8. Cassius Winston
- School: Michigan State University
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 185 lbs.
- Age: 21
Cassius Winston doesn’t have a lot of the prototypical tools that most NBA prospects have. He isn’t an elite athlete, he doesn’t have good size and his upside isn’t very high. The thing with Winston, though, is he simply knows how to play basketball at an elite level.
On the season Winston is averaging 18.9 points per game on impressive .472/.404/.840 shooting splits to go along with 7.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds. He was also recently named the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.
Winston makes up for his lack of size and athleticism by using his unique handle and combination of herky-jerky moves to free himself up. He’s an elite scorer, but his playmaking ability is definitely his best skill. He has outstanding vision, often resulting in him seeing scoring opportunities that the defense doesn’t see until it’s too late.
If all goes well for Winston and Co., they’ll likely meet up with Duke in the Elite Eight. The point guard matchup battle between Winston and Tre Jones would be an extremely compelling one for NBA fans and college fans alike.