2024 NBA Draft Thread

[Duke4life831]

which would be nuts since Foster is by far the most talented player on their roster. We'll see. Foster was Scheyer's first 5 star commit this season and they're supposedly close and he by all reports has looked the best in camp (despite whatever reports you're hearing). I mean, just watch the video and you can clearly see that Foster is outperforming everyone at least in that game. I have a feeling that no matter what Foster does you and Clyde will never admit you're wrong about him lmao. This should be a fun season.

Wrong about him? When did I become a Foster hater or something? When Bronny made the McDonald’s team I was on here saying it should’ve been Foster. I would love for Foster to be a flat out stud, nothing would make me happier.

Just because I don’t think he’s the best player on Duke next year doesn’t meant I’m some Foster denier or something haha.

I’ve seen it all now, I’m too closed minded to open my eyes and root for a Duke Blue Devil to be good…

And it’s a highlight video of one practice. You can’t tell who is outperforming who in a highlight video. Hell Ryan Kelly is a dead eye 3pt shooter if we go off that video.

no, you're need to be right and "first" outweighs your Duke fandom

oh, now we're pretending you're high on Foster? Too funny. Your need to be right about Bronny drove you to say it should have been Foster instead of him.

if you can't tell who is performing well in a highlight video you're doing it wrong. Hint, it's the guys with all the highlights i.e. Foster, Proctor, Power and McCain

Haha what? Dude just because I have posts where Im clearly joking about being first and just having a normal friendly back and forth, doesnt mean that is the only thing I care about.

And Im not saying Im higher than most on Foster. Im saying when did I become someone who is a Foster hater or low on him? Is it strictly because I dont agree with you that he is the best NBA prospect on this Duke team? I think he will have a solid freshman season and mostly likely be a 2 year college player. That has basically been my take on Foster this entire time. I dont think that makes me a Foster hater or me changing my mind on him so it doesnt sound like Im wrong. Its a message board, I come on here to shoot the **** and talk a very niche aspect of basketball. I dont view it as a job or anything like that, I dont care if Im wrong on a prospect. I mean last week when I was joking about how early I was on Zion, I was also joking about how horrible my Duval takes were. Key word there, "joking". Im not taking any of this too seriously.

When it comes to the highlight video, the 4 guys you just mentioned are the 4 guys highest on the depth charts in that video. So ya Im not surprised they had the most highlights. What were their shooting percentages for that practice? How many turnovers did they have? How many blown defensive rotations did they have? Oh its just a hype highlight video with 3 of the main pieces for the team not even playing in it yet (because of injury). So again you really cant take from that video that Foster was outperforming Proctor overall, or McCain was out performing Foster overall and so on.

[Hal14]

At this point I'm kind of torn between Mara and Buzelis at #1. Have Buzelis in that spot for now, but that could change..have Holland #5 at the moment. Again, this could change and I'm still doing preliminary research on these guys. But Holland seems kind of raw. Almost like Peyton Watson was in HS except a little bit more skilled and a little bit stronger physique..

[tundraknight]

At this point I'm kind of torn between Mara and Buzelis at #1. Have Buzelis in that spot for now, but that could change..

I wonder why Mara isn’t even a lottery pick in some of the most recent mock drafts I’ve seen and yet some people here think he could be in the conversation for #1.

[Hal14]

At this point I'm kind of torn between Mara and Buzelis at #1. Have Buzelis in that spot for now, but that could change..

I wonder why Mara isn’t even a lottery pick in some of the most recent mock drafts I’ve seen and yet some people here think he could be in the conversation for #1.

This early in the draft cycle, it's only natural that you'll see a wider range of opinions about different guys.

Also, many draft experts/media outlets are slow to pick up on international players..

[EvanZ]

I honestly don't get the point of having rankings this early. It only sets you up for anchor bias later on.

[Klomp]

Two guys everyone should know about before the season starts are Darrion Williams (transferred to Texas Tech) and Kobe Johnson (USC). Both are among the highest BBIQ guys I watched all of last season. Both need to show that they can shoot consistently and hang athletically. I'm a little bit more confident with Kobe in that respect than Darrion who is a very fringe athlete and that might be kind. But he is one of the smartest college players I've ever watched.

What positions do they play now and/or project to in the league?

[clyde21]

Two guys everyone should know about before the season starts are Darrion Williams (transferred to Texas Tech) and Kobe Johnson (USC). Both are among the highest BBIQ guys I watched all of last season. Both need to show that they can shoot consistently and hang athletically. I'm a little bit more confident with Kobe in that respect than Darrion who is a very fringe athlete and that might be kind. But he is one of the smartest college players I've ever watched.

What positions do they play now and/or project to in the league?

both wings

Kobe is super intriguing, non-ranked guy who was relatively unknown but was a menace defensively last year who does a lot of the little things on offense...kinda like 23 class Andre Jackson

Ighodaro is also another high IQ guy in this class

[Klomp]

What's the word on this kid? Seems very intriguing...

