NBA 2024 Draft Big Board

NBA Index 2024 Draft Big Board – 6/24/24

*This is a ranking of who I believe will be the best player of this group long-term. It’s not a guess on Rookie of the Year. It’s a prediction of who I’d want on my team in 5+ years from now.

**Wasn’t able to scout Pacome Dadiet, Ajay Mitchell, Melvin Ajinca, Cam Spencer, or Tre Alexander. I expect each of them to be drafted in the 2nd round.

***Official NBA Draft Combine Measurements

1. Matas Buzelis – F – 19 years old
   • Height: 6’9″
   • Wingspan: 6’10”
   • The Good: Legit 4 with good size and length. High IQ player, despite playing with Low IQ talent on G-League Ignite, excellent off-ball defensive player, knows when to rotate, can defend the rim, plus athlete, on offense he doesn’t dominate the ball, connecting piece, good passer & cutter, opportunistic scorer
   • The Bad: Shooting, didn’t shoot well from 3 last year, despite plenty of great looks, form is solid, no issues with technique, shot just didn’t fall. However, prior to his one season with Ignite he was hitting 40%+, will also need to improve his handle.
2. Stephon Castle – W – 19
   • HT: 6’6″
   • WS: 6’9″
   • The Good: Arguably best perimeter defender in class besides Dunn, can guard 1-4, excellent on or off-ball, good shake to his game, excellent athlete with good measurements, dawg, winner, high floor
   • The Bad: Very few holes in his game, but is he really a PG, as he claims to be? He wants the ball in his hands, but he mostly played off the ball at UConn. Certainly seems capable though. Needs to be more consistent with his shot, but solid form and footwork on jumper.
3. Nikola Topic – G – 18
   • HT: 6’6″
   • WS: 6’6″
   • The Good: One of the best passers in the class, great feel, gets to the rim at will despite not being particularly explosive, capable shooter, great size for a PG, decent handle, has played with men professionally last few years. high ceiling.
   • The Bad: Coming off partial ACL tear, won’t contribute to a team until start of 2025 season, subpar wingspan, inconsistent shooter and defender, wherever he ends up, will probably need the ball in his hands to be affective.
4. Devin Carter – G – 22
   • HT: 6’2″
   • WS: 6’9″
   • The Good: Great measurements, near +7 inch wingspan, will be able to guard 1-3 easily, one of the best perimeter defenders in class, excellent shooter, improved every year in college, solid PnR scorer & distributor, high floor, reminds me of Jrue Holiday, dawg
   • The Bad: Older for a rookie, shoots well but slow release, will need to speed up shot, low ceiling, but I love this kid.
5. Cody Williams – W – 19
   • HT: 6’7″
   • WS: 7’1″
   • The Good: Great measurements, zero holes in his game, does everything well, 7+ foot wingspan will allow him to guard 1-4, underrated passer, capable shooter, JDub’s little brother, cerebral player, high ceiling
   • The Bad: suffered injury prone season at Colorado, though he has no holes, he’s not elite in any area, handle is questionable, shot is inconsistent, needs to put on strength immediately
6. Tidjane Salaun – F – 18
   • HT: 6’9″ 
   • WS: 7’2″
   • The Good: Excellent measurements will allow him to play (and defend) 5s, though he’s a Power Forward for sure, good free throw shooter & 3pt shooter, especially deep 3s, excellent off-ball cutter, plus athlete, very good defender, outstanding motor, playing professionally despite being one of the youngest in the draft.
