March Madness: Creighton Draft Hopefuls Ousted by San Diego State

The Creighton Bluejays, armed with as many as five draft hopefuls, were ousted by San Diego State on Sunday.

As the NCAA Tournament winds down, 2023 NBA Draft prospects are looking end their season on a high note.

One such group of prospects was the Creighton Bluejays, who were ousted by the San Diego State Aztecs, 57-56, on Sunday.

Until Sunday, Creighton had put together a strong March Madness campaign, downing No. 11 seed North Carolina State, No. 3 Baylor and No. 15 Princeton.

The team has as many as five NBA Draft hopefuls, including Baylor Scheierman, Arthur Kaluma, Trey Alexander, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Ryan Nembhard. They put together a solid outing on Sunday, but struggled to find an offensive rhythm at times.

Kalkbrenner poured on 17 points, Kaluma and Scheierman added 12, Alexander scored eight and Nembhard just seven. The team shot 40 percent overall and just 12 percent from beyond the arc.

Of course, not all five prospects are likely to hear their name called on draft night 2023, or even enter their name into the conversation.

Likely the most NBA-ready are Baylor Scheierman and Arthur Kaluma, both of which underperformed to some degree this season.

Kaluma was highlighted in the preseason as one to watch for a breakout season, but it never same to fruition. Scheierman was looked at sure-fire sharpshooter, but saw his splits decrease in his most recent season.

Alexander was just a sophomore this season, and will likely be pegged as a potential 2024 NBA Draft riser. Nembhard, a trustworthy facilitator and rapidly improving shooter, is in a similar boat.

The 7-foot junior Kalkbrenner will likely be looked at as a potential flyer for the next few drafts.

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