March Madness is the biggest stage in college basketball. For a select few it’s a coming out party. One last chance to make their mark before the NBA Draft. Steph Curry (2008, Davidson), Carmelo Anthony (2003, Syracuse), and Kemba Walker (2011, UConn) all became household names before their NBA careers by dominating the NCAA Tourney. Which 2026 March Madness starts are about jump from second-round talent to a fringe lottery pick overnight?
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, a potential No. 1 pick, delivered a pair of strong performances before the Jayhawks were bounced in the second round. Cameron Boozer’s Duke squad was nearly knocked out in the Round of 64, but his double-double helped them stay afloat.
March Madness alone probably won’t get more than a couple of players drafted, but it will be the reason why some earn considerably more – or less – from their first NBA contracts. Here are five players who are trending up ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas G
Acuff was already skyrocketing up draft boards before March Madness got underway, but he’s only built upon the hype after leading his Razorbacks to the Sweet 16.
Through his first two games, Acuff has scored 60 points and tallied 13 assists in wins over No. 13 Hawaii and No. 12 High Point. More importantly, he’s done so with supreme efficiency, going 20-of-41 from the field, 5-of-11 from 3-point range, and 15-of-17 from the free throw line. He’s also turned in a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.Â
The real downside with Acuff is his size and sometimes baffling defensive miscues. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, the 19-year-old has a small frame for the position by modern standards, meaning he’d be easily picked on in the pros. Pair that with his lack of effort on defense and you’ve put yourself in a position where you have to ensure he’s always playing alongside a few plus-defenders.
Acuff has time to iron out that side of his game, though. For now, he’s playing himself into being a top-10 pick on account of his firepower alone.
Keaton Wagler, Illinois G
Once ranked the No. 261 player in his class, Illinois star guard Keaton Wagler may well be on the cusp of becoming a top-five pick in the NBA Draft. Scouts are always looking for tall, efficient lead guards who can play both ends of the floor, and Wagler checks all those boxes.
Checking in at 6-foot-6 and averaging 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists, the freshman is the engine that drives the Fighting Illini’s first-place offense. His shooting efficiency ensures that he can hurt opposing defenses in multiple ways, too: Wagler sinks 45 percent of his looks from the field and nearly 41 percent beyond the perimeter.
Wagler produced a pair of strong performances in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, posting 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against Penn before turning in a 14-point outing in a win over VCU. His biggest green flag, however, is his ability to elevate others. Illinois won its first two games by an average of 28 points.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan F
Lendeborg’s ceiling is capped by his age – he’ll turn 24 before the 2026-27 NBA season gets underway – but from a pure talent perspective, he’s one of the best players in his class. The 6-foot-9 forward does it all on both ends of the floor and is the most valuable player for arguably the nation’s best team, the Michigan Wolverines.
Lendeborg averages nearly 15 points to go along with 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He’s also a 36 percent shooter from 3-point range, a consistent connector at the charity stripe and a physical finisher at the rim.Â
He didn’t make much of an impact in Michigan’s first-round win over Howard – he didn’t need to, really – but Lendeborg turned it on against Saint Louis, dropping 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six rebounds, two assists and a block over 32 minutes. The Wolverines won by 23.
Lendeborg is currently projected to be selected in the back half of the lottery, where teams like the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder will make selections. Landing on a team that’s looking to win now would be an ideal setup for the Big Ten Player of the Year.
Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama G
Philon was once projected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Instead, he returned to Alabama to further improve his skills and play himself into a higher position. As it stands, it looks like he made the right call.
Philon has doubled his scoring output from last season, averaging 21.6 points per game while posting vastly superior shooting splits across the board. Once thought to be an inefficient shooter, Philon is sinking over 50 percent of his attempts from the field and nearly 40 percent from 3-point range – both at a higher volume, too.
The 20-year-old has put his skills on full display in March Madness, taking advantage of the absence of teammate Aden Holloway. Philon popped for 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the Crimson Tide’s first-round win over Hofstra before dishing out 12 assists – a season-high – in a victory over Texas Tech.
There are legitimate concerns about Philon’s defense. His 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame makes him fairly small by NBA standards. There’s no denying his offensive prowess, however, and he’s a natural point guard. He’s now firmly considered to be a top-10 pick.
Cayden Boozer, Duke G
Boozer hasn’t made nearly the same splash as his twin brother, Cameron, as a freshman, but he’s making the most of an increased opportunity in the NCAA Tournament. He’s started in five straight games dating back to the ACC Tournament with Caleb Foster sidelined, and he was a big reason why Duke was able to escape Siena’s upset bid in the Round of 64.
Over those last five outings, Boozer has averaged 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. The 3-point shot isn’t totally developed yet, but he’s efficient at the arc and a reliable shooter at the free-throw line, where he’s gone 81 percent on the year.
Boozer still isn’t likely to be a first-round pick, but if he stays in the NBA Draft rather than returning to Duke for a second year, he could provide some serious value and upside in the second round.
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