Looking Ahead: NCAA Matchup of Week Features Underrated NBA Talent

As it relates to NBA Draft talent, what is the top college basketball matchup of the week?

At this point in the season, the NCAA ranking are fluctuating rapidly. Conference play is competitive, so teams that were projected to be top teams preseason are now unranked.

Even then, there’s elite talent on teams that aren’t in the top 25. Especially for the schools that are always bringing in top prospects, there’s games worth watching as it relates to NBA talent even for teams that are unranked.

Every week, there’s a ton of exciting college matchups that feature upcoming NBA talent. As such, NBA fans are able to get a look at players that will be making an impact at the next level one day firsthand.

As it relates to future draft prospects, which college matchup are we most excited about entering the week?

Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Cavaliers 

Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at 4:00 PM EST | ESPN

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Featured Prospects: Reece Beekman, Kadin Shedrick, Dariq Whitehead, Kyle Filipowski, Dereck Lively, Tyrese Proctor, Mark Mitchell

The Virginia Cavaliers will host the Duke Blue Devils at John Paul Jones Arena. While Virginia is the favorite, Duke should not be underestimated.

The Cavaliers may not have as many players in the first-round conversation of the 2023 NBA Draft as the Blue Devils, but still have two primary prospects to keep an eye on.

Reece Beekman is a two-way guard that’s been a huge reason the Cavaliers have been one of the top teams in the country this season. He’s a great facilitator and has the ability to really slow down opposing guards defensively. He plays alongside forward Kadin Shedrick, who doesn’t put up the biggest numbers in the box score but is one of the most underrated players in the country when it comes to impact on winning.

To be completely honest, all of Duke’s top prospects have been fairly underwhelming this season, especially the freshman.

Dereck Lively was the top player in his high school class entering this season, but is just now starting to look comfortable. Tyrese Proctor has been slow to figure things out as well, not flashing the star upside many expected as a freshman.

Dariq Whitehead has dealt with injures this season, which has dropped his draft stock a bit after being a top five caliber player in this upcoming draft class. Mark Mitchell has been solid, but not convincing enough to be a first-round talent just yet.

Truly, the only Duke freshman that’s been as good or better than expected as been Kyle Filipowski. He’s been inefficient at times, but the versatility and floor spacing as a big has been impressive. The 7-footer has also been an underrated defender, earning a 79 DSI according to Cerebro Sports.

Even with Duke’s first year class underperforming, they should continue to get better as the season goes on. It’s all about getting hot at the right time, and conference tournaments are approaching quickly.

With that in mind, Virginia will be a tough test for the Blue Devils today. Regardless, there’s many future NBA players that will take the court in this contest.

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