2024 Draft Thread - Part II

[doclinkin]

That said the Spurs are going to look great when they take Castle and Sheppard. Those two are born to be Spurs players. Ideal fits with coach Pop.

[daSwami]

Castle shot it really well. Don’t think people are talking about it enough. Measured with a solidly + wingspan as well.

I'm suprised to see he's only 6'2.5" - UNConn juiced his height by 3.5".

[NatP4]

Apparently that number is not correct. We shall see.

Also can’t find Devin Carter’s measurements anywhere.

[doclinkin]

Castle shot it really well. Don’t think people are talking about it enough. Measured with a solidly + wingspan as well.

I'm suprised to see he's only 6'2.5" - UNConn juiced his height by 3.5".

Apparently those are Devin Carter's numbers (alphabetically just ahead of him) . NBA pulled the data from their site because of the foul up. Looking at video there is no way he is 6'2".

[NatP4]

Did Carter tank his standing reach as well? I wouldn’t be surprised if he really has a 40+ vertical having averaged 8.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per 36 this year. Guy is a monster.

[80sballboy]

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

It would be stupid to pass on Edey with that 2nd FRP. I highly doubt he's available at that pick tho.

I think he'll go in the teens.

I think San Antonio should take him at #8.

Edey and Wemby would be very hard to defend. Wemby can play PF. His weak side blocks shut down opponents. Zach would establish position right under the basket.



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[AFM]

Reed Sheppard confirmed light skin???

As Nate suggested, he clearly tanked the standing reach to make his max vertical look better. I even said his athletic measurements at the combine would look better than expected, but part of that is that he knows how to game the system. He does not have a 42" vert.

Waiting on the real official numbers on the NBA site. Devin Carter showing up large in the athletics makes 100% sense given his numbers vs his size. I like the guy.

Typical doc bigotry. Let me guess, you think he don't season his food either.

[doclinkin]

Reed Sheppard confirmed light skin???

As Nate suggested, he clearly tanked the standing reach to make his max vertical look better. I even said his athletic measurements at the combine would look better than expected, but part of that is that he knows how to game the system. He does not have a 42" vert.

Waiting on the real official numbers on the NBA site. Devin Carter showing up large in the athletics makes 100% sense given his numbers vs his size. I like the guy.

Typical doc bigotry. Let me guess, you think he don't season his food either.

He only eats mayonnaise as seasoning. Also he hums all the time. Dude probably even whistles.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I still think there's a strong chance Zach Edey is rookie of the year.

I do, too.

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[Dat2U]

It would be stupid to pass on Edey with that 2nd FRP. I highly doubt he's available at that pick tho.

I think he'll go in the teens.

I think San Antonio should take him at #8.

Edey and Wemby would be very hard to defend. Wemby can play PF. His weak side blocks shut down opponents. Zach would establish position right under the basket.



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Edey would get in a far superior player's way IMO. Wemby doesn't need a C next to him to crowd his space. I'd surround Wemby with 4 shooters with one of them being a 1st option perimeter shot creator.

[closg00]

Ha!!!

Arent you the one that said resigning Deni was a bad idea?

I wrote that I would have been fine with not picking-up the options on any of Davis, Deni, Corey and seeing what the market would offer, I was massively wrong on Deni, I was right about not trusting Topic and his knee, he hasn't even started an 82 game season yet, the knee will not hold

[80sballboy]

ESPN.com Insiders on Monday's Combine
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/page/NBADraft24-40145332/2024-nba-draft-combine-prospects-workout-highlights-measurements-stats-more

The NBA's pre-draft season is in full swing as the league held its draft lottery Sunday, with the Atlanta Hawks moving up to grab the No. 1 pick, and there are more than 120 prospects in Chicago this week for the draft combine and agency pro days.

The G League camp got things going Saturday, and players Monday began the start of drills, measurements, athletic testing, medical examinations, team interviews and 5-on-5 scrimmaging at Wintrust Arena.


NBA draft experts Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo and Bobby Marks recap the biggest takeaways from the combine, assess the prospects who are rising (or potentially falling) and address league reaction and news around the 2024 NBA draft, to be held June 26-27 in Brooklyn, New York.


What's your biggest takeaway from Monday?

