March Madness: Top takeaways from 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Brian Rauf | Apr 9, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates his three point basket basket late in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 23: Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers waves to the fans after his teams win over the Villanova Wildcats during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

5) Carsen Edwards should be a first-round pick

We can all agree on this by now, right? What Edwards did during Purdue’s Elite Eight run cemented him as an NCAA Tournament legend and a likely late first-round NBA Draft pick.

Yes, he’s small and yes, he can make questionable decisions. He also has so much going for him.

Let’s start with the obvious – his shooting and ability to score. Edwards routinely showed off ridiculous range during his collegiate career and was able to make contested shots on a regular basis. Whether it was a catch-and-shoot opportunity or creating his own shot off the dribble, Edwards was lethal.

That shot creation is very appealing to NBA teams, as is his ability in the pick-and-roll. His shooting and quickness make him a threat to pull up from deep or attack the basket, and Edwards knows how to use those skills to keep his defender off-balance. He is still growing as a playmaker but has never really been asked to be in that role before.

His size and limitations make him a somewhat risky pick, but Edwards showed against the best competition in the NCAA Tournament that he can provide an offensive spark off the bench at the pro level, a la Lou Williams.

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