Another year of draft coverage comes to a close. With the lottery tonight, I yet again have put together a full first-round mock draft. Like I said last year, this mock will be a mix of what I would do and what I think the teams will do. Without further adieu, here is my 2024 NBA Mock Draft. Let's hop into it.
From: EuroHoops
1. The Atlanta Hawks Select Zaccharie Risacher, Wing, JL Bourg (France)
With this first pick, I thought about going with who I think should be first, but it seems consensus that Risacher will go number 1. The wing from France has incredible size and length, but lacks on-ball creation. His shot is streaky, but when it's on it's on. The defense is what people buy into. With his size, he is a real disruptor on the ball and it should translate to the NBA quite well. He projects to be a nice 3-and-D player.
From: Getty Images
2. The Washington Wizards Select, Alex Sarr, Center, Perth Wildcats (Australia)
What seemed like the consensus number 1 pick, there has been buzz that Sarr does not want to play in Atlanta and prefers Washington. Sarr has the tools to become an All-Star level player. He is very fluid for a 7-footer, and is a capable ball handler. Sarr also has shown the ability to stretch the floor. His defense is nearly at an elite level, and can move very well against both guards and bigs. Sarr's offensive game is still not all the way there, but if it can click, he will be one of the best players from this draft.
From: Andy Lyons (Getty Images)
3. The Houston Rockets Select Reed Sheppard, Guard, Kentucky
Reed Sheppard might be my favorite player in this class. The only two negatives with Sheppard are his size at 6'1", and his on ball defense is a product of that. Outside of that, Sheppard does nearly everything else at an elite level. He is the best shooter in this class, his off-ball movement is great, and his basketball IQ is at a very high level. His IQ helps him in help defense, where he picks up on the plays opposing teams are running. The Rockets get a high level role player to surround Sengun, Smith, VanVleet, and maybe KD?
From: Kyle Ross (USA TODAY Sports)
4. The San Antonio Spurs Select Devin Carter, Guard, Providence
The Spurs need to surround Wemby with talent, specifically at the guard position. The Trae Young rumors are there, but they are just rumors at this point. I like Tre Jones, but I don't think he can be the lead guard when the Spurs want to compete. So, this leads me to Carter. According to reports, Carter has crushed every workout he has been in. He's an elite competitor, and is one of the best defensive guards in the class. Carter is an athletic freak, and broke out offensively last year. He finally shot the ball well, and the Spurs need shooting. Carter's downside is his size, but the rest of his tools give me confidence in him in San Antonio.
From: AP
5. The Memphis Grizzlies via Trade with Detroit Select Donovan Clingan, Center, UConn
The Clingan slide ends here. Multiple teams have expressed interest in trading up, and Memphis makes the most sense. Detroit also needs to accumulate capital as they are a long way from contending. Memphis gets their Steven Adams replacement. Clingan slots in perfectly in Memphis. He can work off of Ja and Bane in the pick and roll, while also replacing Adams' rebounding and arguably improves their interior defense. A defensive core of Smart, Bane, Jaren Jackson, and Clingan could be the best in the league.
From: UConn Athletics
6. The Charlotte Hornets Select Stephon Castle, Guard, UConn
Charlotte has some building blocks for the future. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams all look to have a bright future. What they don't have is a secondary ball handler to Ball. Castle would slot in perfectly alongside LaMelo. His defense would balance out Ball's deficiencies, and he can get to the rim very easily. His shooting worries me, but the form looks good. Castle can bank on his defense while he develops the rest of his game.
From: 247 Sports
7. The Portland Trail Blazers Select Matas Buzelis, Wing, G League Ignite
Portland needs a wing. Buzelis is my favorite wing in this draft, so he slots right in. Buzelis is for his size, and has the upside to be a jumbo ball handler/scorer. However, Buzelis' jumpshot and ball handling have room to improve. He plays very well in transition, can move off the ball, and is a good team defender. His shot does not concern me, because I think his mechanics look quite good. Buzelis also seems like a great kid and wants to improve to be the best that he can be.
