2024 NBA Mock Draft: UConn’s Stephon Citadel makes huge soar after robust NCAA Event

Sarr is a high-energy, versatile frontcourt prospect who needs to be the second straight French prospect to go first total within the NBA Draft. Suppose Jaren Jackson Jr. however with out the established 3-point shot. Is Sarr a can’t-miss participant? No. However he can be a pleasant slot in Detroit subsequent to Jalen Duren and will develop into the piece that in the end returns the Pistons to respectability.

Sheppard was among the many largest surprises this season because it pertains to prospects launching themselves into the lottery dialog. No one had him projected as a one-and-done top-10 choose — however that is what he’ll be after taking pictures 52.1% from 3-point vary in his one season at Kentucky whereas incomes CBS Sports activities Nationwide Freshman of the 12 months honors. Merely put, Sheppard is a plus-athlete who can guard his place, and an elite shooter who also can dribble and go. The ground right here could be very, very excessive. So is the ceiling.

Citadel initiatives as a combo guard on the subsequent degree with good positional dimension and all the intangibles you might need. At UConn, he was comfy simply becoming in and enjoying a task whereas impacting profitable regardless of arguably being the Huskies’ greatest prospect. The one concern is an unreliable jumper that led to Citadel taking pictures simply 26.7% from 3-point vary this season, however all the things else is so intriguing that the thought of him enjoying between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller ought to excite Charlotte followers.

Risacher is an actual candidate to go No. 1 total on this draft, which by definition makes him an inexpensive possibility for Portland at No. 4. He is a 6-8 wing who’s taking pictures 56.1% from 3-point vary in France this season. That he is doing this even if he will not flip 20 years previous till subsequent April is one other factor working in Risacher’s favor.

Dillingham was certainly one of two projected top-five picks coming off of Kentucky’s bench this season for causes that can by no means make sense. Both means, most NBA evaluators now imagine he’ll be the most recent guard to flourish within the NBA after probably not doing it as a lot as his expertise urged he ought to’ve in a single yr at Kentucky. I agree with them, for what it is price.

Clingan was a monster within the NCAA Event whereas serving to UConn win a second straight nationwide championship. The one actual factor stopping him from being an excellent huge within the modern-NBA is a dependable jumper. However all the things else — the power to dam and alter pictures, change comfortably onto smaller gamers, and so forth., — is straightforward to see and why Clingan would make a pleasant constructing block in Toronto beside 2022 NBA Rookie of the 12 months Scottie Barnes.

Arguably no participant helped his NBA Draft inventory this previous season greater than Knecht. The previous JUCO participant who then spent two years at Northern Colorado was fabulous in his fifth yr of faculty basketball at Tennessee — averaging 21.7 factors whereas taking pictures 39.7% from 3-point vary on 6.5 makes an attempt per sport whereas incomes SEC Participant of the 12 months honors and main the Vols to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Event. Knecht needs to be probably the most impactful rookies within the NBA subsequent season.

Matter is an 18-year-old level guard from Serbia with nice positional dimension who has already been knowledgeable for a number of years. The Jazz stay in a rebuild and may merely take one of the best prospect accessible no matter match or want. On this mock draft, Matter is that participant.

Is Buzelis a dependable 3-point shooter like he gave the impression to be throughout his senior yr of highschool (43.1%) or a below-average 3-point shooter like he was this season for the G League Ignite (27.3%)? How entrance workplaces reply that query will decide whether or not he goes inside or exterior of the highest 5 of this draft. Both means, falling exterior of the highest 10 appears unlikely even when Buzelis hasn’t carried out a lot to assist himself over the previous yr.

Walter entered Baylor with the popularity as one of many world’s greatest newbie prospects and principally met expectations in his one season with the Bears. The 6-5 guard averaged 14.5 factors per sport whereas serving to Baylor safe a No. 3 seed within the NCAA Event. With Trae Younger’s and Dejounte Murray’s futures in Atlanta unsure, utilizing the tenth choose on one other dynamic guard would make sense.

