The Top 10 Prospects of the Midwest Region for the 2025 NCAA Tournament

March 18th, 2025

The field was set on Sunday for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and 68 teams ended up making it to the Big Dance. There will be a very solid group of prospects that will play in the Midwest Region. Without further ado, here are the top prospects of this region for this tournament.

The Top 10 Prospects of the Midwest Region in the 2025 NCAA Tournament (overall prospect rank in parenthesis)

Tre Johnson is an athletic, skilled swingman and is a superb shot maker who recently scored 39 points in one game towards the end of the season, and he could end up being a top 5 pick in the 2025 draft.
(Photo: Scott Wachter/Imagn Images, via NBC Right Now)

1. Tre Johnson, G-F, Texas (5)

He is a talented, athletic shot maker that can put up points in a hurry, and he can make very difficult shots look effortlessly. He is a sharpshooter that has a penchant for scoring and is a high upside player, and he also has some facilitation skills, as well as the physical tools to be a plus-level defender at the next level. He’ll need to refine his shot selection and improve in the finer points of the game, but he is a very skilled marksman and scorer that could end up being a likely lottery pick and a star in the NBA.

Illinois’ 6-6 freshman point guard, Kasparas Jakucionis has been a star in college basketball, and he is a likely lottery pick if he decides to enter the 2025 NBA Draft. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press, via IPM Newsroom)

2. Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (7)

He is an agile, cerebral playmaker that has a strong set of offensive skills. He is a flashy player that excels with the ball in his hands, as he has the court vision to rack up assists at the point, and has a variety of scoring skills. He’s also a strong rebounder to boot. However, he’ll need to improve his defense and his three-point shot tapered off considerably in the second half of the season, but Jakucionis is a very skilled, high IQ basketball player that could end up being a lottery pick and a very solid player in the NBA.

Asa Newell has been solid for Georgia all year long, and he could end up being a lottery pick in the 2025 draft. (Photo: Dale Zanine/Imagn Images, via SB Nation)

3. Asa Newell, F-C, Georgia (13)

He is an athletic, energetic big man that has a promising jump shot, strong defensive skills, and he is a high-motor player that is an underrated passer for his size. He’s had a solid season this year and helped carry a undermanned Georgia squad to the NCAA Tournament, and Newell is a very talented prospect that could end up being a solid player in the NBA.

4. Will Riley, G-F, Illinois (28)

He is a tall, lanky point forward that is a smooth scorer and has the playmaking skills to be a point forward, but he will need to be a more consistent shooter and defender in games. Still, he’s shown the versatility and the upside to maybe warrant a late first round selection in the 2025 draft, and a strong tournament could boost his stock even further.

5. Dailyn Swain, G, Xavier (38)

He is an athletic, skilled guard that excels at making plays on both ends of the floor. He has a good feel for the game, and he is a high-motor player that will make hustle plays to help his team in games. He’ll need to significantly improve his jump shot, but he is a talented prospect that projects to go in the late first to the second round range for the 2025 draft.

6. Tomislav Ivisic, C, Illinois (46)

He is a very tall, skilled big man that can shoot it from the outside and is a gifted passer that has very good court vision for a player his size. He’ll need to improve his defense, but his solid offensive skills and advanced feel for the game could enable him to be a solid role player in the NBA.

7. Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee (63)

He is an agile, skilled combo guard that excels as a marksman and scorer when he is on the floor. While he’s not a true point guard, his ability to get buckets could enable him to project into a microwave scorer type of role at the NBA level.

After Purdue made it to the title game last year, Braden Smith has been a very productive playmaking point guard that has played very well all season long, and could help his team go far in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. (Photo: Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, via Sports Illustrated)

8. Braden Smith, G, Purdue (65)

He is a skilled, cerebral point guard that has solid offensive skills, and he has an advanced feel for the game. He can score in a variety of ways and is a good playmaker, and he has the skills to be a solid, game managing point guard in the NBA.

9. Ryan Nembhard, G, Gonzaga (73)

He is an agile, skilled point guard that has helped Gonzaga reel off many wins this year, and he is a strong playmaker that has good court vision and fairly solid defensive skills. He’ll need to be a more consistent shooter in games, but his high basketball IQ and burgeoning skill set could enable him to be a solid, game managing point guard in the NBA.

10. Jaxson Robinson, G-F, Kentucky (79)

He is an athletic, skilled swingman that projects well into a 3 and D role at the NBA level. He is a solid marksman that can score in a variety of ways and is a better than advertised defender. He’ll need to improve his playmaking skills and rebounding, but Robinson has been solid at the collegiate level, especially in the last two years, and he could end up being an effective role player in the NBA.

Honorable Mention:

Amari Williams, F-C, Kentucky, Koby Brea, G-F, Kentucky, Joseph Tugler, F, Houston, Kobe Johnson, G-F, UCLA, Igor Milicic Jr., F, Tennessee

That’s all there is for now. It will be interested to see how Texas fares against Xavier in the play-in game tomorrow, and it’ll be interesting to see what will happen when the games play. Thanks for reading.