Draft Digest Roundtable: Top Returning College Prospects

Who are the returning college prospects the Draft Digest team are most excited about?

Every season, the one-and-done freshman get all of the praise in college basketball. with that in mind, there's always a handful of returning players that make a jump and get drafted in the first round. 

With an extra year of experience and a larger role, these types of prospects start to stand out.

This week, the Draft Digest team gives their takes on which returning college players they're most excited for. 

Derek Parker

Upcoming Xavier junior Colby Jones is someone to keep an eye on. At 6-foot-6, Jones is an adaptable guard-forward hybrid that can plug into several roles. 

For my money, I think he’ll jump into the upper echelon of collegiate players next season, but likely the only thing keeping him from getting drafted will be his outside shooting. He made great strides from his freshman to sophomore year, and I expect another increase this upcoming season.

In the Big East last season he averaged 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 35 games. He shot 48 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc, and I fully expect those numbers to get a slight bump.

Nick Crain

I truly think Kris Murray has a real chance to be an impactful NBA player. Do I think he has the star upside his twin brother Keegan Murray has? Likely not. However, he's got 3-and-D potential that's really hard to overlook.

Given the jump Keegan Murray made between his last two college seasons, I wouldn't count Kris Murray out on rising on boards and going in the twenties in the 2023 NBA Draft. Again, I think his ceiling is a valuable role player, but every team needs those guys.

Murray has a smooth lefty stroke and great positional size. The versatility he brings on both ends will be attractive to NBA scouts.

Morten Stig Jensen

When you put up over 17 points, 15 rebounds, and almost two steals and two blocks, per game, I don't care about potential downsides. When you're that effective on a per-minute basis, you're an NBA player. Even if you don't necessarily project to be much of new-era center.

Oscar Tshiebwe was one of the most productive players in the nation last season, and while his NBA future has a ton of question marks in regards to role, he's quite simply undeniable. He sports an enormous 7-foot-4 wingspan on a more modest 6-foot-9 frame, and he offers a combination of strength and agility which should allow him to carve out a long career at the next level.

Even if he tops out as a rim-running center in the NBA, his rebounding alone will be an elite avenue he can always go to. It's unlikely he ever develops the nimble nature of Bam Adebayo, but maybe he needn't fulfill such lofty expectations. Tshiebwe, in a bench role receiving 20 minutes, could be tasked with playing the dunker's spot, cleaning the glass, and that alone would be worth a selection in the 2023 draft.

Jam Hines

My favorite returning player is TCU’s Mike Miles. He is a dynamic and explosive guard with innate scoring ability and underrated passing. Miles must find consistency as a three point shooter (dropped from 36% from three to 29% last year), but is a tough shot maker and advanced shot creator. Going into to the season, he's a top 60 prospect for me.

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