Latest ESPN mock draft has Knicks picking Arizona phenom

The NCAA men’s March Madness bracket has been narrowed down to 16 teams and this upcoming weekend will provide plenty of entertainment for New York Knicks fans. According to ESPN’s latest mock draft (subscription required), the Knicks are set to choose Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin with the No. 11 pick.

The 19-year-old sophomore was recently named the 2022 Pac-12 Player of the Year, the Pac-12 Tournament’s most outstanding player, and earned second-team All-American honors.

The six-foot-six Montreal native is listed as a small forward in ESPN’s draft, but he plays as a guard for the Wildcats.

On Sunday, No. 1 Arizona edged No. 9 TCU in overtime, 85-80. Mathurin scored a game-high 30 points (8-of-19) and added eight rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes.

Down 75-72 with a little over 14 seconds left to play in regulation, Mathurin nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and forced the game into overtime.

Will the New York Knicks draft Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin?

Mathurin’s a wing that helps to space the floor and knocks down off-ball shots, which is something that the Knicks need. Along with his clutch 3-point shot, he jammed one of the best dunks from the tournament thus far.

He took the game over and scored 11 of the Wildcats’ final 15 points to ensure that Arizona would keep dancing. The toughness that he displayed down the stretch on Sunday would be beneficial to any NBA team, but especially to a squad that plays in New York City.

The best part of Mathurin’s game is his shooting ability, but he’s a pesky defender, too. As a 3-and-D wing, his potential is limitless.

Along with his 30-point performance against the Horned Frogs, the guard scored a team-high 18 points (7-of-18) in an 87-70 win over Wright State in the first round last Friday.

While he’s currently slotted to go No. 11 per Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz, there’s a good chance that he could climb his way up the ranks to become a lottery pick.

In the 36 games that Mathurin’s played in this season, he’s averaging 17.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He’s shooting 45.5% from the field, 37.2% from the 3-point line, and 77.1% from the free-throw line.

If Mathurin were to be drafted by the Knicks, he’d be able to jump right into the starting lineup as the shooting guard.

New York’s been plagued by point guard woes for nearly two decades and if the Knicks can land a PG during the offseason, the team would have a solid backcourt for the first time in a long time. That is, if its first-round pick wasn’t traded away in the process.

Depending on how the remainder of the year goes for New York, Mathurin could still be on the board when the Knicks make their pick.

The Wildcats will face No. 5 Houston on Thursday, Mar. 24 at 9:59 p.m. ET on TBS. If I had to guess, I’d say that Mathurin’s draft stock will continue to soar as he leads Arizona to the Elite Eight.

3 All-ACC Duke players for Knicks fans to watch in March Madness

March Madness begins this week and here are 3 Duke players that the New York Knicks need to keep tabs on ahead of the 2022 NBA draft.