Could the defending champion New York Knicks benefit from the ex-Northwestern star's services?
As expected, former Northwestern star Nick Martinelli is still on the board entering the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The four-year Wildcat could certainly hear his name called on Wednesday night, though, which would mark a monumental step for the program. Northwestern has not had players selected in back-to-back NBA Drafts since 1980 to 1985, when at least one Wildcat was picked in six consecutive years. However, that was when the draft was much longer and none of those players were drafted in the first two rounds.
Martinelli's former roommate, Brooks Barnhizer, snapped a 27-year drought last summer when the Oklahoma City Thunder selected the Northwestern captain with the No. 44 overall pick. Could Martinelli join Barnhizer in the ranks of the NBA?
Here's where the experts are predicting the Big Ten's back-to-back scorer will be picked on Wednesday night:
ESPN: No. 57 (Atlanta Hawks)
"Martinelli is a tough, hard-nosed scorer with a clever midrange game. His competitiveness and consistency allowed him to carry a huge offensive load for Northwestern. While Martinelli shot a career-best 41% from 3 this year, it's not viewed as an area of strength. He's physical, but lacks ideal quickness defensively and is a bit undersized for a 4. It's easy to like Martinelli's intangibles and history of improvement in college. He will need to continue improving as a 3-point shooter to maximize his chances of carving out a depth role."
The Athletic: No. 47 (New York Knicks)
"Martinelli has been one of the most productive players in college basketball over the last two years, averaging more than 20 points each season. He is known as a great worker, is big and smart and moves exceedingly well without the ball. His floater game is elite on the interior, but he needs to prove he can knock down shots consistently as well as move his feet quickly."
Feb 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli (2) celebrates his teams win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers after the game at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn ImagesBleacher Report: No. 41 (Miami Heat)
"Seniors and players like Nick Martinelli could benefit from NIL bringing underclassmen back to college. Despite limited athletic ability and an unorthodox game, he was a top-10 scorer and improved shooter (41.7 percent 3PT) at 6'7."
ClutchPoints: No. 41 (Miami Heat)
"Nick Martinelli is another prospect who appeared to lock in his second-round status during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and throughout the pre-draft process with his scoring and shooting display during the scrimmages. Aside from shooting on the perimeter, Martinelli also uses his 6'7″ frame well to get to his mid-range spots and take advantage of smaller opponents in the post. The Heat will explore ways to add shooting depth on the wing after trading Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. for Giannis Antetokounmpo, making Martinelli a perfect addition in this spot. He could easily become Erik Spoelstra's next version of Max Strus or Duncan Robinson."
