European Prospects

March Madness is getting closer and closer and the hype gets higher as the players are looking to improve their game so their teams can get as far as they can in the tournament.

It’s always interesting when considering European prospects that may get into the NBA and who would make an impact like Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol. But it’s more exciting when you choose an NCAA team in the tournament who has a European player in their roster that will win it for you in your college basketball picks.

If you have watched NCAA College basketball this season you should consider two specific players that have made a big scoring impact for their teams. I’m talking about the German forward Elias Harris from Gonzaga and the Swedish player Jeffery Taylor from Vanderbilt.

Both players have the ability to set the pace offensively for their teams; they are key top scoring players and should be considered NBA prospects sometime in the future. Draftexpress mentions both of them in their respective Mock Drafts for 2010 and 2011 as first round picks.

Elias leads his teams in rebounds with almost 8 per game and scores 15.3 points each night. He is explosive and a quick learner, which make him a risk in both the paint and at the perimeter. Whoever they play in the March Madness first round, I’ll bet the college basketball odds will make Gonzaga the favorite due to Elias Harris’ skills.

About his NBA future, Harris spoke recently to the German basketball magazine FIVE and said that he won’t probably declare himself eligible for this year’s NBA Draft. He sees himself ready in 2011 and prefers to stay another season in Spokane. However, if he feels the necessary interest from an NBA team and the guarantee to draft him in the first half of the 1st round, he can imagine himself being already declaring in 2010.

Taylor on the other hand is part of a great offensive unit at Vanderbilt. The Commodores average 77.7 points per game in which 14.2 are from Taylor. He can play both forward and guard position, the problem with him is that he hasn’t developed his three-point shot yet; it’s something he should look to improve. The highly athletic Swede marks the beginning of a large number of talented players from Sweden appearing on the basketball court in the future.

Jeffery Taylor and Vanderbilt will probably make it to the March Madness tournament as they are just behind Kentucky in the SEC; we just have to wait to see which team they will face.

Keep in mind neither of these two guys score the most points amongst the European players in the NCAA. The Bosnian Adnan Hozic from Lipscomb averages 21.9 points per game; he leads the Europeans in that category but his team won’t make it to March Madness.

This article is an external contribution by our today’s guest writer A.J. Riot.