NBA Draft: College Basketball's Three Opening Week Matchups to Watch

With the college basketball season beginning in a little over a week, Draft Digest's Jordan Monaco dives into the three most exciting opening week games.

Dec 10, 2022; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Long Island Lutheran guard VJ Edgecombe with the player of the game ball following the game against Wasatch Academy during the HoopHall West basketball tournament at Chaparral High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The college basketball season is soon to be underway, and with it our first look at elite NBA prospects in a regular season college basketball game setting.

While the first week or so of the season usually only has a handful of championship-contending teams facing each other, there is still an abundance of potential NBA talent playing. Below, we take a look at three of those opening matchups to see potential NBA talent:

Baylor @ Gonzaga (Monday, Nov. 4)

This game will be full of talented players, including a handful of NBA prospects. VJ Edgecombe, the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2024 high school class, was the best player on a star-studded Long Island Lutheran high school roster last season. The Baylor freshman is 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, and was also a main contributor on the Bahamas National Qualifying team this past summer. He averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds (including three offensive rebounds), two steals, and 0.5 blocks in four games in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament alongside players like Buddy Hield, DeAndre Ayton, and Eric Gordon.

Edgecombe is an elite slasher and is excellent at attacking closeouts as well, utilizing both his burst and vertical athleticism. Additionally, he's an explosive off-ball cutter who is also a capable shooter -- converting 32.8% of his threes on 5.3 attempts per game during the 2023-24 EYBL Scholastic season and converting 43% of his threes during his junior season at LuHi. Edgecombe is a solid on-ball defender who, despite a lack of elite length, makes up for it with effort, physicality, and lateral quickness. The 19 year old guard also offers defensive event creation upside through garnering steals in passing lanes or even contesting shots rotating from the weakside and in transition. Lastly, Edgecombe has been on a positive trajectory as a ball-handler as well, showing flashes of potential in pick-and-roll situations and as a playmaker.

On the Gonzaga side of the table, Michael Ajayi is a player to watch. He's a 6-foot-7, 220 pound wing who averaged 17.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks as a junior for Pepperdine last season while converting 50% of his attempts at the rim (144 attempts), 44.3% of his non-rim twos, 47% of his threes (83 attempts), and 70.9% of his free throws (165 attempts). While his rim percentage and free throw percentage could both improve, his statistical profile indicates legitimate upside as a breakout player this season.

Other players to watch include RJ Nembhard (Gonzaga), Nolan Hickman (Gonzaga), Jason Asemota (Baylor), Rob Wright (Baylor), Joshua Ojianwuna (Baylor), Langston Love (Baylor), and Norchad Omier (Baylor).

North Carolina @ Kansas (Friday, Nov. 8)

Another two teams full of talent, UNC enters this season with two of the top 11 2024 high school recruits in Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. Powell is a 6-foot-6, 195 pound defense-first wing while Jackson is a skilled 6-foot-4 guard. Other UNC players to monitor watch include 6-foot-1 playmaking guard Elliot Cadeau and Belmont transfer Cade Tyson. The 6-foot-7 junior and brother of Hunter Tyson shot a blistering 46.5% from beyond the arc last season (172 attempts) and 85.5% from the free throw line (83 attempts). Lastly, both Seth Trimble and Kerwin Walton should be monitored this season as well.

Kansas recruited two of the top 50 players in the 2024 high school class in Flory Bidunga and Rakease Passmore. Bidunga is a 6-foot-8, 215 pound big man while Rakease Passmore is a 6-foot-5, 180 pound guard/wing that shot 35.2% from three in the Overtime Elite league last season, 38% from three (145 attempts) his junior high school season at Combine Academy, and 42% from three (97 attempts) his high school sophomore season. Other players to watch include AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, KJ Adams, and Hunter Dickinson.

Read More: Elliot Cadeau Scouting Report

Arkansas @ Baylor (Saturday, Nov. 9)

The Baylor Bears are going to be starting their season against two talented teams. As mentioned earlier, they play Gonzaga on Monday, November 4th before the Bears' home opener against Arkansas on Saturday, November 9th. More information on Baylor players to watch can be found above.

The Coach Calipari-led Razorbacks will be a forced to be reckoned with this season, with a blend of talented incoming freshmen, transfers from Kentucky, additional transfers, and also Trevon Brazile from last year's Arkansas team.

Adou Thiero is 6-foot-8 junior at Arkansas who played his previous two seasons at Kentucky. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound wing averaged 7.2 points, five rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks in only 21.4 minutes per game this past season. He recorded an eight offensive rebounding percentage and a stock (steal plus block) percentage of seven. Additionally, he converted 56.3% of his attempts at the rim (80 attempts), 43.3% on non-rim twos (30 attempts), and 32% of his threes (22 attempts). While the finishing numbers could improve, the three-point number isn't too concerning when combined with his free throw percentage of 80% (55 attempts) -- the latter of being a more accurate indicator of NBA three-point percentage than the former. Thiero's blend of athleticism and production in limited minutes are two positive indicators of a potential breakout season with the Razorbacks.

In addition to Thiero, key players to watch include 7-foot-2 Kentucky transfer Zvonimir Ivisic, freshmen Karter Knox (No. 25 overall recruit), Billy Richmond (No. 27 overall recruit), Boogie Fland (No. 22 overall recruit), Kentucky transfer DJ Wagner, and other talented transfers Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.