As conference play approaches, the best college players in the country are beginning to emerge. As teams have played against various levels of competition, it's a great opportunity for talent evaluators to get a sense of how some of the NBA Draft prospects could fare at the next level.
There's still several months left in the season, but some prospects are already starting to emerge as clear NBA talents. Alternatively, some players have taken a step back from the season prior or simply haven't gotten off to a good start this season.
Whose stock has risen? What about fallen?
This week, we look at the draft stock of Alex Karaban based on recent play.
Alex Karaban (UConn | Forward)
Stock: Rising
Season Stats: 14.6 PPG | 5.7 RPG | 80.0% 2PT
As the Huskies won the NCAA Tournament last season, several players shared the spotlight. Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. went on to be drafted into the NBA, while Donovan Clingan immediately became a projected lottery pick for the following summer.
While each of these players are great and deserved the recognition, Karaban was quietly one of the most impactful players on the roster last season.
This has continued into his sophomore season, as he's now emerged as one of the team's top players. The 6-foot-8 forward is producing nearly 15 points per contest while shooting 80% from inside the arc and 86.7% from the free throw line. While his 3-point shot has gotten off to a slow start this season, he did convert on more than 40% of his attempts as a freshman last season on high volume.
Simply put, he's an efficient offensive player with good size and the ability to rebound and space the floor. Don't underestimate the defensive upside of Karaban either, as he's earned an 82 DSI according to Cerebro Sports this season.
He's certainly not a first-round type of prospect at this point, but it's safe to say he's increased his stock early in the season and is a clearly worthy of a second-round pick.
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