The Ringer: Arizona’s Rawle Alkins an NBA prospect to watch in Sweet 16
Mar 22, 2017, 10:03 AM
Arizona's Rawle Alkins reacts after scoring a 3-point shot against Arizona during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 men's tournament Thursday, March 9, 2017, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 92-78. (AP Photo/John Locher)
(AP Photo/John Locher)
Going into the NCAA Tournament, when it came to the Arizona Wildcats most people were well aware of Allonzo Trier and Lauri Markkanen.
The sophomore and freshman, respectively, were the team’s leading scorers, and seen as keys to any deep run the Pac-12 Tournament champions would go on.
Chances are that is still accurate, as it is difficult to picture the Wildcats going much further if neither of their stars play up to the level they are capable of.
But after a pair of tournament games — wins over North Dakota and Saint Mary’s — it is Rawle Alkins who is starting to garner more attention.
The freshman scored 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting in the first round, adding five assists, four rebounds and one block against the Fighting Hawks, and then against Saint Mary’s battled through a dislocated finger to chip in six points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist.
“If he didn’t return to the game, I don’t know if we would have had enough to win,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said following Arizona’s victory over the Gaels, which pushed them to the Sweet 16.
The way Alkins has stepped up has not gone unnoticed, and Jonathan Tjarks of TheRinger.com listed him as one of six Under-the-Rader NBA prospects who are worth watching in the Sweet 16.
Tjarks notes the Wildcats are one of the deepest teams in the country, which has led the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Alkins to be a bit hidden in the desert.
He does a little bit of everything for Arizona, averaging 11.1 points (on 46.7 percent shooting), 5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game, including shooting 37.9 percent from 3 on 3.2 attempts per game. Alkins had a career-high 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting in the Wildcats’ first-round win over North Dakota, and came back minutes after dislocating and fracturing his right index finger in the first half of Arizona’s second-round win over Saint Mary’s to make some huge defensive plays down the stretch. His versatility in the 3-and-D role will be crucial for Sean Miller to reach his first Final Four.
A deeper dive into the numbers shows why Alkins might be the diamond in the rough in this draft. According to the tracking numbers at Synergy Sports, he averages 2.1 possessions per game in the pick-and-roll and is in the 88th percentile of ball handlers in the play in the country. He’s also the rare young player who already rates as an excellent defender across multiple categories: pick-and-rolls, isolations, and chasing players around screens. Alkins has an NBA-ready body and an intriguing skill set, and he could power his way into the first round of the draft with a strong performance this weekend.
Alkins turning pro after just one season has always been a possibility, though he has never carried the aura of a can’t-miss, one-and-done prospect.
Over at DraftExpress.com, the freshman’s name does not show up on their latest mock draft, though Markkanen (No. 7) and fellow frosh Kobi Simmons (No. 49) do appear.
Markkanen being ranked near the top is not a surprise, given he has had an excellent season and offers a skill set few players with his size possess. But seeing Simmons’ name may come as a bit of a shock, especially since a late-season slump has essentially taken him out of the rotation.
Unlike Alkins, however, the 6-foot-5 Simmons projects at a specific position — point guard — at the next level. But if Alkins continues to shine and Arizona keeps winning, it’s likely some NBA team would find a spot, and a role, for him.
Though if Alkins does not leave school for the NBA after this season, he could again be part of one of the best teams in college basketball next season.
