a smooth handle are astronomical (Top 5 pick, ‘09 draft). Had he won the battle with Louisville’s Earl Clark, he could have foregone his sophomore season in favor of being a sure first rounder. However, he looked suspect in the paint (8 points, 7 boards) and didn’t use his skilled handle to get in the lane or do anything except usher the ball up the floor.

Eric Gordon: Gordon’s woeful 3-15 shooting performance for 8 points in IU’s loss to Arkansas can be chalked up to the coaching controversy in Bloomington. Since Dan Dakich took over for Kelvin Sampson, Gordon’s numbers went south - from 21.7 points under Sampson to 18.1 under Dakich. And with DD making a play to stick around as the Hoosiers’ coach, it’s tough to imagine Gordon hanging for another year to boost his stock. But his showing could send him down the draft board - scouts already wary of his icy streaks will be less likely to pull the trigger on him.