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NBA

NBA draft prospects are all over Final Four

Derek Bodner
Special for USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) are two of the NBA prospects playing in the Final Four this weekend.

In some years, the NCAA tournament's Final Four will feature tremendous teams.

Some years, college basketball fans will be treated to intriguing storylines and matchups.

And, in some years, NBA fans will get the chance to see some of the best prospects in the upcoming NBA draft make long runs in the tournament, providing a glimpse into how those players react to the pressure of the big stage.

This year, basketball fans have all three.

Not only are the likely top two picks in the 2015 NBA draft still in the tournament, setting up what could be an epic Jahlil Okafor vs Karl-Anthony Towns showdown in the national championship game if both Duke and Kentucky advance, but the Final Four has nine potential lottery picks among its participants.

Kentucky vs Wisconsin

The game will feature a plethora of NBA prospects, mostly in the frontcourt. Wisconsin is led by a front line that features Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, and Nigel Hayes, who would be a late-first rounder if he declares, going up against a Kentucky squad anchored by Towns, projected top 10 pick Willie Cauley-Stein, and mid-first rounder Trey Lyles. These six players are likely first round picks when they do declare.

The Kentucky front court also includes Dakari Johnson and Marcus Lee, both of whom are late first round NBA prospects when they declare.

If there is a big man who is going to succeed going up against that vaunted front court, Kaminsky just might be the one. Kaminsky, a senior who is projected as a mid-first rounder, has a combination of crafty post moves, three point range, and surprising off the dribble game that could combat the sheer athletic advantage of Kentcky's front court. Wisconsin also features solid shooters at every position, which will help them create much needed space to combat Kentucky's smothering interior defense.

The other end of the court, though, presents a problem for Kaminsky, who has struggled to defend the post at times this season. Towns was unstoppable posting up against Notre Dame and it will be interesting how frequently Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan matches Kaminsky up on Towns, or whether he goes in another direction.

The key to the game for Wisconsin, however, could be Dekker, another mid-first round projection. The junior forward was struggling from the perimeter coming into the tournament, shooting 4-of-25 on three point attempts in the eight games leading up to the NCAA tournament. Dekker has been playing well during the tournament, though, connecting on 13 of his 27 three point attempts during the tournament and averaging nearly 22 points per game. Dekker was the difference-maker for Wisconsin in their victory over Arizona, where he scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half.

Duke vs Michigan State

The focus, at least from a scouting perspective, is almost entirely on the Duke squad when they matchup against Michigan State. The Spartans have a couple of guys who could be options in the second round, most notably senior forward Branden Dawson, but all of the blue-chip NBA prospects are with Duke.

Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor came out strong to start the tournament, averaging 23.5 points per game and shooting better than 77% from the field in wins over Robert Morris and San Diego State. In the past two games, he struggled, averaging 7.5 points per night and shooting 43.8% from the field.

Okafor has been one of the most prolific offensive players in the country this season, averaging 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and had been held to single-digits scoring once before this recent two game skid.

Utah and Gonzaga had big men capable of holding their position against Okafor in the post long enough for double teams to arrive, but Michigan State doesn't have that luxury with no Spartans player being taller than 6-9. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo frequently elects to allow his defenders to defend one-on-one, and it will be interesting to see whether the success Utah and Gonzaga had by double-teaming Okafor and forcing the ball out of his hands will force Tom Izzo to change his strategy.

Okafor scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting when Duke beat Michigan State in November.

The other key matchup, and one that the Spartans are better equipped to handle, is their defense on projected top 10 pick Justise Winslow, the responsibility of which is likely to fall on Dawson. Playing most of his time as an undersized power forward, Dawson has the size, strength, and quickness to bother Winslow, who has had a sensational tournament thus far, averaging 14 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in the tournament while shooting 51.3% from the field and 58.3% from three point range.

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