The first weekend of March Madness granted us plenty of high-end prospect performances. From freshmen like Cooper Flagg, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen dominating to college stars like Walter Clayton Jr. and Nique Clifford, there was no shortage of NBA talent on display.
However, there were plenty of underrated performances that won’t make traditional headlines but deserve notice. Let’s discuss three under-discussed NBA prospect performances from the first weekend that deserve more attention.
Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
Ngongba has worked back from an injury throughout the season and has established himself as a key rotation player for the best team in college basketball. Duke handled Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor and Ngongba’s physical play on both ends helped bolster their interior play.
patrick ngongba ii had an impressive first weekend on both ends — so physical and smart on defense, smart passer with touch and handling chops. he’s a very serious long term NBA prospect
— Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 11:34 AM
He adds a complementary dimension to the gargantuan Khaman Maluach, bruising in the post and operating as an offensive hub. He’s a supremely skilled big man, capable of dribbling and passing the ball on the perimeter, logging three assists across those two games.
Opposing offenses struggled to handle Ngongba’s physicality, smarts and size on defense. Across those two games, he blocked five shots and tallied two steals in just 35 total minutes of play. Ngongba will almost certainly spend at least another year in college, but he’s a genuine NBA prospect who should continue to play well throughout March Madness.
Karter Knox, Arkansas
Knox’s presence was critical in fueling John Calipari’s return to the Sweet 16. He didn’t do much in Arkansas’s first-round win over Kansas, but he played a key two-way role in their upset victory over St. John’s on Saturday. In that game, Knox tallied 15 points, 4 blocks and 1 steal.
St. John’s couldn’t score to save their lives and Knox’s walling up at the basket helped contribute to that. Defenders couldn’t keep him out of the paint or match his physicality, as Knox ended the game converting 9-11 free throws.
He’ll need to improve his feel for the game and consistency on defense, but performances like this will continue to place Knox on NBA radars. Tall wings who can defend and score with touch and strength like Knox does are worth keeping tabs on.
Alvaro Folgueiras, Robert Morris
Robert Morris couldn’t finish an impressive performance against Alabama in the first round, but sophomore big Alvaro Folgueiras flashed the traits that make him an intriguing long-term prospect. He stuffed the stat sheet en route to 15 points, 10 boards and 4 assists with a steal and a block.
At 6’9, Folgueiras’s versatility helps him impact the game in several ways. He’s a capable movement shooter with interior scoring chops, despite only drilling one of his five 3-point attempts. Bigs like Folgueiras who can shoot, score on the interior and pass out of the post as he can can become valuable NBA players.
i enjoyed the flashes from robert morris soph big alvaro folgueiras against alabama — versatile shooting, smart passing, interior scoring, fun long term prospect to monitor
— Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Folgueiras likely won’t have the buzz to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft. He’s a long-term prospect worth monitoring given his size and offensive versatility, though, deserving of much more love than he’s received so far.
All stats via Bart Torvik
