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NCAA Basketball: 10 biggest winners and losers from 2021 NBA Draft decisions

By Tristan Freeman

Mar 30, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Johnny Juzang (3) celebrates after advancing to the Final Four following their win in the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Johnny Juzang (3) celebrates after advancing to the Final Four following their win in the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball NBA Draft Ron Harper Jr. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball NBA Draft Ron Harper Jr. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

7. Winner – Rutgers Scarlet Knights

After what should’ve been an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020 (canceled due to pandemic), Rutgers finally ended the three-decade-long drought this past season and even won a game as well. But like almost every team experiences, this Big Ten program also suffered roster departures. Starting center Myles Johnson is off to UCLA, while guards Jacob Young and Montez Mathis went to Oregon and St. John’s respectively.

That’s a lot of production already gone and it could’ve become a complete disaster if leading scorer Ron Harper Jr. and starting point guard Geo Baker remained in the NBA Draft. The good news is that both are back, along with the combined 25.3 ppg and 9.0 rpg. With center Cliff Omoruyi and LSU transfer Aundre Hyatt also on board, Rutgers has a good chance at being NCAA Tournament-caliber again. Without the duo, the Knights may have ended up as the worst power conference team.

7. Loser – South Carolina Gamecocks

The Gamecocks have been a program ever since the 2017 Final Four has struggled to get back to the NCAA Tournament. And the mini-drought could very well continue, with star guard and leading scorer AJ Lawson going pro. He led the team in scoring two years in a row, including 16.6 ppg this past season.

The Gamecocks lost a couple of other key pieces (Justin Minaya and Trae Hannibal) this offseason and have brought in several transfers in an effort to replace them. But realistically, none of them are as good as Minaya and Lawson, meaning that South Carolina likely will remain in the bottom tier of the SEC in 2022.

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