NCAA Basketball: Top 10 pending 2023 NBA Draft decisions to watch next month

4. Adama Sanogo – UConn Huskies

In the “Year of the Big”, one center that flew under the radar at the start of the NCAA Basketball season was Adama Sanogo. But he and UConn quickly became a national story, starting 14-0, thanks to the junior having six games of at least 20 points.

Sanogo led the Huskies with 17.1 ppg and 7.5 rpg and was a fantastic two-way big man. In the team’s Final Four run, the big man averaged 20 ppg and 9.8 rpg, including 28 points and 13 rebounds against Iona, along with 24 points and eight rebounds in a win over Saint Mary’s.

The Huskies are in the Final Four and on paper, are the favorite to win the national title. That alone may determine whether or not Sanogo comes back for another year or not. The team is set to lose projected 1st-round NBA Draft pick, Jordan Hawkins. Sanogo is around the top-60 range and while he did shoot 35% from three-point range on 49 attempts, still isn’t likely going in the range of a guaranteed contract.

Even if Sanogo goes, UConn does have 7’1 center, Donovan Clingan, backing him up. He may be a breakout star himself as a sophomore but if the big man comes back, the Huskies will be a preseason top-5 squad for 2023-24.