NBA Draft: Utah's Elite Shooting Duo of Gabe and Mason Madsen Creating Draft Buzz

The twin pair of Gabe and Mason Madsen have consistently showcased a high-level of versatile shooting that will surely draw interest from NBA teams.

Feb 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) takes a three point shot against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

After starting their collegiate careers together at Cincinnati, twin brothers Gabe and Mason Madsen have become key contributors to Utah’s 8-3 start, providing dangerous outside shooting. While their careers have taken different paths, this season has been the best for both so far. Gabe Madsen has emerged as the Utes’ most reliable scoring option, while Mason Madsen has proven to be a consistent threat from deep. Neither of these players are seen as sure-fire draft prospects, but the level that which they both have excelled as versatile shooters should not be undervalued.

Let’s take a closer look at the Madsen twins’ impressive starts to the season and analyze how their games might translate to potential NBA roles. 

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Gabe Madsen | Wing | 6’6” | 202 lbs | Senior

Dec 7, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) takes a three point shot against St. Mary's Gaels guard Augustas Marciulionis (3) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Gabe Madsen currently ranks 11th in made three-pointers across all of college basketball this season. His impressive 39.6% accuracy from beyond the arc has solidified his reputation as one of the nation’s top shooters. He leads Utah in scoring with 18.8 points per game, adding 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.8 steals, all while maintaining solid shooting splits: 45.7% from the field, 39.6% from three and 85.3% from the free-throw line. He has scored 15 or more points in eight of 11 games this season, including four 25-point performances.

As one of the best shooters in college basketball, Madsen has adapted well to defenses designed to limit set-shot opportunities. His ability to hit movement shots has made him especially effective. His skill at navigating screens to create space for three-point looks is highly translatable to the NBA. For a 6-foot-6 player, his ability to shoot in rhythm under various defensive schemes could prove invaluable, particularly if he continues improving as a defender.

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Mason Madsen | Guard | 6’4” | 193 lbs | Senior

Dec 14, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Mason Madsen (45) shoots a three-point shot over Radford Highlanders forward Xavier Foster (34) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Although not as consistently productive as his brother, Mason Madsen is also an elite three-point shooter. He ranks 23rd in made three-pointers per game (3.4) and 17th in three-point percentage (46.8%). Coming off the bench in 10 of his 11 games, he has averaged 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal on shooting splits of 45.2% from the field, 46.8% from three and 66.7% from the free-throw line. His low free-throw percentage is notable but likely an anomaly given his small sample size (6-of-9). Last season at Boston College, he shot an exceptional 96.8% from the line, suggesting improvement as the season progresses.

While Mason plays a smaller role than Gabe, his elite outside shooting has made an impact when given opportunities. In Utah’s recent 95-88 loss to Iowa, Mason played a season-high 31 minutes and posted a career-high 26 points, along with six rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal. He shot 10-of-20 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range.

Like his brother, Mason excels as a movement shooter. Although he may not project as strongly as Gabe at the NBA level, his size and shooting versatility should at least earn him a chance to prove his value in the G League.

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