   • The Bad: Super raw. His motor, effort, & dimensions hide possibly average IQ, handle needs a lot of work, will be a project, likely won’t be able to contribute for first few years in the league
7. Zaccharie Risacher – W – 19
   • HT: 6’9″
   • WS: 6’10”
   • The Good: Decent size for a big wing, playing professionally in France, huge improvements in the last year, particularly in 3pt shooting, where he’s one of the best in the class, has some shake to his game, will likely be able to contribute immediately to a team despite youth
   • The Bad: Too thin to play the 4 in most lineups, average athleticism, though a high IQ player, his effort comes & goes, though an excellent shooter he can be a bit streaky
8. Alex Sarr – Big – 19
   • HT: 7’0″
   • WS: 7’4″
   • The Good: Potential monster defensively, can block shots as well as anyone in this draft beside Clingan, can switch out on perimeter and hold his own, very good rim-running potential, has shown glimpses of Stretch5 potential, shot looks good, has been playing professionally in NBL, excellent size & length
   • The Bad: Good, not great, athlete, 3pt shot looks good, but more theoretical right now, poor rebounder and he avoids physicality, will need to put on strength
9. Kel’el Ware – Big – 20
   • HT: 7’0″
   • WS: 7’5″
   • The Good: One of my favs in the draft, excellent height & wingspan, one of the best in the class, can score from anywhere, excellent post moves but can step out to 3pt line and be a legit threat, defensively can protect the rim while also switching out on perimeter, very good shot blocker, improved motor & work ethic
   • The Bad: Definitely needs to put on weight, but the biggest question for him is his attitude, had difficult freshman year at Oregon, despite showing glimpses of potential, outplayed Derrick Lively at Duke when they went head-to-head, but effort waned and his playing time did as well. Much improved under Coach Woodson at Indiana. If his mind and motor are right, he’s a steal.
10. Reed Sheppard – G – 19
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: Best shooter in the class, 50%+ from 3, excellent passer, can play on or off the ball, high IQ, excellent off-ball defender, sees a couple plays ahead, gets tons of deflections and surprisingly good shot blocker, outstanding athlete makes up for poor measurements
    • The Bad: The measurements, he’ll only be able to defend other guards, not big enough to bother wings, handle can use work, on-ball defense is a question, super quick guards will likely give him trouble. Shooting will keep him in the league for a long time, but does he have potential beyond that?
11. Bubb Carrington – G – 18
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Quickly rising up draft boards, excellent dimensions and possibly still growing, huge growth spurt two years ago, can shoot from anywhere, outstanding handle, unlimited confidence, great shake, difficult to keep out of the paint, improved C&S player
    • The Bad: kinda new to the scene, played well at Pittsburgh, but with little fan fair, can be a bit of a gunner, though he didn’t have much help at Pitt, PnR offense will need to improve, defensive liability right away
12. Jaylon Tyson – G – 21
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Very cerebral player, High IQ on par with Topic, Carter, & Sheppard, excellent shooter, very good body control, outstanding size for a guard, can play on or off the ball offensively, leader, plays at his own pace, good rebounder, strong
    • The Bad: subpar athlete, decent dimensions but lacks burst, question mark defensively, who does he guard? Will he be able to overpower pro defenders the way he did in college?
13. Dalton Knecht – W – 23
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: He and Sheppard best shooters in class, can shoot from anywhere, gets shot off quickly, 3 level scorer, just as adept coming off screens as he is penetrating the defense, really good measurements allow him to score over the top of defenders at the rim
    • The Bad: major defensive liability, will put forth an effort, but has difficult time keeping guys in front of him, will be targeted immediately, excellent athlete but questionable side-to-side movement
14. Tristan Da Silva – F – 23
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Has played professionally oversees, outstanding shooter, opportunistic scorer, often was better than Cody Williams at Colorado, leader, dependable, good size, will be able to play the 4 with no problem, immediate contributor, think better shooting Jaime Jacquez.
    • The Bad: older rookie with questionable athletic marks, won’t ever be physically dominant, average rebounder, will need to get bigger and show more consistency on the defensive end
15. Bobi Klintman – F – 21
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: Dark horse rookie of the year candidate, playing professionally in the NBL now, has played as a pro in Europe and for a year at Wake Forest too. Very skilled forward who can shoot, pass, run and defend. Though not elite at any one thing, I fail to see why he isn’t higher on people’s boards. He’s ready to contribute right away, and with plenty of room to grow, if he was 2 years younger he’d be a lottery lock
    • The Bad: Has been a solid role player wherever he’s been, but never a go-to guy, fast and long, but not an exceptional athlete, shot can come and go, a little older for a rookie. 
16. Ja’Kobe Walter – W – 19
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, he has a +6 inch wingspan and a beautiful looking shot. Though he didn’t shoot it well in his lone season at Baylor, the form is solid and he’s destined to improve. Better yet, he’s excellent off the ball, knows how to find cracks in the defense or run off screens to get some daylight for his J. Very good athlete, solid defender.
