College Prospect Spotlight: New Mexico's Donovan Dent

This week, we highlight the spectacular play of New Mexico guard Donovan Dent.

There's always a handful of college players who don't get as much national attention as they deserve, but are incredible players that could make an impact at the next level. This is especially true for teams that don't play in the conferences that get the proper spotlight.

When it comes to NBA talent, there are always quite a few prospects drafted every season that didn't play all that much on national television. While their respective games may not be seen by as many fans, NBA teams are well aware of their ta. 

For this week’s spotlight, we take a look at New Mexico guard Donovan Dent, who has legitimate NBA talent.

Donovan Dent (Guard | New Mexico Lobos) 

6'2” | 170 lbs

Season Stats: 16.6 PPG | 6.2 APG | 1.8 SPG

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Background 

In his second season at New Mexico, Dent has really broken out as a star. While he was already a full-time starter as a freshman, his sophomore season has been remarkable. He was a huge recruit out of California in high school, entering the college scene as a four-star recruit.

Although he doesn't have the size of many modern guards, Dent plays bigger than his height and gets it done on both ends. He's known for being a winning player, doing whatever his team needs to have the best shot at coming out on top. 

Now one of the best college players in the country, Dent appears ready to make the leap to the NBA.

NBA Upside 

Again, Dent is a two-way talent despite being fairly undersized. At 6-foot-2, he still finds ways to be disruptive defensively, generating a tremendous amount of steals (3.0% steal rate). He's also a quality shot blocker for a guard. This has earned him an 85 DSI via Cerebro Sports in the 2023-24 season.

Offensively, Dent is able to generate points in a hurry. Whether it's as a scorer, with a quick first step and reliable 3-point shot, Dent can create for himself or score off-ball. Furthermore, he's one of the best passers in the entire country and can set the table for his teammates. In fact, he has notched an absurd 35.6% assist rate this season. 

NBA teams often overthink players who don't have positional size. With that in mind, Dent is simply a winner that will be valuable at the next level. He has posted a +7.9 Box Plus/Minus this season, which speaks to his impact on winning. 

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