2024 NBA Draft Thread

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Is Kentucky the best show in college basketball?



The Wildcats rank second among high major teams in pace, are the top-ranked 3-point shooting team in college (41% ) and play a free-flowing, unselfish and highly entertaining style that has helped all 10 of their rotation players emerge as serious NBA prospects.

Their best two prospects -- Rob Dillingham (No. 3 in the ESPN Top 25) and Reed Sheppard (No. 5) don't even start for the Wildcats but often finish out games and will be among the most closely followed players in the coming weeks.


Sheppard's scorching shooting, increasingly effective slashing prowess and outstanding two-way instincts has seen him rocket up big boards despite his lack of ideal physical tools. While some NBA scouts point back to John Stockton and Steve Nash for historical comparisons of point guards with elite feel, pace and creativity that helped compensate for a lack of outlier length and body types, others say undersized guards such as Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley show that there are many different ways to emerge as starting caliber guards in today's NBA for cerebral players in Sheppard's mold.

Dillingham will be fighting some of those same stigmas, as he was measured under 6-foot-2 on several occasions and does not possess the biggest frame or longest wingspan either to compensate. Like Sheppard, he's played some of his best games of the season against top-level competition, but is viewed as a bit more of a wild card as he can be hit or miss with his shot selection and decision-making but is electric when he's operating at his best. Dillingham also draws a variety of comparisons: his ballhandling ability is Kyrie Irving-esqe, his shot-making confidence and porous defense can be reminiscent of Trae Young and his speed and explosiveness resemble De'Aaron Fox.

Not every team is on board with Sheppard and Dillingham being picked as high as we currently have them -- but strong showings in the SEC and NCAA tournaments can help solidify them in that range.

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[Jamaaliver]

Are Baylor's Ja'Kobe Walter and Yves Missi ready for primetime?

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Baylor's two projected first-round freshmen have more to prove in the coming weeks, and a big platform ahead with potential matchups against Kansas, Iowa State and Houston lying ahead if the seeding holds. Walter remains in the lottery mix but finished the regular season shooting just 34% from 3, albeit on high volume. His calling card in the draft will have to be the room for growth as a top-tier shooter. There's evidence on film of his shooting acumen, but the numbers haven't necessarily spoken to that after 30 games. He's also shooting just 43% on 2-pointers, a concerning number for a high-volume scorer. If Walter can get going this week and in the NCAA tournament, a late-season push would likely help bolster his case as a top-10 pick. If not, there's some uncertainty here.

Missi has had productive flashes but profiles as a project pick wherever he's drafted, with some scouts intrigued by his athleticism and upside and others turned off by the raw nature of his game and somewhat limited feel at this stage. He's likely going to need seasoning in the G League should he turn pro regardless, but supplying energy and finding ways to impact the game in his minutes as he enters the biggest stretch of games of his young career would help to leave a positive impression. Missi's rebounding and defense have been inconsistent but will need to be his hallmarks as a pro. While he can't change the fact he needs to gain playing experience before impacting high-level NBA games, he has an opportunity to create some added optimism around his projection this month.

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[Jamaaliver]

The kid is a beast.

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[Jamaaliver]

Interesting haul here. I'd be shocked if we didn't grab another big man with one of our multiple first round picks. But these are two high ceiling prospects.

Holland could be a rotation player as a rookie.

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Spoiler:

Atlanta Hawks— Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite

Stats (as of 3/11/24):
19.5 PTS | 6.7 REB | 2.9 AST

2.3 STL | 0.9 BLK | 3.2 TOV

46.0 FG% | 24.0 3P% | 72.8 FT%

29 Games | 31.9 MIN

Tyler Rucker: Atlanta will be one of the most fascinating teams to keep an eye on for the upcoming NBA offseason. There will be plenty of speculation surrounding the future when it comes to the backcourt. At this point of the draft, the Hawks would be wise to spring to the podium and add an upside swing on the perimeter. Ron Holland showcased some tantalizing two-way upside throughout his time with the G League Ignite this year. Despite still being raw, Holland has the motor and two-way potential to be a heck of an addition.

Holland still has some of the highest upside of any prospect in this class. He won’t turn 19 years old until after the draft and has the makings of a versatile forward who can become an asset with his defensive upside and ability to be a dangerous asset in transition. The Hawks should find themselves in a position to attack the board and add the best player available. At this point of the draft, Holland should make it an easy decision.

Spoiler:

21. Atlanta Hawks (via SAC)— Tidjane Salaun, F, Cholet

Stats (as of 3/11/24):
9.3 PTS | 3.8 REB | 0.8 AST

1.1 STL | 0.2 BLK | 1.2 TOV

40.8 FG% | 34.9 3P% | 78.1 FT%

41 Games | 22.3 MIN

Ignacio Rissotto: The Hawks added a defensive contributor with their previous pick, addressing their biggest weakness. With their second pick of the first round, they look to the future by taking Tidjane Salaun, one of the most boom-or-bust prospects in the 2024 draft. The 6’9” forward is not going through his most efficient stretch of the season, averaging 9.3 points on 27.5% from three-point range over his last ten games, and the lapses in decision-making on both ends of the floor are real. The flashes of brilliance, however, are tremendously enticing.

If everything goes right for him, the Hawks could come away with a versatile scorer who can convert tough shots from deep range and get to the rim with his fluid ball-handling ability. It’s the type of high-risk/high-reward bet that a team like the Hawks, with multiple picks in the first round, can afford to make.

[Jamaaliver]

NBA Draft prospects to watch during March Madness

Cody Williams, 6-8 freshman forward, Colorado



Of particular note for talent evaluators is the Colorado squad that could have three players selected in the upcoming draft. While senior guard K.J. Simpson is a first-round sleeper and German forward Tristan da Silva a sniper candidate in Round 2, the focus will be on Williams.

The brother of Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, Cody has had an up-and-down freshman year for the Buffaloes. He has compelling physical tools as a true wing who stands 6-8 and is comfortable pushing in transition and shooting floaters on the move.

However, he’s also had trouble putting potential into practice at times. He’s a 70.8 percent foul shooter and has only taken 35 3-point attempts all season, with a low push shot that is hard to get to on the move. On the ball, Williams keeps his head up for hit-ahead passes, but that has mostly been as a one-way, right-handed driver.

Overall, Williams’ percentages and numbers are solid (13.7 ppg on 59.0 percent shooting; 17.5 PER in Pac-12 play), but teams looking at taking him in the top 10 — or even top five — will want to see more signs of star-level ceiling. In particular, analytics models might not be a huge fan of Williams given his relatively low rates of blocks, steals, rebounds and assists. Defensively, opponents don’t feel his size; he has a habit of giving up ground then letting his thin frame get nudged out of the way...

The other issue for scouts is whether he plays at all. Williams sat out a weekend series against Oregon and Oregon State with an ankle injury and missed a month earlier this season with a wrist problem. Colorado enters the Pac-12 tournament on the NCAA Tournament bubble and likely needs to win at least once to make the field; otherwise, you’ll need to check the NIT pairings to find more of Williams.

The Athletic

[Jamaaliver]

A mid major darling on a bad team. Might sneak into the 1st round:

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#HeatCulture

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[tbhawksfan1]

Don't know mocker but his order seems to be quite different from others

[Jamaaliver]

Don't know mocker but his order seems to be quite different from others

Bruh...so different.

Click on that first image to read his article.

14. TYLER KOLEK, PG, MARQUETTE

Stats: 15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7.6 APG (48.6% FGs, 40.0% from three)

In a bad draft such as this one, it really opens the door to taking guys that can help right away. In this case, there's no better floor general in college basketball than Tyler Kolek.

He isn't the biggest nor the most athletic, but he has positional size, an elite feel for the game, a high basketball IQ and extreme confidence.

While he doesn't have great burst and speed, his pace is the best in the country. When you give him a ball-screen, he will get anywhere he wants in the half court and will efficiently score from all three levels while picking defenses apart. His playmaking and decision-making project well with weapons around him. Also, the NBA's scheming and spacing gives him a higher floor than others in this class.

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[Jamaaliver]

I really can't figure out what to make of this kid:

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NBA Draft prospects to watch during March Madness

Stephon Castle, 6-6 freshman guard, Connecticut

While Stephon Castle’s teammate, the massive sophomore Donovan Clingan, is a likely lottery pick, he’s also more of a known quantity at this point. (I wrote about Clingan after my visit to Hartford for UConn-Marquette last month.)

Castle is the more challenging evaluation for scouts, a one-and-done playing as the fifth option on a stacked Huskies team trying to repeat as national champions. He seems clearly capable of more but also has some offensive limitations that could hold him back even at the next level. Most notably, his jump shot is inconsistent — he’s at 30.1 percent from 3 on low volume and has a slow release that at times looks as though his arms are fighting each other.

However, Castle’s combination of size, ball skills and athleticism hints at bigger things. He wowed scouts with 14 points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists and nary a turnover in Connecticut’s rout of Providence this past weekend; on the season, he averages more than two dimes for every turnover and, even with the giant Clingan soaking up so many boards, has an impressive 9.7 percent rebound rate in Big East play.

Castle could really push into the top half of the lottery with a strong March, especially because scouts are still catching up on him after he missed time early in the season with a knee injury. Given the strength of his team, he may still have nine more games to showcase himself.

The Athletic

[jayu70]

I really can't figure out what to make of .....:

Who would you like the Hawks to draft with both their picks?

[Jamaaliver]

Who would you like the Hawks to draft with both their picks?

That's a great question...

It comes down to what path we're taking moving forward. If Trae's gonna be here, we're looking to compete as soon as next year and we need to look at immediate contributors at positions of need:

• Dalton Knecht (SF) - Senior
• Kyle Filipowski (C) - Sophomore
• Terrence Shannon Jr (SG) - Senior
• Zach Edey (C) - Senior
• Kel'el Ware (C) - Sophomore
• Oso Ighodaro (C) - Senior
• Tyler Smith (PF) - 19 years old
• DaRon Holmes II (C) - Junior
• Devin Carter (PG) - Junior
• Harrison Ingram (SF) - Junior
• Tristan da Silva (PF) - Senior
• Bobi Klintman (PF) - Age 21

This is a weak draft in the top-5, but a solid one for big men and in the 12-25 range in general. Having multiple picks in that range could be useful for grabbing cheap, depth pieces and then hoping for internal growth from Kobe, Mo Gueye, Jalen, Okongwu (and AJ?).

[Jamaaliver]

Who would you like the Hawks to draft with both their picks?

But, Jayu...if Trae's is leaving this summer.

We might as well swing for the fences, cause it's a rebuild.

Names to consider:

Spoiler:

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