Givony: Talk about a very productive first day at the NBA draft combine. The many NBA executives I spoke with seemed pleased with the format, participation and the way prospects competed. The league has found a home in the sparkling Wintrust Arena, with a huge staff that kept the 77 participating prospects flowing through drills, athletic testing and live action. The league avoided mass withdrawals from the competitive 5-on-5 action, so there's quite a bit to look forward to on Days 2 and 3. Bronny James, the USC point guard who ranks No. 98 in our Top 100, was a major standout in drills and athletic testing. Lottery-level prospects, such as Providence's Devin Carter, also elected to participate in competitive action and thoroughly helped their draft prospects.

Woo: It was a refreshing sight to walk into the arena first thing Monday and see a number of top prospects, including projected No. 1 pick Alex Sarr, Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey, warming up for drills and testing. Through changes to combine protocol in the new CBA, the NBA secured full participation from top prospects, including their medical information, in exchange for allowing agents into the building and making scrimmaging officially optional. These players aren't required to do much beyond measuring, athletic testing and shooting drills -- nobody would mistake this for a real eval setting. But the immediate feedback I heard from team personnel Monday was strongly positive.

Having high-profile prospects partake in any type of action adds legitimacy to the combine. Recent precedent had been that lottery picks essentially never touched the court. This year, even the basic shooting drills were a sizable upgrade. The majority of teams won't be able to get these players into their buildings for workouts, so any opportunity to get eyes on them is helpful. For example, seeing players such as Clingan and Edey get out of their comfort zones launching 3s -- not to mention faring OK -- was a scene we'd never have witnessed in years past and a tangible improvement to the pre-draft process overall.



Who stood out during drills and scrimmages?
Bronny James, PG, USC: With dozens of cameras tracking his every move, James had an overwhelmingly positive first day in Chicago, showing he more than deserves to be in attendance. He is in excellent shape, clearly having put on some good bulk from the end of the season. James tested extremely well athletically, with a 40.5-inch inch vertical leap that placed him fourth highest among combine participants, a 32-inch no step vertical (top-10ish mark), a 3.02 second time in the shuttle run drill, 3.09 seconds in the three-quarter court sprint, and 10.96 seconds in the pro lane agility drill -- all solid marks relative to his peers. More impressive was how well he shot in drills, demonstrating a clean, compact stroke and outstanding accuracy in the 3-point star shooting drills (19-for-25, second best behind UConn's Alex Karaban) as well as the off-movement 3-point shooting drill, hitting 77% of his attempts in the side-mid-side pull-up shooting drill.

While he looked bouncy in the transition drills, he showed some of his limitations as a ball handler and playmaker in the half-court pick-and-roll live action competition, where he was unlucky to run into one of the best defenders in college basketball in Providence's Carter, as well as some extremely mobile big men (such as Arizona's Keshad Johnson, who had an outstanding day in his own right) who were making life miserable on opponents every play. This was a positive day for James, who looks to be in outstanding shape and has quite a bit to gain in the 5-on-5 scrimmaging Tuesday and Wednesday. -- Givony

Zach Edey, C, Purdue: Edey, ranked No. 14 in our Top 100, measured exceptionally well as expected -- 7-foot-5 in shoes, with a near 7-foot-11 wingspan, 299 pounds and a 9-foot-7.5 standing reach -- unprecedented figures that we learned at last year's NBA draft combine before Edey withdrew from the draft. But he also tested better than last year, shaving off time from last year's pro lane agility drill, and measuring a solid vertical leap and three-quarter court sprint time, showing the significant improvement he has made with his conditioning and mobility since electing to return to Purdue for his senior season.

He also put on a pretty impressive showing in shooting drills, hitting 3s off movement, spotting up and pulling up off the dribble, showing some real potential in that area as he has long insisted he possesses. Edey has quite a few fans around the NBA at this point, and there are plenty of executives who say they have him ranked as a lottery pick, or even as a top-10 prospect because of how well he rates in their analytics models. -- Givony


Devin Carter, PG, Providence: Carter (No. 17 in our Top 100) was our highest-ranked prospect to participate in Monday's optional 4-on-4 component, which, unsurprisingly proved to be a good decision. Known for his toughness and physical style of play, Carter was his usual self in the drill setting, battling defensively and raising the energy level of others on the floor. He also tested quite well, recording an unofficial 42-inch max vertical (tied with Reed Sheppard and Trentyn Flowers for top mark), 35-inch standing vertical (also tied for the top score), and setting a combine record for three-quarter court sprint time.

While he won't play in scrimmages this week, a solid day at the combine helped back up Carter's reputation as one of the draft's top defenders and athletes. He'll be a strong consideration for teams searching for NBA-ready backcourt help, and presuming he takes this momentum into private workouts, Carter could feasibly come off the board as high as the late lottery. -- Woo


It's early, but there's injury news to share
Rob Dillingham, PG, Kentucky: Dillingham, a projected top-five pick who ranks No. 4 in our Top 100, wasn't able to fully participate in the draft combine Monday. He sprained his ankle in a workout two weeks ago, Klutch Sports agent Lucas Newton told ESPN, and is expected to be out for another two to four weeks. Even with a more conservative timetable, Dillingham should have enough days available before the June 26 draft to conduct workouts with teams as needed, though he may not need to do more than a handful given his draft projections. -- Givony

Nikola Topic, PG, Serbia: While players in Chicago were going through shooting drills, NBA executives could be seen nearly simultaneously pulling up their phones and witnessing a scary sight via social media as Topic went down with what appeared to be a serious injury in Game 1 of the Adriatic League finals in Belgrade, Serbia. In early January, Topic suffered a sprained left knee ligament, which cost him nearly 3½ months of action. Monday, he appeared to reinjure the same knee, looking unable to put any weight as he limped off the court in obvious distress. A postgame examination revealed Topic avoided serious injury, sources told ESPN, and will not require surgery. His injury is being described as a left knee sprain. A source told ESPN that Topic "froze up" after feeling pain in his previously injured knee, but recovered quickly in the locker room.

While this injury will keep Topic, who is ranked No. 5 in our Top 100, out of the remainder of the Adriatic League finals, he is still expected to be a full participant in a Global NBA pre-draft camp that the league is organizing in Treviso, Italy, from June 4-6. NBA teams will be taking a close look at the medical examination that will be conducted at this NBA combine equivalent in Treviso, which will be dispersed to teams picking in the top-15 portion of the draft according to new rules that were put in place in the CBA signed in 2023. -- Givony


While in Chicago, I took in a private workout featuring Clingan, G League Ignite's Matas Buzelis and Cairns Taipans' Bobi Klintman. While Buzelis' improving frame and highlight reel explosiveness were certainly notable, it's Clingan's development as a perimeter shooter that could really open some eyes in the pre-draft process as he makes his way to visit lottery teams.

Clingan, the center who ranks No. 3 in our Top 100, has a natural shooting stroke, soft touch and real range that should make him a threat from the perimeter in the not too distant future. He spoke at length afterward about the importance of expanding this part of his game, and he continued to put that on display at the combine, where he made shots with varying consistency in drills. It's not entirely clear what Clingan's draft range looks like, as some of the teams that need centers the most -- such as the Portland Trail Blazers (No. 7) and Memphis Grizzlies (No. 9), moved down in the draft lottery. He has a natural suitor in the Washington Wizards at No. 2, but some real competition from other prospects -- such as Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, as well. -- Givony


Quick-hitters
Creighton shooting guard Baylor Scheierman, ranked No. 39 in our Top 100, had some positive buzz in the gym after a scorching shooting performance in drills, shooting 24-for-30 on pull-up jumpers (second best at combine) and 22-for-25 on spot-up 3s (tied for No. 1). The 23-year-old has good size for the wing, sharp basketball instincts and a plug-and-play NBA skill already with his dynamic shooting ability. He's likely to receive consideration from teams drafting in the first round thanks to his well-rounded profile, strong analytic model numbers and the outsized importance teams are placing on 3-point shooting. -- Givony


Adem Bona, a center out of UCLA, is slotted in at No. 49 in ESPN's Top 100 rankings. Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
UCLA big man Adem Bona, who ranks No. 49 in our Top 100, had a strong all-around day that suggests NBA teams should take a deeper look despite his up-and-down sophomore campaign. His measurements -- with a 9-foot standing reach and near 7-4 wingspan -- indicate he'll have little issue playing the center position at 243 pounds. He's clearly one of the best athletes in this draft as he reiterated with shuttle and sprint times comparable with many guards and an explosive 40-inch vertical that ranked second best among big men. Bona showed his power, mobility and intensity translates to the competitive 4-on-4 action as well, where he threw his body around and made his presence felt. While his rudimentary skill level and especially perimeter shooting might put a cap on his upside, he too could get looks starting in the late first round. -- Givony

Power forward Ulrich Chomche is the youngest player in this draft class -- who turns 19 in December -- and is probably the most inexperienced prospect as well. The prospect, who ranks No. 40 in our Top 100, was closely watched by NBA teams who are still in an early stage of building their scouting files on him as he was in Senegal at the NBA Academy Africa. Chomche measured (7-4 wingspan, 234 pounds, 9-4 standing reach) and tested exceptionally well athletically, and did not look as raw as expected in drills and competitive action. NBA teams feel like his shooting will eventually be a strength, which combined with his impressive mobility and defensive versatility, gives him a chance to emerge as the type of switchable, rim-protecting, floor spacing big man that is hard to come by. It will take plenty of time and patience for him to step on an NBA court for meaningful minutes, but his upside suggests that a long-term thinking team could take a swing on him in the late first, or early second round. -- Givony

[NatP4]

More good news on Topic

“A postgame examination revealed Topic avoided serious injury, sources told ESPN, and will not require surgery. His injury is being described as a left knee sprain. A source told ESPN that Topic "froze up" after feeling pain in his previously injured knee, but recovered quickly in the locker room.

While this injury will keep Topic, who is ranked No. 5 in our Top 100, out of the remainder of the Adriatic League finals, he is still expected to be a full participant in a Global NBA pre-draft camp that the league is organizing in Treviso, Italy, from June 4-6. NBA teams will be taking a close look at the medical examination that will be conducted at this NBA combine equivalent in Treviso, which will be dispersed to teams picking in the top-15 portion of the draft according to new rules that were put in place in the CBA signed in 2023.” -- Givony

[tontoz]

Ha!!!

Arent you the one that said resigning Deni was a bad idea?

I wrote that I would have been fine with not picking-up the options on any of Davis, Deni, Corey and seeing what the market would offer, I was massively wrong on Deni, I was right about not trusting Topic and his knee, he hasn't even started an 82 game season yet, the knee will not hold

So are you a doctor, or did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?

[Rafael122]

Castle measured in at 6'5 with a 6'9'' wingspan.

[pcbothwel]

Castle measured in at 6'5 with a 6'9'' wingspan.

6'5.5" height without shoes
6'9" wingspan
8'6" standing reach
210lbs.

So he is the same size as Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Troy Brown, Jaylen Brown, etc.
With his physicality, he can 100% play the 2/3 and even some minutes as a small ball 4. I like it.

[80sballboy]

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[machu46]

I haven’t watched very much of this year’s class yet but I can totally see KOC’s Bones Hyland comp for Dillingham and that is not remotely what you want at #2. I watched a bunch of the non-college guys early in the year and wasn’t impressed with any of them and I know this year’s college crop is weak too…just a tough year for the draft but it sounds like Sarr had some serious development this year. I know Hollinger mentioned Sarr’s jumper has a sideways rotation to it though; not what you want to hear for a big that doesn’t seem to want to mix it up inside.


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It's a lazy comp. Bones had full on tunnel vision, been frezing out teammates since college. Was always a gunner. Dilly has real PG skill and showed he could play the position at UK.

Eh, just not a fan personally. If we assume his offense will translate well, I think he still likely ends up being a guy that you really struggle to win with due to the defensive issues like we've seen with Trae in recent years, but I don't think Dillingham is likely to be anywhere near him on the offensive end. Is he a better passer than Bones was? Absolutely. But is it enough to overcome the other similarities they share? In my opinion, no. In a draft like this, you probably have to take him somewhere in the lottery but I personally wouldn't have any interest in taking him at #2. I just think the margin for error with him is incredibly small.

[doclinkin]

Castle measured in at 6'5 with a 6'9'' wingspan.

Standing reach? Standing vert? Max vert? Link?