Yes, it is still early in the season, but it's safe to say that the Knicks will find themselves high in the NBA Draft lottery at the end of the year.

Though they had the worst record in the NBA last season, they didn't land the No. 1 pick, with it falling to the Pelicans instead. Still, the Knicks chose third to select one of the best players coming out of the NCAA in Duke G RJ Barrett.

Well, another college basketball season is upon us, and Knicks fans may want to pay attention to some of the best, young players that could find themselves in a blue and orange uniform next season.

Here's who to watch:

1) Michigan State G Cassius Winston

Last season, it was the freshmen -- more specifically Zion Williamson, Barrett, and Ja Morant -- that stole the show in college basketball. But, this season, Winston is highly regarded as the NCAA's top player in his senior year.

It began as a slow burn at the start of Winston's Spartan career, but last season, he bursted onto the scene with 18.6 points per game on 46 percent from the field over 33.5 minutes a game for head coach Tom Izzo. Winston's performance against Duke in the Elite Eight with 20 points and 10 assists truly put him on the map.

Experts are predicting that Winston will be the star for the No. 1-ranked team in the country heading into the first game of the year. And that game is against No. 2 Kentucky, so Knicks fans will see early what this 6-foot-1 guard can do if they didn't last season.

2) Seton Hall G Myles Powell

Speaking of seniors, Powell decided to return for his, and that should help him become one of the most sought after guards in the Draft this year.

Powell had an insane junior season with 23.1 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting over 34 games. Powell can pull from anywhere on the court and has the flare for the dramatic with many big shots coming late in games. He can work on padding his other stats (four rebounds and 2.9 assists last season), but the Trenton, NJ native is a pure scorer.

And he'll be right in the Knicks backyard all season long.

3) Memphis C James Wiseman

Introducing the top-ranked big man in the NCAA this season -- well, at least for now. The No. 14-ranked Tigers have an exciting, young roster that could give teams trouble come tournament time, and Wiseman should be a main reason why. He's an extremely athletic lefty that has seen comparisons to Anthony Davis and Chris Bosh with his ability to score at every level.

The Knicks could certainly use a big man like that, and Wiseman -- if all goes well in his freshman year -- should be an automatic Top 5 pick.

4) Marquette G Markus Howard

The 5-foot-11 Howard was expected to go in the second round, if anything, had he entered the NBA Draft. He had a career-high 25 points per game, leading the way for the Golden Eagles, on 40.3 percent from three and 42 percent overall. With 21.1 field goal attempts per game, the entire offense ran through Howard, who also averaged 4.7 assists.

But Howard is back for his senior season, and ready to prove that he's more than just a depth player. If he continues to improve as he has throughout his college career, the Knicks could have this fearless shooter on their radar.

5) North Carolina G Cole Anthony

Like father, like son?

Greg Anthony was drafted by the Knicks 12th overall back in 1991, but Cole Anthony is ready to make a name for himself with the Tar Heels. Coming out of the legendary Oak Hill Academy, Anthony will be the lead man for Roy Williams this season, and his insane athletic ability, ball-handling, and hops will make him a fan favorite throughout the season.

Anthony's explosiveness has been compared to Russell Westbrook, and he has displayed great court vision as well. Can he prove to be the point guard the Knicks need to lead their offense for seasons to come?

6) Louisville F Jordan Nwora

Nwora took a big leap in his sophomore season after averaging 17 points per game in 31.9 minutes. Experts predict he'll be even more important for the Cardinals, and could vie for ACC Player of the Year.

7) Kansas C Udoka Azubuike

Another dominant big man in the Big 12, Azubuike is the anchor down low for the No. 3 team in the country. He'll be going against Duke freshman C Vernon Carey Jr. on Tuesday night to kick off the season, which will be a fun matchup to watch. He averaged 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds last season, but played in just nine games. Bill Self will hope he stays on the court longer than that, and if he does, his draft stock could sky rocket.

8) Georgia G Anthony Edwards

Highly touted out of high school, Edwards is believed to be a superstar in the making, and the Bulldogs will certainly hope so.

Think of a combination of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum -- a cunning scorer that loves to get his teammates involved, has a flare to make that highlight-reel dunk and can be clutch in any moment. That's Edwards.

9) LaMelo Bell/RJ Hampton

OK, so we'd be doing this piece an injustice if we didn't look at these two that are lighting up the Australian NBL right now.

The youngest of the Ball brothers could easily become a Top 5 pick if he continues playing the way he has for Illawarra. The 6-foot-6, 180 pound guard has displayed the court vision his brother Lonzo Ball had coming out of UCLA. But his shooting stroke, that will come from anywhere on the court, is smooth. He's averaging 14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and two steals per game at 18 years old.

Hampton is another guard out in Australia that has shown off his skill set against Ball, and some believe he could be right next to him on the Draft board come June 2020. He's average 10.5 points, 2.3 assists and five rebounds on 50 percent shooting over his first six games.

You'll likely continue to see these two on your social media timelines throughout this season if you haven't already.

Popular in the Community