The 2019 NBA Draft field will still have some massive shake ups ahead of the NBA off-season with the rise of players like Purdue’s Carsen Edwards.
The Sweet 16 for the NCAA Tournament is usually good for delivering some type of drama that we wouldn’t expect from the previous rounds. This definitely delivered on that front with how well teams like the Purdue Boilermakers played against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first day of Sweet 16 showdowns, on March 28. This was a good opportunity to see if a legitimate Chicago Bulls second round 2019 NBA Draft prospect like Purdue point guard Carsen Edwards could show out.
The next set of Sweet 16 matchups for the NCAA Tournaments is set to continue on March 29, with key games to watch like the Duke Blue Devils taking on the Virginia Tech Hokies. But, there were some instant classics delivered on March 28, like when Carsen Edwards and Purdue was able to pull off the overtime upset in thrilling fashion of the Volunteers.
Some other March 28 games were letdowns in general, like when the Texas Tech Red Raiders absolutely trounced the Michigan Wolverines. The Gonzaga Bulldogs controlled the pace of play most of the way in the win over the four-seed Florida State Seminoles also on March 28.
However, Carsen Edwards proved a lot to NBA scouts with his play through the NCAA Tournament thus far. He posted a game-high 29 points to go along with his four rebounds and three assists. That effort from Edwards was enough to push Purdue to notch the 99-94 overtime victory over Tennessee. His 29 points was also enough to help make up for his rough free-throw shooting in the second half.
The latest 2019 NBA Draft mock-up from nbadraft.net had Carsen Edwards falling in the second round at pick No. 44 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Given the status of the current NBA standings, that would put Edwards falling just a few picks behind the Bulls No. 38 slotting in the second round.
However, with the way that Edwards is performing for Purdue of late, he could jump up draft boards even higher. He’s led Purdue into the Elite 8 and could go even further with the momentum this team created thus far in this NCAA Tournament run.
Considering the vast need for the Bulls to upgrade the backcourt rotation and help build this roster for the future, Edwards could be a good fit as a low-risk, medium-reward type player among the later selections. He could be an upgrade in the Windy City ahead of someone like Ryan Arcidiacono or Shaquille Harrison for the long-term.
In general, Carsen Edwards is a natural scorer and leader for the Boilermakers amid his junior campaign. He’s averaging more than 23 points per game to go along with his 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals. What’s more appealing than anything in regard to the 2019 NBA Draft argument for Edwards in the second round is his player efficiency rating above 22 impressive offensive box plus/minus rating at six.