    • The Bad: Not much shake yet, handle can abandon him in traffic, his shot looks great, but he’ll be expected to hit the 3 with higher consistency if he wants to be a starting SG
17. DaRon Holmes – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 7’1″
    • The Good: One of my personal favs, improved every year in college, became a good 3pt shooter on decent volume, but more than willing to take bigger guys off the dribble, or punish smalls on the block with an array of post moves. Defensively, he’s already one of the best shot blockers of his class, with the feet to stick with wings on switches. Rumored to already have a promise in the late 1st round, possibly going to DEN.
    • The Bad: Is the one year of excellent 3pt shooting just an outlier, or is it here to stay? He doesn’t necessarily have the agility to play the 4, but he’s also a bit undersized at C. 
18. Ryan Dunn – F – 21
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: The best defender in the draft, by far. Can guard 1-5 with a 7’2″ wingspan, considered by scouts as one of the best defenders in any draft class, both on and off the ball, can shut down his man while also being an elite help-side defender, loves coming out of left field for a block at the rim or a strip down-low, excellent all-around athlete, great motor, knows how to cut off the ball on the offensive end to make himself a threat to score, superb rebounder
    • The Bad: Offense. Can’t shoot yet. Form isn’t broken, but it’s not exactly pretty either. Though he can attack the rim with straight line drives, he has very little shake to his game. Will need to play around shooters at the next level
19. Ron Holland – W – 18
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: probably the best athlete in the draft, can guard 1-4 easily, relentlessly attacks the rim, both in half-court and transition, completely unafraid of shotblockers, led the Ignite in scoring and was their leader, despite being the youngest player on the team, one of the best players in his high school class, possibly the highest ceiling of anyone in this draft
    • The Bad: Can’t really dribble, pass or shoot, questionable IQ, hasn’t figured out when to attack and when to pull back, incredible tools but will need patience and development
20. Donovan Clingan – Big – 20
    • HT: 7’2″
    • WS: 7’7″
    • The Good: Likely a top 7 pick based on all reporting, a can’t miss prospect with a super high floor, best rim defender in the league, a plug-n-play center who is good enough to be a starter immediately, has won wherever he’s played, more than capable of switching on the perimeter in a pinch
    • The Bad: Has zero offensive game besides being a lob threat, showed an ability to make a backdoor bounce pass occasionally, little post skill, poor FT shooter, no Stretch5 evidence yet. I like him, but he needs to be surrounded by shooters and a good lob thrower to be successful.
21. Kyshawn George – G – 20
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Can shoot the cover off the ball, excellent size, ability to run point, see over defense, good handle, played professionally overseas for a year
    • The Bad: poor athletic testing, fairly slow, has difficult time creating his own shot off the dribble, defensive liability, very thin, poor motor
22. Nikola Durisic – W – 20
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Great shooter with surprising athleticism, can take defenders off the dribble and get to the rim, excellent off-ball shooter and cutter, high IQ, played professionally for years
    • The Bad: Not huge for a wing, will have trouble with physicality of NBA’s wings, will have a target on his back on defense
23. Terrence Shannon – W – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: One of my favorite players, completely fearless, bounced around a bit in college but has shown glimpses everywhere, outstanding transition player, opportunistic scorer, has improved his 3pt shot every year, decent length, can guard 1-3
    • The Bad: A little old for a rookie, inconsistent shot, can have tunnel vision, handle needs work, good but not great athlete
24. Johnny Furphy – W – 19
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters in the class, clean stroke, no hitches, reminds me of Klay, good size, best in C&S situations, has more to his game than Gradey Dick or Luke Kennard comps
    • The Bad: Stringbean, will need to get stronger, no off-the-dribble game yet, competes defensively but will need to drastically improve
25. Dillon Jones – G – 22
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: One of my favs, a guard with near 7 foot wingspan, looks and plays a lot like Donovan Mitchell, only without the athleticism, a leader, dawg, fearless, good defender, physical, can guard 1-3
    • The Bad: A little old for a rookie, will he be able to bully NBA guards, inconsistent 3pt shot
26. Juan Nunez – G – 20
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’7″
    • The Good: Excellent PnR PG capable of running high-level offenses immediately. Played professionally in Span for a few seasons, good size, solid handle, outstanding passer, capable shooter
    • The Bad: Has a hitch in his 3pt shot that will be a problem, will undoubtedly have problems trying to stay in front of quick NBA guards
27. Rob Dillingham – G – 19
    • HT: 6’1″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: Quickest players in the draft, unstoppable one-on-one, can score via C&S or off the dribble, fearless, 3 level scorer, reminds me of Kemba Walker or Lou Williams
    • The Bad: Terrible defender so far, very small, will be targeted relentlessly on defense, has tunnel vision, not a pure point guard, looks to score first
28. Isaiah Collier – G – 19
    • HT: 6’3″
    • WS: 6’5″
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, a bowling ball who’s nearly impossible to stay in front of, gets to the rim at will, can get up & over most shot blockers despite stature, underrated passer, solid out of the PnR, not a shoot first guy
    • The Bad: Struggled as a freshman at USC, both individually and as a team. Attitude questions, can wear his frustration on his sleeve, will he be able to get to the rim against NBA size? The J comes and goes, will need to be more consistent so defenders don’t go under every screen.