From: Eakin Howard (Getty Images)
8. The San Antonio Spurs Select Dalton Knecht, Guard, Tennessee
Dalton Knecht could be the best scorer in this class. Yes, he is old. Yes, he came from a tiny school before breaking out at Tennessee. But, the tape never lies. Knecht is as complete of an offensive player you are going to see. He has great size as a guard, can score at all three levels, and has elite athleticism. I have no worries Knecht can score at the next level, and the Spurs need to surround Wemby with shooting. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but if he was surrounded by Wemby and Devin Carter, I think those problems can be negated or at the very least limited.
From: Young Kwak (AP)
9. The Detroit Pistons Select Cody Williams, Wing, Colorado
The Pistons after a trade down plug their wing problem. I wanted to pick Ron Holland here, but I will get to why he doesn't fit in Detroit later. Williams was a highly-touted recruit who showed flashes in his lone year at Colorado. He dealt with injuries that pretty clearly hampered his production. Williams is a switchable, versatile defender who can also play make from the perimeter. I don't know if his shot is very developed, but his brother Jalen Williams developed a jumper in OKC later on. Williams certainly has to bulk up, as he is quite slim for his size.
From: Duke Athletics
10. The Utah Jazz Select Jared McCain, Guard, Duke
I genuinely have no idea what Danny Ainge is going to do, but I do know that Utah could use a young guard next to Keyonte George. McCain is a plug and play guard at the next level. He does pretty much everything well. McCain lacks athleticism which could hurt his stock, but she shoots it quite well off the catch, play makes well for others, and has a very safe defensive floor. One of the most underrated tools in this draft is McCain's rebounding, as he just has a knack for the ball.
From: The Mirror
11. The Chicago Bulls Select Zach Edey, Center, Purdue
As a Bulls fan, they need a center. As an IU fan, I wouldn't love for it to be Edey. However, the Bulls want to move up for Clingan, and if Memphis jumps like I think they will, they should be very happy with Edey. He has gotten better every year at Purdue, and his size combined with his touch around the rim are at a ridiculous level. He shoots it from the line well, and in the pre-draft process showed some promise from beyond the arc. Defensively, Edey will strictly be in drop coverage, but the good news is he played it for four years at Purdue and was really good at it.
From: Jordan Prather (USA TODAY Sports)
12. The Oklahoma City Thunder Select Rob Dillingham, Guard, Kentucky
The Thunder are the hub for young talent in the NBA. They have few weaknesses, but I think they can use a scorer off the bench. Dillingham is nothing but that. He has a silky smooth handle, shoots it well from all three levels, and is dangerous in the pick and roll. His defensive abilities are little to none, but OKC can insulate those problems with SGA, Caruso, Dort, Cason Wallace, and Chet. In an ideal world, the Thunder get their version of Lou Williams off the bench.
From: Nikola Topic's Instagram
13. The Sacramento Kings Select Nikola Topic, Guard, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
The Kings kind of have everything figured out with their roster. With that, it would be a good idea to take a big swing on a high potential player. Topic was looked at as a top five pick before his tore his ACL, and has since dropped rapidly down boards. The Serbian guards has shades of Goran Dragic with his playmaking and feel around the rim. Unfortunately, he's not the best shooter and is kind of a stiff athlete. I think Sacramento could be in to take a big swing here at 13, and if Topic works out, he can be a fringe All-Star for a long time.
From: Sam Forencich (NBAE via Getty Images)
14. The Portland Trail Blazers Select Ron Holland, Wing, G League Ignite
Remember when I wanted to put Holland in a Pistons jersey? Well I couldn't because he cannot shoot, and surrounding Cade Cunningham with 3 non-shooters and a streaky shooter is not good team building. Anyways, I still like Holland's game. He gives a shit, gets to the rim and finishes, and can pair his athleticism and effort to become an elite defender. Holland's shot like I said isn't there, but the mechanics don't look terrible. In the half-court, he relies on his athleticism too much which leads to turnovers.