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[clyde21]

he can shoot and is strong but not very fast or athletic and has size/weight issues

[azcatz11]

he can shoot and is strong but not very fast or athletic and has size/weight issues

Our fan base loves him because he was 17 last year…it’s pretty clear to me he is nothing more than a good college PG. I’d be absolutely shocked if he’s an NBA player. He is not athletic at all

[azcatz11]

Does anyone think Isiah Mobley can be a good NBA player? He dominated SL

[BostonCouchGM]

Marcus Adams Jr. asks out of his NIL with Kansas. Maybe he's UCLA or Gonzaga bound. Not sure who has the scholarship to offer still this late in the game but I know many schools are interested and kept some with how much uncertainty there now is with all the movement due to NIL. Kid is a stud

[Chuck Everett]

Marcus Adams Jr. asks out of his NIL with Kansas. Maybe he's UCLA or Gonzaga bound. Not sure who has the scholarship to offer still this late in the game but I know many schools are interested and kept some with how much uncertainty there now is with all the movement due to NIL. Kid is a stud

The noise out of Lawrence was that he struggled with their practice sessions and because he wasn't going to get PT immediately, he was transferring now. Probably not a bad idea. Not every program is right for every player.

[Stribor]

Don't sleep on my man Ivisic. He is a work in progress, but has interesting mobility for his size and although thin is much more filled than Wemba or Chet. He is a gamble I admit, but his potential is worth gambling for.
https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u20/2023/news/player-spotlight-zvonimir-ivisic-croatia-s-unicorn

I like the stuff I've seen on his as well. Kind of makes me think if he should be regarding similarly to how Aday Mara is viewed by the scouting/draft community. Admittedly, I'm not as knowledgeable on either guy.

I find the text right on point. In my personal view, his biggest faults are putting the ball on the floor and rebounding. He is good in pushing, but he does not have a feel for good rebounding. Somehow I have a sensation that he is always wrongly positioned for rebound. It might be that coaches force him to do more pushing, but this is a concern. His relatively poor ball handling limits him in one on one situations, so I do not think he will ever be a star. On the other hand, although his efficiency from 3p and ft are not great, he seems to have good mechanics that could help. I see him as a possible elite role player, good in cutting, decent in 3p, elite rim protector, and solid help defender outside of the box.

[BostonCouchGM]

Marcus Adams Jr. asks out of his NIL with Kansas. Maybe he's UCLA or Gonzaga bound. Not sure who has the scholarship to offer still this late in the game but I know many schools are interested and kept some with how much uncertainty there now is with all the movement due to NIL. Kid is a stud

The noise out of Lawrence was that he struggled with their practice sessions and because he wasn't going to get PT immediately, he was transferring now. Probably not a bad idea. Not every program is right for every player.

that's the laughable spin from Kansas. He's by far their most talented player. The likely truth is Kansas is the very worst program for one and done players historically among the majors and I'm guessing he realized that after a few practices he wasn't going to change things and get the minutes he wanted that would be able to showcase his game and got out while he still could and had options.

[EvanZ]

Two guys everyone should know about before the season starts are Darrion Williams (transferred to Texas Tech) and Kobe Johnson (USC). Both are among the highest BBIQ guys I watched all of last season. Both need to show that they can shoot consistently and hang athletically. I'm a little bit more confident with Kobe in that respect than Darrion who is a very fringe athlete and that might be kind. But he is one of the smartest college players I've ever watched.

What positions do they play now and/or project to in the league?

Kobe is a wing. Darrion is more like a 4 on defense and a 2 on offense. He has elite vision imo.

[Jamaaliver]

Any 2nd or 3rd year collegiates likely to go in the top-14 next year?

2024 NBA Draft Top-50 Big Board

1. Ron Holland (G League Ignite, SF, 2005)

Spoiler:

Without an obvious No. 1 overall talent, sure-thing bets currently look more attractive. There is a level of certainty tied to Ron Holland's 6'8" positional size, athleticism, motor, defense, passing and production in every setting.

But his shot-creation and shot-making have shown gradual improvement since his sophomore year in high school, and he'll play his entire year for Ignite at 18 years old. He should have an excellent opportunity in the G League to add more on-ball reps and continue evolving, from a complementary scorer into a lead option.

He's still at his best right now pushing in transition, attacking closeouts and getting downhill, finishing in the lane. He combines aggression with sharp off-the-dribble footwork and a nose for finding the right angles at the rim.

Holland's defensive ceiling is tremendous, thanks to a motor that optimizes his speed and quickness. He erases shots at the basket in transition and makes it difficult for opposing wings to create much separation in the half court.

Whether he sticks at No. 1 will likely come down to his shooting—and how far away he winds up looking to being average to above average spotting up from three.

2. Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite, SG/SF, 2004)

Spoiler:

A 6'10" wing with a shoot-dribble-pass skill set, Matas Buzelis owns a valued archetype with the type of versatility that screams high floor and high ceiling.

At his size, his shot-making often pops as the most bankable NBA skill, as Buzelis has demonstrated an impressive comfort level spotting up for threes, pulling up into jumpers, releasing off screens and using floaters. His game is suited for on- and off-ball scoring. Ignite coaches figure to test his creation, as Buzelis has flashed promising glimpses of using his handle to get to spots and footwork to separate into step-backs or fallaways.

As his body has grown, his athleticism has seemingly improved too. Buzelis even finished third in the NIBC in blocks per game, tapping into some easy bounce to contest shots.

Buzelis isn't the most physical, and G Leaguers figure to expose his lack of strength at both ends of the floor. He'll want to show NBA teams he can handle defensive pressure and guard more explosive wings.

7. Donovan Clingan (Connecticut, C, Sophomore)

Spoiler:

At some point, scouts won't care so much about Donovan Clingan lacking a modernized offensive skill set. They'll put stock into his impact, outrageous production and the likelihood that his signature strengths can translate, based on how effective his 7'2", 265-pound frame, mobility and instincts can be for interior scoring, putting back misses and rim protection.

Though he only played 13.1 minutes for the national champions last season, his 14.3 block percentage and 19.9 offensive rebounding percentage would both rank as some of the highest numbers put up among recent draft picks. Clingan optimizes his massive size and movement with outstanding timing and anticipation.

And though not a ball-handler, shooter or notable passer, he'll still offer value offensively as a finisher and cleanup man. Clingan uses his enormous frame to shield defenders, and he has a good feel for making the right reads off rolls, dives and dunker's spot catches.

Adama Sanogo's departure opens a door for a major sophomore breakout.

Bleacher Report

[BostonCouchGM]

Any 2nd or 3rd year collegiates likely to go in the top-14 next year?

2024 NBA Draft Top-50 Big Board

1. Ron Holland (G League Ignite, SF, 2005)

Spoiler:

Without an obvious No. 1 overall talent, sure-thing bets currently look more attractive. There is a level of certainty tied to Ron Holland's 6'8" positional size, athleticism, motor, defense, passing and production in every setting.

But his shot-creation and shot-making have shown gradual improvement since his sophomore year in high school, and he'll play his entire year for Ignite at 18 years old. He should have an excellent opportunity in the G League to add more on-ball reps and continue evolving, from a complementary scorer into a lead option.

He's still at his best right now pushing in transition, attacking closeouts and getting downhill, finishing in the lane. He combines aggression with sharp off-the-dribble footwork and a nose for finding the right angles at the rim.

Holland's defensive ceiling is tremendous, thanks to a motor that optimizes his speed and quickness. He erases shots at the basket in transition and makes it difficult for opposing wings to create much separation in the half court.

Whether he sticks at No. 1 will likely come down to his shooting—and how far away he winds up looking to being average to above average spotting up from three.

2. Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite, SG/SF, 2004)

Spoiler:

A 6'10" wing with a shoot-dribble-pass skill set, Matas Buzelis owns a valued archetype with the type of versatility that screams high floor and high ceiling.

At his size, his shot-making often pops as the most bankable NBA skill, as Buzelis has demonstrated an impressive comfort level spotting up for threes, pulling up into jumpers, releasing off screens and using floaters. His game is suited for on- and off-ball scoring. Ignite coaches figure to test his creation, as Buzelis has flashed promising glimpses of using his handle to get to spots and footwork to separate into step-backs or fallaways.

As his body has grown, his athleticism has seemingly improved too. Buzelis even finished third in the NIBC in blocks per game, tapping into some easy bounce to contest shots.

Buzelis isn't the most physical, and G Leaguers figure to expose his lack of strength at both ends of the floor. He'll want to show NBA teams he can handle defensive pressure and guard more explosive wings.

7. Donovan Clingan (Connecticut, C, Sophomore)

Spoiler:

At some point, scouts won't care so much about Donovan Clingan lacking a modernized offensive skill set. They'll put stock into his impact, outrageous production and the likelihood that his signature strengths can translate, based on how effective his 7'2", 265-pound frame, mobility and instincts can be for interior scoring, putting back misses and rim protection.

Though he only played 13.1 minutes for the national champions last season, his 14.3 block percentage and 19.9 offensive rebounding percentage would both rank as some of the highest numbers put up among recent draft picks. Clingan optimizes his massive size and movement with outstanding timing and anticipation.

And though not a ball-handler, shooter or notable passer, he'll still offer value offensively as a finisher and cleanup man. Clingan uses his enormous frame to shield defenders, and he has a good feel for making the right reads off rolls, dives and dunker's spot catches.

Adama Sanogo's departure opens a door for a major sophomore breakout.

Bleacher Report

yikes. This guy stinks

[Jamaaliver]

2024 NBA Draft Top-50 Big Board

1. Ron Holland (G League Ignite, SF, 2005)

2. Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite, SG/SF, 2004)

7. Donovan Clingan (Connecticut, C, Sophomore)

yikes. This guy stinks

Ironically, Wasserman is the lead NBA writer at B/R.

[MemphisX]

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