29. Kevin McCullar – W – 23
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: Decent size for an NBA wing, can guard 1-3, digs in on defense, plays bigger than his measurements, reminds me of Josh Hart, 5th year senior was the unquestioned leader for Coach Self at Kansas, knows how to play in a team concept defensively, more than capable C&S shooter.
    • The Bad: Athletically sound, but limited. Will never be a go-to scorer, not much shake to his game, though he can shoot, his shot isn’t pretty. Will need to work with shooting coach to speed it up. Ultimately he’s a role player on a good team.
30. Zach Edey – Big – 22
    • HT: 7’4″
    • WS: 7’11”
    • The Good: One of the biggest players ever to be drafted, has only been playing organized basketball for 6 years, most dominant player in NCAA for two consecutive years, can punish any switch in the post offensively, slow but good footwork, likes to get to the middle for a hook shot, but has step-through counters as well, capable rim runner as well. Defensively, his presence alone is a rim deterrent, good shot blocker, occasionally able to switch out on perimeter in a pinch. I have faith he can play in today’s NBA due to his size, hands & work ethic.
    • The Bad: Incredibly slow, which is to be expected for someone his size. But not just athletically – he also reads the game slowly. Willing passer out of the post, but has tough time seeing where the double team is coming from, needs to make his move on the Catch, rather than the Catch & Scan.
31. Jared McCain – G – 20
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’4″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters in his class, can get to his shot both off the dribble and in C&S situations, will be able to play off the ball at the next level if required, tough, solid handle, strong, competes on defense
    • The Bad: Not exceptionally big or exceptionally quick. Will only be able to guard other teams PGs. Not enough shake to beat defenders off the dribble. Average athlete. Will he be able to get his shot off against NBA level defenders?
32. Tyler Smith – F – 19
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 7’1″
    • The Good: Great size for a Stretch4, great shooter, quick release, pretty shot. Defensively can defend the rim a little with his length.
    • The Bad: Average IQ player, average rebounder, average defender, what can he do besides shoot 3s? Maybe he can max out as a Gallinari-type.
33. Justin Edwards – W – 20
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, outstanding athlete in a tier right below Ron Holland or Ryan Dunn. Great size & length, tough, capable shooter, good IQ, comfortable playing off the ball as he did at Kentucky
    • The Bad: Never really found his footing under Calipari, inconsistent player, you forget he’s out there sometimes, questionable shooter, probably a better pro than college player, gets lost defensively
34. Baylor Scheierman – W – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters of this class, lefty with a clean stroke & quick release, comfortable getting it off with a man in his face, off the dribble or in C&S situations. Won’t just settle for 3s, willing to attack the paint, unselfish player, high IQ, dominated at Pre-Draft Combine in Chicago, the shooting will keep him in the league for a long time.
    • The Bad: Though he has decent measurements, he’s probably too slow to stick 2s and not big enough to defend 3s, poor handle, generally will only go left, will he be able to get his shot off against NBA length?
35. Cam Christie – W – 18
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the youngest players in the draft, showed plenty of flashes as a dynamic shooter and scorer, raw but solid foundation of shooting and handle, will require patience
    • The Bad: Won’t contribute to winning for a few years, good size, but needs to put on weight, defensively gets lost constantly
36. Kyle Filipowski – Big – 20
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: Highly skilled Big who can do most things well offensively. Very comfortable playing out of the high post or beyond the arc, pretty shot that he can get off quickly, more than willing to pump & go on fly-bys, will attack the rim with force, strong, sturdy base
    • The Bad: Disappointing measurements, will never be a rim protector, moves his feet well but won’t ever wow you with his quickness or athleticism. Had troubles against NBA level Bigs while at Duke. Though he’s an excellent passer out of the high post, most teams don’t run that sort of offense, so he’ll need to be a legit 3pt threat if he wants to stay in the league.
37. Ariel Hukporti – Big – 22
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 7’3″
    • The Good: Solid measurements and athletic testing makes me believe Hukporti will finally get drafted this year. Moves his feet really well and also can defend the paint, has played professionally in Europe and in the NBL for several years now. A starter on one of the better teams in Australia. A PnR rim runner who will provide plenty of rim gravity. 
    • The Bad: Can’t really shoot beyond 12-15 feet, great motor but gets himself into trouble with loose dribble, good size but not huge, will have problems agains the giant centers. But he’s the sort of guy who will play for 10 years due to his hustle and IQ.
38. Adem Bona – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 7’4″
    • The Good: One of the best motors in the draft, outstanding athlete, fantastic measurements, will be able to defend bigs and wings and help out on guards. Hasn’t been playing organized ball for too long, so plenty of room to grow. Will be a fan favorite wherever he goes, will just need patience and tutelage.
    • The Bad: A bit undersized for a big, the biggest centers will give him problems, offensively he can’t shoot outside of 5 feet, hasn’t demonstrated much in the way of dribbling or passing, never-ending motor gets him into foul trouble too easily
39. Tyler Kolek – G – 23
    • HT: 6’1″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: A pure and steady point guard who will be able to immediately be your first PG off the bench, excellent handle, outstanding shooter, high IQ player, tough, competes on defense.
    • The Bad: small and slow, will have a tough time defending quicker NBA guards, will need to learn to play off the ball at the next level
40. Yves Missi – Big – 20
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: Excellent all around athlete for a Big, one of the best rim-runners in the class, always a threat to oop the alley, quick feet and length allows him to switch on the perimeter, will be able to defend the rim right away
    • The Bad: New to the game, can’t shoot besides dunks, even layups give him problems, no touch to speak of, showed glimpses of being able to straight-line attack the rim, but doesn’t look comfortable doing so. Will require lots of patience.
41. Harrison Ingram – F – 21
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 7’0″
    • The Good: Big, strong, and skilled forward. Capable of playing bully-ball down low or will happily step outside to shoot 3s. Short but with huge wingspan, was one of the best players in his high school class
    • The Bad: Struggled to find his footing in college, subpar defender, doesn’t use his bulk well enough, will need to work on fitness and being more consistent from 3 at the next level if he wants to stick
42. Keshad Johnson – F – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Came on a bit out of the blue in the Pre-Draft Combine, willing to do the dirty work, tough, uses bulk well, undersized 4 but has good length and is an excellent athlete, would be a fan favorite where he goes, floor burn guy
    • The Bad: Doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, poor handle, inconsistent shot, turnover prone when asked to do too much
43. Osasere Ighodaro – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’10”
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: High IQ, big strong athlete, excellent screen setter, good rebounder & passer, can switch on the perimeter in a pinch, sees the court well, can be used as a fulcrum in the high post like Sabonis
    • The Bad: Likely too slow to play the 4 and too small to guard most 5s, not a great athlete, can’t really shoot, will need to develop that part of the game.
44. Enrique Freeman – F – 23
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: One of the best rebounders in the country, fearless, tough, strong, excellent length, good athlete
    • The Bad: Not much he can do offensively besides attack the glass and set screens. Undersized for a center, yet can’t really shoot. His shot looks good, but it hasn’t translated, older for a rookie
45. Bronny James – G – 19
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’7″
    • The Good: Arguably the biggest name in the draft despite being a 2nd round pick most likely, outstanding athlete, excellent shooter, certainly has the genes, tough, scrappy, fearless, solid defensively. Future as a 3&D guy capable of guarding 1-3.
    • The Bad: Some health concerns earlier this year gave everyone pause, but doctors gave him a clean bill of health, will his dad’s shadow affect his mentality at the next level when everyone will be gunning for him. Will need ton work on his handle for sure, but can stick in this league due to his IQ, effort, athletic tools, & shooting.