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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Florida guard Jalen Hudson leads the team in scoring this season, but managed just six points against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. </p>

Florida guard Jalen Hudson leads the team in scoring this season, but managed just six points against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. 

ST. LOUIS — In his first year playing for coach Mike White and the Florida Gators, junior transfer Jalen Hudson leads the team in scoring. The 6-foot-6 guard has garnered attention as an NBA draft prospect for his breakout season and is projected by some to be a late second-round selection. Hudson was one of Florida’s most consistent players over the course of the season. He finished the year on a tear, averaging 22.7 points per game on 57-percent shooting in the last three regular season games but struggled in the team’s SEC tourney loss to Arkansas, where he finished with six points.

Here’s a look at some other SEC prospects and how they affected the odds of hearing their name called during the NBA Draft on June 21.

 

G –  Collin Sexton – Alabama - FR

Sexton is a lengthy and athletic projected lottery pick. His 19.0 points per game rank second in the SEC. In three SEC Tournament contests Sexton put up 26.3 points per game, nailing the game-winner as time expired to propel the Tide past Texas A&M and into the quarterfinals vs. top-seeded Auburn. He scored 31 points and made six threes to help upset the Tigers 81-63, but his 21 points weren’t enough to get past Kentucky in the conference semifinals.

 

F –  Michael Porter Jr. – Missouri – FR

Porter Jr. was one of the top high school prospects in the country when he signed with Missouri. The 6-foot-10 forward wowed scouts with his athletic and shooting abilities but was injured just two minutes into the Tigers’ season opener against Iowa State. Porter Jr. missed the next 30 games as he dealt with a back injury. He made his debut in the SEC Tournament second round against Georgia, putting up 12 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes of action. While the Bulldogs won 62-60, Porter Jr. showed flashes of his pre-injury self as he shook off the rust. He is also expected to be a lottery pick this June.

 

G – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Kentucky – FR

Gilgeous-Alexander is all over the court for the Wildcats. His 13.4 points per game are second on the team behind Kevin Knox. The 6-foot-6 guard also pulls down nearly four rebounds per game, and he leads Kentucky with 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Both numbers rank fourth in the SEC. In the Wildcats’ 77-72 win over Tennessee in the SEC Championship game, he scored a game-high 29 points along with seven rebounds.

 

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F – Kevin Knox – Kentucky – FR

At 6-foot-9, the 215-pound Knox possesses a blend of size and athletic ability that has helped him lead the Wildcats in scoring this year, putting up 15.6 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. Knox registered 18 points and seven rebounds in the SEC Championship game. Both Knox and Gilgeous-Alexander are projected first-round draft picks.

 

F – Robert Williams – Texas A&M – SO

The 6-foot-10, 241-pound Williams has been productive for the Aggies since he arrived in College Station. Two years later, he has a chance to hear his name called as early as the first round of the NBA Draft. He’s flirted with averaging a double-double each year, averaging 11.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for his career and brings a strong defensive presence to the floor. Williams' 2.6 blocks per game are the most for any active SEC player. He was held to six points in a second-round loss to Alabama but grabbed 10 boards and blocked seven shots.

Follow Andrew Huang on Twitter @AndrewJHuang and contact him at ahuang@alligator.org.

Florida guard Jalen Hudson leads the team in scoring this season, but managed just six points against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. 

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