Inside The Nets

Brooklyn Nets NBA Draft Notebook: March Madness is Here

What and who might the Nets be paying attention to in the NCAA tournament?

Wilko Martinez Cachero

Mar 20, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; The March Madness logo on a ball during the Memphis Tigers practice at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Mar 20, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; The March Madness logo on a ball during the Memphis Tigers practice at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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This is March — and the Brooklyn Nets will be paying close attention to the NCAA men’s tournament. 

It’s easy to get lost in the madness, and it’s fun to discover new prospects, but this time of the year also serves as a barometer to how players react when the stakes are sky high. More importantly, it’s a culmination of the entire college season. For many freshmen with an eye on entering the 2025 NBA Draft, their last game is inevitably coming up. The same can be said for graduates or transfers, who won’t be suiting up with their schools anymore past this March (or really, April 7 as the best case scenario). 

Following Thursday night's overtime loss on the road against the Indiana Pacers, the Nets are currently 23-47. Tankathon projects Brooklyn's draft to start at No. 5, with the team's subsequent three picks coming at Nos. 19, 24 and 27. The Nets would also have the No. 35 pick in the second round.

Recently, Bleacher Report mocked Maryland big Derik Queen, French guard Nolan Traoré, Spanish wing Hugo González, Arkansas guard Boogie Fland and French big Joan Beringer to the Nets. The Athletic's latest mock had Brooklyn going with Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, Israeli guard Ben Saraf, French connector Noah Penda, San Diego State wing Miles Byrd, and Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea.

Focusing on those players, and discarding the international prospects, Queen’s NCAA tournament starts on Friday when his No. 4 seed Maryland takes on No. 13 seed Grand Canyon. Fland returned from thumb surgery to help Arkansas defeat Kansas. Jakucionis’ Illinois squad has its first game on Friday night against Xavier. Byrd was eliminated from the tournament in the First Four by North Carolina.

In terms of tournament storylines, the biggest surprise so far was No. 12 seed McNeese State defeating No. 5 seed Clemson, 69-67, on Thursday. Michigan narrowly avoided a same-seeded upset that same night against UC San Diego.

Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, will be active for Duke’s NCAA tournament opener after suffering an ankle injury on March 13. His No. 1 seed Blue Devils will take on No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s, who made the dance through a First Four win against American.

Watch List:

This is when draft prospects for 2025 and beyond will play on Friday.

Friday, March 21 at 12:15 PM ET — Baylor vs. Mississippi State: VJ Edgecombe, Norchad Omier, Robert Wright III (Baylor); KeShawn Murphy (Mississippi State)

Friday, March 21 at 12:40 PM ET — Robert Morris vs. Alabama: Alvaro Folgueiras (Robert Morris); Labaron Philon, Mouhamed Dioubate, Mark Sears, Grant Nelson (Alabama) 

Friday, March 21 at 1:30 PM ET — Lipscomb vs. Iowa State: Joshua Jefferson, Curtis Jones, Milan Momcilovic (Iowa St.)

Friday, March 21 at 2 PM ET — Colorado State vs. Memphis: Nique Clifford (Colorado St.); PJ Haggerty (Memphis)

Friday, March 21 at 2:50 PM ET — Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Sion James, Tyrese Proctor, Isaiah Evans (Duke)

Friday, March 21 at 3:15 PM ET — Vanderbilt vs. Saint Mary’s: Devin McGlockton (Vanderbilt); Augustas Marciulionis, Paulius Murauskas (Saint Mary’s)

Friday, March 21 at 4:05 PM ET — North Carolina vs. Ole Miss: Drake Powell, Ian Jackson, Seth Trimble (Carolina); Matthew Murrell, Malik Dia, Eduardo Klafke (Ole Miss)

Friday, March 21 at 4:35 PM ET — Maryland vs. Grand Canyon: Derik Queen (Maryland); Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon)

Friday, March 21 at 6:50 PM ET — Norfolk State vs. Florida: Alex Condon, Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)

Friday, March 21 at 7:10 PM ET — Troy vs. Kentucky: Otega Oweh, Amari Williams, Koby Brea, Jaxson Robinson, Brandon Garrison (Kentucky)

Friday, March 21 at 7:25 PM ET — New Mexico vs. Marquette: Donovan Dent (New Mexico); Kam Jones (Marquette)

Friday, March 21 at 7:35 PM ET — Akron vs. Arizona: Carter Bryant, Henri Veesaar, KJ Lewis (Arizona)

Friday, March 21 at 9:25 PM ET — Oklahoma vs. UConn: Jeremiah Fears, Jalon Moore (Oklahoma); Liam McNeeley, Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Jaylin Stewart, Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn)

Friday, March 21 at 9:45 PM ET — Xavier vs. Illinois: Dailyn Swain (Xavier); Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley, Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois)

Friday, March 21 at 10 PM ET — Michigan St. vs. Bryant: Jase Richardson (Michigan St.); Earl Timberlake (Bryant)

Friday, March 21 at 10:10 PM ET — Liberty vs. Oregon: Owen Aquino (Liberty); Nate Bittle, Jackson Shelstad, Kwame Evans Jr. (Oregon)

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Wilko Martinez Cachero
WILKO MARTINEZ CACHERO

Wilko is a journalist and producer from Madrid, Spain. He is also the founder of FLOOR and CEILING on YouTube, focusing on the NBA Draft and youth basketball.

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