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According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, the growing influence of NIL money in college basketball has significantly shifted how senior prospects are viewed, making them more appealing to evaluators than in previous years.

In the past, most NBA-level talents rarely stayed in school for four or more seasons, but the ability to earn substantial income at the college level is now encouraging some players to remain longer and continue developing.

As a result, experienced upperclassmen are becoming more relevant in scouting discussions.

With that context, Hollinger identified 12 senior prospects worth monitoring during this year’s NCAA tournament, including UConn forward Alex Karaban, Purdue guard Braden Smith, and Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz.