The 2024 NBA draft was widely considered one of the weaker classes in recent memory, but it is already proving to be better than expected and mainly just lacking the obvious star power of recent editions such as Victor Wembanyama in 2023. For example, ESPN had Isaiah Collier slotted at No. 1 in their mock in November, but he was ultimately picked at No. 30, which speaks to the flatness of the draft.
Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, Matas Buzelis and Bub Carrington, as well as the older rookies such as Dalton Knecht, Tristan da Silva and Terrence Shannon Jr. all played well to start Summer League.
The skill level of players entering the league has never been higher, a point made by one executive.
"I was never in the group of people that thought this was a historically bad class," one NBA executive told ESPN this week. "Young players nowadays are so specialized from an early age and so exposed to high-level training and competition against their peers and college and NBA players. ... None of these guys are afraid of NBA players anymore because they've matched up against them in open gyms for years. The level of competition in college basketball and internationally is higher than it's ever been."
The depth of the class appears to have been severely underrated.
"Reed Sheppard, for example, has blown me away with his feel for the game and confidence," the executive said. "These guys are different players now than they were in March. Their bodies have gotten better. They are more explosive. And they've all been working on their game like crazy. This is going to be a fun group to follow. ...
"We're already seeing some real steals emerge here in Vegas."
