Draft Watch: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round

DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh- I have been waiting a while to watch this guy play. He is a physical, big guy who can really bang around and rebound around the basket. His defense is way ahead of his offense at this point, but he is much farther along than Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet.

He is listed at 6-6, but might actually be he plays as if he is 6-9. But he is big. He reminds me a lot of Robert Traylor. Traylor was far too overweight, but he always knew how to use his weight and he could step out and hit jumpers. Blair does not have that range and probably has a little more drive. So maybe he is more Corliss Williamson than Robert Traylor.

Blair knows how to throw his weight around, but in the NBA his height and his unathleticness are going to be exposed. He has his use though. I can see him being a Glen Davis-type in the NBA. If he can extend his range, he could be real effective in quick spurts.

NBADraft.net has him going No. 13 and DraftExpress.com has him going No. 18.

Sam Young, Pittsburgh- Young had the big game of the second round, scoring 31 points in Pittsburgh's big win over Oklahoma State. Young was fantastic from the three point line. This game might have been a little of an aberration, but he clearly has some skill and a lot of athleticism. He is not the featured star of this Pittsburgh team, but he contributed in a big way Sunday. I am sure he turned some heads.

The athleticism is there. Let's see if he can put in another big game later in this tournament. NBADraft.net has him going No. 22 and DraftExpress.com has him going No. 34 (fourth in the second round).

LeVance Fields, Pittsburgh- the feisty little point guard has probably been Pitt's best player all year. He reminds me a lot of Jameer Nelson with the way he plays. He just does not have the scoring ability. His point guard skills may not be all the way there as he is more of a scorer than a distributor. Either way, in the NBA he is going to be asked to be a floor general.

Will he ever start? Only if a team is desperate. Fields could probably use another year to develop. But Pitt's struggles as the No. 1 team and in the tournament so far could fall directly on their point guard.

He struggled handling Oklahoma State's press late in the game and it allowed the Cowboys to stay in the game longer than they should have.

Fields is not projected to be drafted in the next two years.