With the NCAA season entering March Madness, it’s a good time to take a look at which college guys the New Orleans Pelicans could target in the NBA Draft. First, we’ll break down which players from the SEC might be a nice fit in the Big Easy.

March Madness magic creates stars from overlooked NCAA talent. Everyone has heard of the top lottery prospects, but it’s the second tier of players that the New Orleans Pelicans should focus on in the upcoming NBA Draft.

The conference tournaments are settled. Selection Sunday determined the layout of the brackets. The 2019 NBA Draft has several potential stars, but only by trading Anthony Davis could the Pelicans realistically acquire Duke’s Zion Williamson, the obvious best player and future #1 overall pick. Currently, the Pelicans have two second round picks, plus a likely trade haul for AD containing one or two more 2019 draft selections.

With several draft selections, it is okay to hope for one of the top talents available. Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, or even Ja Morant (if you believe in his hype) could end up in New Orleans one way or another. The Pelicans will have one of the worst records to end the season, especially if the ending of the Suns game on Saturday was any indication of future tanking intentions as the season winds down.

If the Pelicans can somehow land a top three pick with their own draft slot, the Anthony Davis asking price would likely be altered. Falling out of the top 3, the type of player the Pelicans need to seek changes. With multiple picks, the Pelicans can take some risks in the draft, but at least one selection needs to be a solid contributor.

For this exercise, let’s look at each position and a few under the radar players that should at least get a summer league look, if not a draft night snapback and a picture with Adam Silver.