Ten Sleeper NBA Draft Picks that Returned to College Basketball

The start of the college basketball season is right around the corner, which means it is time for the reader to start getting to know the landscape. This includes the NBA Draft talk. While the season is getting started and a lot of the content circles around league predictions, breakout players are always a fun topic.

Everyone’s path is different. Looking through this list of players, you can say opportunity, age, or development changed in a player’s outlook. In the case of Kylan Boswell, he played his freshman year at 17. In the case of Mike Sharavjamts, injuries forced him to play out of position. A player like Nae’Qwan Tomlin is simply a late bloomer. Timing is everything.

A quick scan through the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. Players like Jett Howard, Kobe Bufkin, Brandin Podziemski, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper were not universally talked about as first-rounders at this time last year. Let’s discuss ten sleepers who could hear their names called in the first round of the NBA Draft.

So. PG Kylan Boswell, Arizona

6-2, 195-pounds | April 2005
2022-23 Stats: 15.3 minutes, 4.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 39.0% 3P

The Skinny: Kylan Boswell is a stocky guard who plays with a great pace, capable of going fast or slow. He classified up to enter college a year early and played his entire freshman year at 17 years old. Boswell is comfortable on the ball, running the show, delivering passes to get his guys open, and making quick decisions. He is also a very good shooter, knocking down 39 percent of his three-pointers last season on 2.2 attempts per game. Winning is something that has followed him throughout his career in travel ball, school ball, and international play. He is simply a guy who maximizes his talent.

So. F Guillermo Diaz, Pittsburgh

7-0, 215-pounds | June 2003
2022-23 Stats: 12.0 minutes, 3.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 44.7% FG

The Skinny: You see the size and the length of Guillermo Diaz, but it is the skill level that really leaves you intrigued. Diaz is a 7-footer who is comfortable dribbling, passing, and shooting in the half-court. He will need to get stronger, which will continue to help him with the physicality around the paint, but he moves very fluidly and runs the floor like a gazelle. Naturally, Diaz will need to show that he can put up the same number splits in at least double the minutes played. However, he averaged 10.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per 40 minutes played last season. Will he take that step in year two? The intrigue is there.

So. F Ryan Dunn, Virginia

6-8, 210-pounds | January 2003
2022-23 Stats: 12.9 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 53.2% FG

The Skinny: Ryan Dunn is one of the more intriguing defensive prospects in the ACC. He fits the archetype of what the next level is looking for with a lengthy 6-foot-8 wing who can move his feet as well as show excellent off-ball timing. In just 12.9 minutes per game, he finished top ten in the league with 1.1 blocks per game. Dunn will have to show he can be a threat shooting from range; he did shoot 31.3 percent from three on a half attempt per game. How his offense develops will be the question with him. He will have the opportunity, and he already checks a few important boxes that are coveted in the NBA Draft. 

Sr. F Dillon Jones, Weber State

6-6, 235-pounds | October 2001
2022-23 Stats: 36.3 minutes, 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 46.2% FG

The Skinny: The production has always been top-tier for Dillon Jones. In his three seasons at Weber State, he is already eighth in career rebounding in the Big Sky Conference. Last season, Jones earned first-team All-Big Sky honors after leading the conference in rebounds, finishing top five in steals and assists, and No. 7 in points scored. What Jones showed at this year’s G-League and NBA Combines, leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft, is that he can perform at the next level. Jones was one of the top defenders in either combine, guarding the ball on an island and showing instincts in the passing lanes. He is tough, and he can process at a high rate. While he may never be a superstar, he is someone who has the look of a player who contributes to wins across the board while elevating the play of those around him.

So. F Mark Mitchell, Duke

6-9, 230-pounds | September 2003
2022-23 Stats: 27.2 minutes, 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 35.2% 3P

The Skinny: Mark Mitchell fits the archetype of a valued player at the highest level. Last season at Duke, he showed he could be a versatile combo forward, able to guard on the perimeter as well as rotate down a lineup and guard on the block. The swing skill will be the offense. He will need to answer how he consistently scores in the NBA. The 35.2 percent from three on 1.5 attempts per game is a good start, but he will need to continue cleaning up the mechanics and release of the shot. While Mitchell will never be a featured role guy, he is someone who knows what his role is, and he plays right into that role. At 6-foot-9 with a reported wing span at or just over 7-foot-0, he checks some of the boxes of traits coveted in the NBA Draft. What kind of step can he take in year two?

So. F Jevon Porter, Pepperdine

6-11, 220-pounds | June 2003
2022-23 Stats: 28.4 minutes, 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 35.1% 3P

The Skinny: You see the size, the length, and the fluidity immediately with Jevon Porter. He is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Porter can stretch the floor, shooting off movement and the catch, shooting 35.1 percent on 3.1 attempts per game. He will need to continue putting on weight; he moves well on the defensive end and shows upside there as he continues to pay more attention to that end. Getting stronger will be the thing with him. The tools and the pedigree are very intriguing.

So. G Mike Sharavjamts, San Francisco

6-8, 185-pounds | August 2002
2022-23 Stats: 23.1 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists (at Dayton)

The Skinny: Mike Sharavjamts was pressed into playing point guard last season for Dayton. While injuries forced the unexpected move, it shows the skill set that he has to be the next man up. Sharavjamts is a length and fluid 6-foot-8. He has good floor vision and excellent processing ability with the ball in his hands. While not a point guard, he does have a smooth form on the jump shot with a consistent release. He will need to continue adding weight, something that will be necessary as he moves forward. Playing off the ball, in a secondary type of initiation role and more scoring-focused, could help him better get to his spots and put him in more comfortable situations. Confidence is big with him, but the tools and size are there.

So. G JJ Starling, Syracuse

6-4, 205-pounds | March 2004
2022-23 Stats: 29.7 minutes, 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists (at Notre Dame)

The Skinny: JJ Starling came to Notre Dame with a quality reputation as a McDonald’s All-American and a five-star player. While his year in South Bend did not go to form, the talent is still there. Starling is a microwave-type offensive weapon. He is capable of creating space for his shot as well as getting downhill toward the rim. Starling will have to shoot the ball better (29.9 percent from three and 63.8 percent from the free throw line), but a lot of that had to do with balance and footwork; the form is there, and so is the release. He has a strong frame with good length and nice pop. Starling will be sharing the backcourt with Judah Mintz, another guard who will be on NBA Draft boards. Can Starling take a step by tightening up the tools in year two?

Sr. F Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Kansas State

6-10, 210-pounds | January 2001
2022-23 Stats: 27.2 minutes, 10.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 50% FG

The Skinny: Yes, Nae’Qwan Tomlin is an older player, but his path is unique, and he is still young in his development. Tomlin did not start playing basketball until high school. He then went to three years at JUCO before transferring last year to Kansas State. The length, coupled with the fluidity of how he moves, intrigues immediately. He showed good instincts on the defensive end of the floor, moving his feet and being able to play off-ball. However, what gets him here is the jump shot. Sure, last season, he shot just 27.5 percent from three on almost two attempts per game. However, he shot 73.8 percent from the free-throw line. A look at the film, and you see promising mechanics with a consistent and soft release. While he is a senior, this will be his second year of high major basketball. With the tools in place, what does that year one to year two step look like?

So. G Tre White, Louisville

6-7, 205-pounds | January 2003
2022-23 Stats: 26.7 minutes, 9.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 47.4% FG (at USC)

The Skinny: Tre White showed last season at Southern California that he could play at this level. Taking on more of a complimentary role as a freshman in the Pac-12, he made it hard for the staff to take him off the floor, with the amount of ways he could help the team. White has good position size and rebounded his area well. He is also a solid off-ball defender, using his length and understanding angles. Offensively, he is going to have to shoot it better, but he proved capable of creating space and getting downhill with his handle. While he played in more of a secondary role last season, he will be a primary option for Louisville, which could bode well for his overall statistical output.