From: Alex DeBuhr
15. The Miami Heat Select Tyler Kolek, Guard, Marquette
Hear me out, the Heat kind of need a point guard. If they keep Jimmy Butler, a playmaker like Kolek would slot in nicely off the bench. He's a knock down shooter, and dominates the pick and roll. That left hand scoop layup off the glass might have been the most unstoppable move in college basketball last year. The Heat took a proven college player last year, and Jaime Jaquez turned out to be a hit. Do they do it again?
From: Sporting News
16. The Philadelphia 76ers Select Tidjane Salaun, Wing, Cholet (France)
Salaun is an interesting pick because of how raw he is. He's athletic, a good defender, and started to shoot it well last year. Salaun definitely has room to grow, and maybe Philadelphia doesn't want to take a project with Maxey and Embiid on the roster, but I had to stop the slide of a guy who has Top-10 hype.
From: Isaiah J. Downing (USA TODAY Sports)
17. The Los Angeles Lakers Select Tristan Da Silva, Forward, Colorado
The Lakers need to take someone who is going to step in and produce right away. Da Silva is just that. He projects to step in and contribute on a team like LA who has championship aspirations. He's a flamethrower from beyond the arc, and can bang in the post and around the rim. Da Silva isn't the best athlete, but the Lakers don't necessarily need more athleticism. He's also a good defender and solid playmaker. The Lakers should be very happy if they took Da Silva on draft night.
From: James Cocherell (Peegs)
18. The Orlando Magic Select Kel'el Ware, Center, Indiana
The Magic need shooting, and have a surplus of guards. They tried to take wing shooters last year, and they did not contribute. I watched every game Ware played last year, and the stretch big upside is real. He is an elite defender, and is a lob threat in the pick and roll. Ware also elite athleticism. I don't really buy the motor questions, but if they are real, surrounding him with dogs like Suggs and Paolo should eliminate those questions.
From: BullsWire
19. The Toronto Raptors Select Ja'Kobe Walter, Guard, Baylor
Walter is a jumbo sized guard who has some real scoring upside. The problem is, that scoring was inconsistent. The Raptors can afford to be patient, and he could be a nice scorer next to Scottie Barnes. When his scoring is on, he is a pure bucket. Although he's a big guard, the wingspan and athleticism aren't necessarily elite. He just had an up-and-down year at Baylor, and the Raptors could take a future two-way guard with some elite upside.
From: Dizzled Dynasty
20. The Cleveland Cavaliers Select Bub Carrington, Guard, Pittsburgh
The Cavs have some instability at guard, with Mitchell or Garland likely on the way out. Carrington is a silky smooth guard who showed off a deep bag at Pitt. Since they weren't very good, Carrington was able to have the ball a lot, and it worked. Also, his pick and roll playmaking is there. He's a little lean for his size, and bulking up could prove to be a good idea to help with his finishing and defense.
Petre Thomas (USA TODAY Sports)
21. The New Orleans Pelicans Select Yves Missi, Center, Baylor
The Pelicans do not have a proven big man on their roster. With Valanciunas on the way out, they currently have Larry Nance as one of their only bigs. Missi is definitely raw, but his potential could be unlocked in New Orleans. His defense and rebounding is some of the best in the class. Missi's athleticism is a tantalizing bet, especially with the lob upside. Missi makes a lot of sense if he is there at 21.
From: Rick Scuteri (AP Photo)
22. The Phoenix Suns Select KJ Simpson, Guard, Colorado
The Suns need a point guard badly. They also need someone to step in right away alongside Booker, Beal, and Durant. I love Simpson, so I'm going to take a shot on him going higher than the mocks think. He's not the biggest, but can just affect every facet of the game. Because of the size, the defense is sort of a concern, but Phoenix kind of threw that out the window last year. Simpson's a great playmaker, and finally improved his shot in his last year. Simpson played like a veteran at Colorado, and his composed playstyle fits perfectly in Phoenix.
