Next generation rises, stagnates with end of Madness

	Point guard Mike Conley Jr. (left) displayed his playmaking skills throughout Ohio State's run to the final of the NCAA tournament. Bill Frakes/SI

The NCAA tournament may have been a showcase for the Florida Gators to win their second consecutive championship, but it also provided the final national stage for collegians to impress their potential future employer, the NBA. Given that everyone this side of Mars agrees that Ohio State's Greg Oden and Texas' Kevin Durant will be the top two draft picks should they choose to leave college after one year, SI.com spoke to an NBA scout to ascertain who else helped improve their draft stock -- and who didn't -- throughout the 2006-07 college season.

We start with those whose status rose in the eyes of this talent evaluator. But if you take a darker view of life, skip ahead to analysis of the players whose draft stock remained stagnant.

Players who helped themselves

Mike Conley Jr., G (6-1, 180), Fr. Ohio State

"Conley is a pass-first point guard but he's also somebody who can be a scoring threat, and that's important to have both abilities. In the NBA, there are going to be a half-dozen times a game where the play doesn't work, the ball gets kicked back out to the top of the key -- usually to your point guard -- there are five seconds left and he's holding the ball 20 feet from the basket. Now what happens? The point guard has to create something, because if you have a point who can't create something out of those situations, you can mark down six empty trips. In the tournament, Conley proved his ability to take that situation and make something out of nothing; he created plays for himself off the dribble and he created plays for others."

Corey Brewer, F (6-9, 185), Jr., Florida

"Brewer puts pressure on an opponent on offense and defense. He's a really active, athletic defender. He's long, which means he gets in opponents' faces. And he can defend shooting guards or small forwards. On the other end, he's very quick off the dribble, so he can beat most players to the basket. He brings a lot to the table even without making a perimeter shot. If he can become more consistent from the outside, that would make him a potential future All-Star.

"Of course, he's been a principal on a team that has won two championships, and NBA people love to associate themselves with people who have won. If he is perceived as a winner, that will always stay with him."

Roy Hibbert, C (7-2, 278), Jr., Georgetown

"There's a process to becoming more comfortable with that tremendous size. Nobody wakes up and is 7-2. Hibbert has made some strides in terms of being able to play without committing silly fouls, without committing reaches, things like that. He's still learning, but he's polished up his post moves to the point where there's no wasted motion and there needn't be. Against North Carolina, he got a rebound where he literally just reached over Tyler Hansbrough -- he didn't jump for it, he just reached over and grabbed it. That's the difference between being 6-9 and 7-2. There are certain rebounds where you just get them on size alone.

"Hibbert is not the most athletic guy you're going to see, but I liken him to James Donaldson, who was not a great athlete, but was an extremely effective NBA player for a long time. It took him some time, but there were many years when Donaldson was averaging 12 [points] and eight [rebounds]. That's not Kobe Bryant, but that's a solid contribution, and that's what coaches are looking for -- consistency -- on any level. Hibbert is getting close to being able to deliver that."

Julian Wright, F (6-8, 225), So., Kansas

"Wright is a guy whose best basketball is ahead of him. He could and would be a top five pick this year. But he's on a fast track to get his degree in three years and might return. That would be good because he's only going to be more effective as the years go by. Right now he's got a young guy's body; he's really spindly. If he comes out this year, he's going to have some limitations physically. He would have to play on the perimeter right now because if he got close to the basket in the NBA, they would eat his lunch. But the talent is there and you can see it."