The best current NBA player from every Sweet 16 team left in the NCAA Tournament
By Ben Handler
1. UConn Huskies: Andre Drummond
The defending National Champion and current favorite, Uconn is basically an NCAA blueblood at this point. NBA rookies from last year’s squad, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. have looked good this season, and Hawkins will be better than Drummond very soon.
The current team has two possible 2024 lottery picks in Stephon Castle and Donovan Klingan who could very easily surpass Drummond soon as well. But for now, the veteran big man for the Bulls still reigns supreme.
In his prime, Andre was one of the best rebounders in the NBA for several years, and while he’s in the twilight of his career now, he can still bang down low with the best of them. He’s averaging 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season in just over 17 minutes a game, good for a ridiculous 22.4 PER (Player Efficiency Rating).
Drummond also showed he can still dominate at times too. In a seven game stretch with starting center Nikola Vucevic out of the lineup in December and January, he averaged 14 points and a preposterous 17.4 rebounds a game. That included a game with 24 points and 25 rebounds and another with 15 and 23.
UConn has brighter stars in the future and had brighter stars in the past with the likes of Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton, Kemba Walker, Ben Gordon, and others. But the mantle belongs to Drummond for the moment.