NBA Draft picture coming into focus for three Kansas State Wildcats basketball stars
Jerome Tang wants to make something perfectly clear.
Before he shares his thoughts on how Keyontae Johnson and Nae’Qwan Tomlin have been performing in workouts with pro scouts ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft, he wants you to know that Kansas State will have a roster spot for both players if they decide to return to college next season.
“I’m staying very patient,” Tang said. “You always have a scholarship for those two guys. It doesn’t matter if we sign three dudes and then they decide that they want to come back later on. We’re not in a hurry to sign guys, but you always have a scholarship for them because of how much they would help our team.”
With that out of the way, Tang is now happy to share his thoughts on the NBA Draft outlooks of both K-State basketball players.
“We expect Nae’Qwan to come back,” Tang said, “and we expect Keyontae to get drafted.”
Both Johnson and Tomlin have until May 31 to test the professional waters by working out in front of pro teams and receiving valuable feedback on their basketball futures.
Then a choice must be made. Any college basketball player with remaining eligibility can return to school as if they never declared for the NBA Draft as an early entrant. Or they can go all-in on a professional career.
For now, Johnson is the Wildcats’ only projected draft pick. But Tomlin has worked out with a few NBA teams this spring and Markquis Nowell, who has no college eligibility remaining, is about to participate in the NBA’s G League Elite Camp.
Here is a breakdown of where all three stand ahead of the NBA Draft Combine, which will be held May 15-21 in Chicago.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin getting valuable feedback
The 6-foot-10 forward is an unusual draft hopeful in the sense that he didn’t begin playing organized basketball until after he graduated from high school. But Tomlin has made the most of his brief time on the court.
He made huge contributions for K-State as a junior, as he averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds on a team that won 26 games and reached the Elite Eight.
His ability to play inside and on the perimeter at his size makes him an appealing prospect. Tang said Tomlin has worked out with the San Antonio Spurs and the Boston Celtics.
That is a promising sign for his pro future. Still, he was not invited to the NBA Draft Combine next week in Chicago and all signs point to him returning to K-State by the end of the month.
If he consistently make three-pointers with the Wildcats next season his NBA stock could increase dramatically.
Keyontae Johnson hoping to move into first round
He only spent one season in Manhattan, but Johnson sure left his mark at K-State.
The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 17.4 points and 6.8 rebounds last year on his way to Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors.
He is projected as an early second-round pick in most mock drafts and he will compete at the NBA Draft Combine next week.
Johnson surprisingly announced that he planned to retain his college eligibility while he went through the draft process. But it’s hard to see him returning to K-State if his draft stock remains as high as it is.
“He has multiple positions that he can defend, which makes him valuable in the NBA,” Tang said. “Because of his strength, his length and his athletic ability he can be a three-position guy in the NBA. Offensively, he can make shots. The ball goes in the hole easy for him. He’s got things that will translate to the NBA game. I could see him not just making a team but playing meaningful minutes.”
Markquis Nowell looks to impress at G League Camp
The hero of Kansas State’s run to the Elite Eight will try to further impress NBA teams when he works out for G League scouts later this week in Chicago.
Nowell has already gone through a private workout with the Houston Rockets and seems ready to showcase his skills in front of a bigger audience. The top performers at the G League Camp will be invited to compete at the NBA Draft Combine last week. That will obviously be a big goal for Nowell.
It will be interesting to see how seriously pro scouts treat Nowell. He was an electric point guard in college, but he is also only 5-foot-8. Can his heart-over-height mentality win the day in the NBA? We shall see.
One thing is for sure: Tang isn’t betting against him.
“His ability to shoot with range is something that separates him,” Tang said. “But it’s also his ability to play pick and roll. He did a much better job and really grew this year on making ball-screen reads in pick and roll. He can pick you up full court and make life miserable for you. ... He does a lot of things that are going to give him an opportunity.”