The 2024 NBA Draft Combine is ongoing which means current college basketball stars are only weeks away from becoming the latest pros. Mat Mlodzinski gives his first NBA Mock Draft.
1. Atlanta Hawks – Alex Sarr (France)
For the Hawks, it won’t necessarily be about a position to fill, but rather which player has the most potential to turn into a future star. Most experts agree that Alex Sarr is the most likely pick, and with Clint Capela turning 30 on May 18, it makes sense for the Hawks to take the 7-footer from France.
2. Washington Wizards – Nikola Topic (Serbia)
The Wizards really need a point guard, because there’s no way Tyus Jones can be the long-term answer. I like Topic, who has good size at 6-6 and is seen as the point guard with the most overall potential in the 2024 NBA Draft.
3. Houston Rockets – Zaccharie Risacher (France)
A lot of draft experts have Risacher going second to the Wizards, but I see their point guard need as too much to pass up on Topic. Again, there’s not much separating any of these projected lottery picks, but the Rockets could use a small forward to go along with Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, and Alperen Sengun.
4. San Antonio Spurs – Rob Dillingham (Kentucky)
Wemby needs another scoring option and Dillingham seems like the perfect fit because he can also be another playmaker alongside Tre Jones.
5. Detroit Pistons – Stephon Castle (UConn)
The Pistons have good young talent between Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren but still have a lot of holes. One of those is defense. Detroit had the fifth-worst scoring defense in the NBA. Castle can defend multiple positions and has a lot of potential. Plus, he’s a proven winner out of UConn.
6. Charlotte Hornets – Donovan Clingan (UConn)
If everyone can stay healthy, the Hornets have an intriguing roster of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller. I think Donovan Clingan makes a lot of sense here, even if UConn fans don’t want to see another star head to Charlotte. Mark Williams would be better suited for a bench role and the team doesn’t need another scorer, or else I would have gone with Reed Sheppard out of UK.
7. Portland Trail Blazers – Matas Buzelis (G-League)
The Blazers have a whole bunch of guard/forward combos, but there are not many other ways to go. Given their tendency to pick players out of the G-League or high school, Matas Buzelis seems like a good pickup, especially with Jerami Grant’s injury history. Buzelis is 6-11, so he could be a matchup nightmare off the bench.
8. San Antonio Spurs – Reed Sheppard (Kentucky)
If Sheppard is still on the board, why not make it an all-Kentucky draft? Dillingham and Sheppard are two of the best shooters in the 2024 NBA Draft and while it’s not something San Antonio desperately needs, does it really hurt to add more?
9. Memphis Grizzlies – Kyle Filipowski (Duke)
I really wouldn’t be surprised if the Grizzlies traded up to draft a big man like Donovan Clingan, but I see a bit of a surprise pick here. Most of the best available players will be guards and forwards, but Memphis already has plenty of that between Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, GG Jackson, Marcus Smart, and Scotty Pippen Jr. For that reason, Filipowski makes sense to give Memphis another big man who can shoot the ball
10. Utah Jazz – Ron Holland, (G-League)
The Jazz could use a true small forward more than any other team in the 2024 NBA Draft and they could also use rebounding. Ron Holland certainly fits that bill as a 6-8 small forward who pulled down 6.7 RPG in the G-League last season. He can also be viewed as a bit of a steal with the 10th pick.
11. Chicago Bulls – Cody Williams (Colorado)
The Bulls could also use some type of a guard/forward combo with an aging DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who is virtually always on the trade market. Cody Williams was a 5-star at Colorado who needs a lot of work, but could be a good pickup for what the Bulls need.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Dalton Knecht (Tennessee)
It almost seems unfair the Thunder will be picking in the lottery in the 2024 NBA Draft. How much more talent do they need? I’m not sure if any pick lines up as well as Dalton Knecht, given his age/experience, three-point shooting, and overall scoring that could fit in right away in OKC. He took over college basketball last season and could be an instant success with the Thunder.
13. Sacramento Kings – Yves Missi (Baylor)
The Kings have so much talent, it seems like they could use a specific type of player with this pick. They finished second-to-last in offensive rebounds per game, so taking Missi, who grabbed 2.6 ORPG in 22.9 MPG at Baylor, would be a home run. He needs a lot of work, but for a role player, can afford to be a work in progress in Sacramento.
14. Portland Trail Blazers – Jared McCain (Duke)
I believe McCain is the most underrated prospect in this draft and should arguably be a top 10 pick. I also understand other players have more potential, but McCain seems like he can become a 20 PPG scorer with his offensive confidence. Why would Portland pass that up?
@cbbreview Could Jared McCain be a lottery gem? #fyp #nbadraft #jaredmccain #dukebasketball #cbbreview ♬ original sound – CBB Review