Cavs Draft Viewing Guide: Stock Watch; 3 players to watch in UNC-UCLA

Three NBA Draft prospects to watch in UNC-UCLA

*Jaime Jaquez Jr., Forward, UCLA 

I had to put an asterisk next to Jaquez Jr. simply because we don’t know if he will be playing on Friday. He left UCLA’s round of 32 matchup in the second half after hurting his ankle. He’s been having trouble with the ankle all season, so his status will have to be updated all week. However, he’s still going to be a selection in the 2022 NBA Draft this summer, it just might in the late first or early second round.

Jaquez Jr. is a multi-faceted player who plays tough defense, and can shoot from all levels. His explosion and athleticism don’t jump off the screen at you, but he is still a capable scorer at the NBA level. He will be a big question mark heading into the Sweet Sixteen game versus rival blueblood North Carolina.

But if Jaquez Jr. isn’t able to go, the player who will likely fill in for him, Peyton Watson, is an interesting prospect.

Fellow KJG writer Dan Gilinsky and I have been following Watson all season. He’s definitely a raw player, but he has the body and athleticism to eventually be a high draft pick. Before the season, he was looked at as a lottery pick, but now he’s more likely to go back to UCLA, or test the NBA. Either way, if Watson is asked to play plus minutes because of Jaquez Jr.’s injury, it will be a big spot to see a young player.

Caleb Love, Guard, North Carolina

If you were watching the end of the Baylor/North Carolina game on Saturday afternoon, I think you understand that it was a roller coaster for me as a North Carolina fan. The Heels got the win and will take on UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen. However, another intriguing prospect to watch during the game is Caleb Love from North Carolina.

If you only tuned into the end of the game, you might not even know who he is. He fouled out in regulation, after scoring five points, on 1-for-6 shooting from the field. So why am I even talking about him? Well Love is a special talent he’s just very inconsistent at times.

In the Heels first-round win over Marquette, Love showed why some NBA scouts love him as a late first-round pick. He scored 23 points, while shooting 6-for-13 from three. He’s a solid player, who is actually a good defender, but he needs to be more consistent. If Love could play like he did in the Marquette game all the time, I’d be putting all my money on the Tar Heels to win it all. I hope he can get more consistent, but either way he’s an intriguing player for the Cavs to look at potentially in the second round, if he were to fall.

Obviously with all the injuries this season, they need guard depth. Love would be great taking the second-unit minutes, while learning from Darius Garland, who has a similar, but more profound skill set.

What: (8) North Carolina vs (4) UCLA | When: Friday, March 25

Time: 9:39 PM ET | Where: Wells Fargo Center — Philadelphia, PA

Coverage: CBS

There’s still plenty to look forward to in the NCAA Tournament, and next up, make sure to check out the prospects we highlighted here in action.