NBA Draft 2019: 10 best prospects from Big Ten Basketball

DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: Charles Matthews #1 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a basket against the Florida Gators during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Jamie Squire/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) /

3. Carsen Edwards – Purdue – 6’1, 21 years old

Edwards returned to Purdue for his junior year to become one of the best scorers in all of college basketball. After a strong NCAA tournament, where Edwards lit up eventual champion Virginia for 42 points, he boosted his stock even more.

Edwards’ main appeal is his shot making. While he only shot 35 percent from three, he didn’t get many open looks being the primary scorer on his team. There were nights where he clearly forced the issue and shot his team out of games, but I think that’s more of a reflection of Purdue’s offense. Despite seeing plenty of defensive attention Edwards still managed to make just under three threes a game.

Edwards is good at catching and shooting but he does more than hitting standstill shots. He has terrific footwork and the ability to angle his body to get a clean look. He can also run full speed and then stop on a dime and still make shots, which is a skill elite shooters like Steph Curry and J.J. Redick have.

Edwards’ fit on an NBA team is a bit harder to peg. Standing barely over 6 feet tall, Edwards has the body of a point guard, but projects as a two-guard at the next level. Even at Purdue he spent most of his time off the ball. Edwards will be need to be paired with a bigger point guard that can defend shooting guards. The ideal fit would be Ben Simmons but Jamal Murray or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are other guards that match the mold of an ideal fit for Edwards.

Defense will be an uphill battle for Edwards because of his size. He is a player teams will target at the end. He does have a strong lower body but Edwards will always be a negative on D. The question is, can his offensive prowess overcome it?

Edwards is in this range of players from 20-40 whose ranking varies depending on who you talk to. Realistically I think he ends up in the early second round, but can make an NBA roster next season.

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