How the NCAA Tournament’s stars changed from preps to the Final Four

Each team slated to play in the Final Four on Saturday took a unique path to get to this point, as did the players involved.

Some of those players, like Justin Jackson and Sindarius Thornwell, were highly touted recruits, while others like Luke Maye and Przemek Karnowski were not. Where did the top players of the Final Four come from and how did they get to this point in their career? Let's take a look.

Coming out of high school in 2014, Jackson was ranked as the No. 10 overall recruit. He was homeschooled but played for a prominent AAU team in Houston. He was recognized as an elite talent entering college and although he was productive early on, it took some time for him to turn into a go-to option for the Tar Heels. At that time, Jackson was known for his impressive mid-range game and boasted the best floater in high school hoops, but he struggled as a shooter from distance and with physical play.

That mid-range game and floater carried over to North Carolina, and it’s a weapon he consistently uses for the Tar Heels. Where Jackson has significantly improved is his shooting. During his first two seasons at UNC he shot 30.4 percent and 29.2 percent from three. Now in his junior season, Jackson has made strides, hitting 101 three-pointers and (38 percent). Because of Jackson’s body type, it’s taken time for him to get acclimated to the physical play of college. After three seasons, he’s starting to look like the NBA prospect he was once projected to be.

Maye is the biggest individual success story of the Final Four, and if you had told me three years ago that he would be the difference maker in an Elite Eight game, I would have said you were crazy. But here we are.

Coming out of high school, Maye wasn’t ranked in Scout’s top 100 and mostly entertained mid-major offers during his prep days. Heck, when Maye originally committed to UNC the plan was for him to walk on his first season. But with roster attrition, Maye ended up with a scholarship from day one. Maye’s brightest moment in high school came at one of the most prestigious prep camps — the NBPA Top 100 Camp. He led the event in rebounding (and that has translated to college), but Maye’s lack of athleticism, size and mobility was a concern.

Now he’s developed into a pivotal piece to UNC’s Final Four team. Not only did Maye hit the shot, but he also pumped in 50 points in the Tar Heels' four NCAA Tournament games, hit 5 of 8 from three against Butler and Kentucky, and has proven himself a valuable rebounder.

The Oregon sophomore was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, ranking No. 42 overall in the class. He originally made a verbal commitment to Arizona, before parting ways with the Wildcats and landing with the Ducks. In high school, Dorsey was known for his scoring prowess and ability to heat up in a hurry.

Not much has changed. As a college player, Dorsey is fairly similar but he’s become a more efficient player, averaging 42 percent from three and 47 percent from the field overall. He’s had some feast and famine moments as a sophomore, but he’s ending the year on an absolute tear, averaging 23.5 points a game over Oregon’s last seven games. Dorsey has been the MVP for the tournament for Oregon thus far.

When Oregon lost Chris Boucher many, including myself, wrote off the Ducks from potentially making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. But Bell has ramped things up. 

In high school, Bell was known for his ridiculous athleticism and rim protection, but lacked touch and ability on offense. To make matters more interesting, the Long Beach (Calif.) Poly standout stood just over 6-foot-6. So projecting him as an undersized post player was difficult.

Since the prep days, Bell hit a growth spurt and now stands just over 6-foot-9. At that size and with his type of bouncy athleticism, it’s easy to see why he can have a major impact on a basketball game. He’s bought into the energy role, is a threat to block shots and has recorded double-figure rebounds in six straight games. Without Bell’s recent play, the Ducks wouldn’t be playing in Phoenix.

Thornwell was productive from day one at South Carolina, but the tough 6-foot-5 wing player has taken things up a notch as a senior, averaging 21.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. 

A native of Lancaster, South Carolina, Thornwell emerged on the high school scene early on playing for Team United on the Nike circuit. Thornwell made his impact as a scorer and moved his way up the national rankings following a terrific senior season at high school powerhouse Oak Hill. Thornwell finished as the No. 30 overall prospect and was ranked behind players like Aaron Harrison and Zach LaVine at the shooting guard position.

After three solid seasons for the Gamecocks, Thornwell emerged as the SEC Player of the Year and has been the star of the NCAA Tournament, averaging 23 points a game as a senior. He’s developed as a shooter (39.4 percent from three) and is more consistent on both ends of the floor than when he was in high school. His strong play has him moving up draft boards as well.

A South Carolina kid, Dozier had options when he was looking for his future college. Louisville made a strong run and was even thought of as a favorite in his college recruitment, but he opted to stay close to home and play at South Carolina, where his sister also starred. 

Rather than leaving for a bigger high school program, like Thornwell, Dozier stayed in South Carolina and played for his father at Columbia (S.C.) Spring Valley. As a 12-year-old, Dozier tore his ACL and MCL. At the time he repaired his MCL, but played with a torn ACL for four years, before having surgery as a junior in high school. He played his senior season, showing impressive passing and vision, and he showed the ability to play on and off the ball. He was a unique prospect with good size for the position and finished as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2015 class.

After what was somewhat of a pedestrian first season with the Gamecocks, Dozier broke out during his sophomore campaign and has been a key piece to South Carolina’s late emergence. He’s always been versatile, but as he’s gotten older and more confident, he’s been able to show that on the court for the Gamecocks. He's averaging 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game.

Williams-Goss was a big name in high school recruiting circles. Playing at Las Vegas powerhouse Findlay Prep, he played a national schedule and was a heavily debated prospect. He finished No. 50 overall and No. 11 at the point guard position in the 2013 class.

After a stint at Washington, where Williams-Goss had two productive seasons, he transferred to Gonzaga. The sit-out season was clearly beneficial, as Williams-Goss emerged as one of the nation’s best players this year, averaging 16.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

He has always been a versatile prospect that could play effectively both on and off the ball. He’s proven that on the big stage this season. Although Gonzaga has a loaded roster, he’s been the catalyst for the Bulldogs' Final Four run.

Perhaps the most important piece to Gonzaga’s puzzle is the big fella in the paint. A native of Poland, Karnowski wasn’t your typical high school recruit, as Gonzaga beat out Cal to bring him to the United States for college.

Karnowski played for a Polish club team called Tarnobrzeg and averaged 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds a game in 35 appearances. He had clear talent but was out of shape.

After backing up Kelly Olynyk his freshman year, Karnowski was productive as a sophomore and junior, before suffering a painful and prolonged back surgery that forced him to miss the majority of last year. He received a medical redshirt and has turned into a dominant force for the Zags.

Surrounded by shooters, Karnowski’s presence in the paint is significant to the Zags' success. One college coach that played Gonzaga this season told FOX Sports he’s their most important player because he can score in one-on-one situations, but is skilled enough to pass well out of double teams. Karnowski is averaging 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds a game.