From: Ethan Hyman (News Observer)
23. The Milwaukee Bucks Select Kyle Filipowski, Center, Duke
I understand it, but I'm kind of confused why Filipowski might fall out of the first round. In an ideal world, he can become a Brook Lopez replacement. For now, he can come off the bench and be a solid stretch big. Filipowski shoots it well, can score inside and out, and despite almost dying in a court storm, he plays hard. He's the prototypical Duke white guy. At his size, Filipowski can certainly add on more muscle to stop from being bullied down low.
From: Mike Knopf (AP)
24. The New York Knicks Select Ryan Dunn, Wing, Virginia
Ryan Dunn is the ideal New York Knicks. He is the best defender in this class, capable of guarding 1-5 at an elite level. Tom Thibodeau is going to love this guy. With his size at 6'6", you may be wondering why he's not going further. It's because he lacks any sort of an offensive game. Dunn is very Matisse Thybulle esc, where he understands his role both offensively and defensively. He slots in as another defensive pest of a wing in New York.
From: University of Illinois
25. The New York Knicks Select Terrence Shannon Jr., Guard, Illinois
Shannon Jr. has been cleared of all legal troubles that plagued him last year at Illinois. When looking on the court, the Knicks could use a player like Shannon. He's a do it all scorer, who can score at all three levels. At Texas Tech, his defense was elite. At Illinois, it kind of fell off, but I think it's because of the load he was asked to shoulder offensively. Shannon gets downhill quickly, and is a dynamic threat in transition.
From: John McGillen (USC Athletics)
26. The Washington Wizards Select Isaiah Collier, Guard, USC
The Wizards can afford to take a swing down the board. Collier was the number 1 recruit in last year's class, but an underwhelming Freshman year sees him sliding down draft boards. Collier is a linebacker in a point guard's body, and is extremely physical. His downhill scoring and transition playmaking are really special. Collier doesn't shoot it the best, but hopefully that can be fixed at the next level.
From: OKC Wire/USA Today
27. The Minnesota Timberwolves Select Tyler Smith, Forward, G League Ignite
As the Timberwolves have embraced their defensive abilities, it would make since to take a guy like Smith here. While the defensive output isn't necessarily there right now, his frame and athleticism make me want to believe there is something to unlock. It would definitely help to have Ant, Alexander-Walker, and McDaniels to show him the ropes of NBA defending. The consensus on his shooting is kind of split, as some people think there is a clear path to him becoming a solid 3-and-D wing.
From: Dayton Athletics
28. The Denver Nuggets Select DaRon Holmes II, Center, Dayton
Holmes is the type of player Denver has targeted in the draft in recent years. A proven college producer on both ends of the floor, Holmes carried Dayton his entire college career. He was a guy who tested NBA Draft waters the past couple of years, but waited to declare until he improved his three point shot. His IQ is off the charts, and it seems like Denver might have made a promise to take Holmes if he gets to 28. DaRon Holmes is the ideal modern big in the NBA with his versatility, size, and three point shooting.
From: Sam Navarro (USA TODAY Sports)
29. The Utah Jazz Select Kyshawn George, Wing, Miami
I don't know if I believe the hype, but George is projected to possibly be a late lottery pick, so I couldn't leave him out of the first round. He came out of nowhere last year, and was not expected to be a one and done. He is a floor spacing wing who can really shoot it. George plays hard on defense, even if his size and athleticism put him at a disadvantage. He has playmaking upside, so it will be interesting to see what he looks like in the NBA. There would not be a better place than Utah to figure things out because it doesn't seem like they are ready to compete.
From: Creighton Athletics
30. The Boston Celtics Select Baylor Scheierman, Wing, Creighton
Everything about Baylor Scheierman screams instant NBA production. He gives Reed Sheppard a run for his money as the best shooter in the class. His jumper is smooth, and shot a ton of different types of threes in college that give me confidence. Baylor ran the offense at times at Creighton, and if the Celtics get him, you can pencil him in as a bench producer alongside Payton Pritchard. You aren't drafting him for his defense, but his size could help him out at the next level.
So there's my 2024 NBA Mock Draft. This is one of the weirdest drafts in recent memory, and I have no idea what is going to happen tonight. Again, thank you to everyone who reads the draft content I put out, and I will be back again next year.
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