Collier had a fairly forgettable one season at USC, the place he misplaced greater than he gained and shot simply 33.8% from 3-point vary. Regardless, the top-ranked recruit from the Class of 2023 ought to nonetheless go within the lottery of this draft as a result of he is a giant and powerful level guard who will be bodily overwhelming at his place.

Holland skipped school to play for the G League Ignite — however it did not go too nicely regardless that he averaged a team-high 20.6 factors. The issue is that Holland solely shot 24.0% from 3-point vary and was the face of a staff that completed 2-32. Each issues are regarding and why I am slightly decrease on Holland than most though I stay open to the concept that this 18 year-old ahead nonetheless has loads of time to get to a degree the place his manufacturing matches his potential.

Williams is the brother of Oklahoma Metropolis standout Jalen Williams — however taller and much more heralded on the similar age. He wants so as to add weight and proceed to develop as a 3-point menace, however there are causes to imagine he’ll do each issues in time. If he finally pops, Williams can be a steal at this level within the draft after averaging 11.9 factors in his one season at Colorado.

Among the many issues Filipowski wanted to do that season to enhance his inventory is make a better proportion of 3-point pictures to point out that he can actually be a stretch-big on the subsequent degree. He did it. The 7-foot middle made a decent 34.8% of the three.1 3-pointers he tried per sport whereas serving to Duke make the Elite Eight of the NCAA Event. That is 6.6 proportion factors higher than what Filipowski shot from past the arc as a freshman, which ought to solidify his standing as a top-20 choose.

McCain lived as much as his popularity as an elite shooter in his one season at Duke, the place he averaged 14.3 factors whereas making 41.4% of the 5.8 3-pointers he tried per sport. Contemplating the Warmth are endlessly buying Tyler Herro, and do not appear thrilled with Jimmy Butler, including a younger guard who can shoot in anticipation of a roster-shakeup is perhaps the transfer.

For a Sixers franchise in win-now mode, including a 23 year-old like da Silva who can guard his place and reliably make 3-pointers needs to be preferable to including an adolescent who wants time to develop. The 6-9 ahead needs to be a plug-and-play addition for mainly anyone on Day 1.

Carter, the son of a former NBA participant, is the reigning Huge East Participant of the 12 months after averaging 19.7 factors, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals in his second season at Windfall. He is a terrific competitor, elite defender and improved shooter who may theoretically fill a rotation spot for a playoff staff as a rookie.

Kansas coach Invoice Self not too long ago stated he expects Furphy to stay within the draft as a result of he will be a first-round choose. I agree with the Corridor of Fame coach. Furphy, an unusually lengthy guard, comes from a household of athletes in Australia and simply shot 46.6% from the sector and 35.2% from 3-point vary whereas beginning 19 occasions for the Jayhawks.

Salaun needs to be the third French participant to go within the prime 20 of this draft. He is a wing with dimension who’s an rising shooter and plus-defender with an excellent motor. At this level in his profession, he is extra of a spot-up shooter than an off-the-bounce shooter. However Salaun remains to be solely 18 years previous, level being there’s loads of time to increase his sport on each ends for a Toronto franchise that is nonetheless doubtless a number of years from competing within the Japanese Convention once more.

Carrington will not flip 19 years previous till practically a month after the draft, making him one of many youngest gamers accessible. The 6-5 guard was merely a borderline top-100 prospect popping out of highschool, however he rapidly confirmed sufficient promise as a shooter and passer with good positional dimension to emerge as an inexpensive first-round possibility.

Missi is an unbelievable bodily specimen who is great on the rim on offense and in possession of sufficient athleticism, dimension and energy to excel defensively. The 7-footer from Cameroon can be lucky to land in New Orleans, the place he may assist Zion Williamson and finally function an acceptable substitute for Jonas Valanciunas.

Kolek has some apparent points as an NBA prospect, most notably an absence of athleticism relative to what’s desired from lead guards. Nonetheless, at 6-3, Kolek is sufficiently sized for his place, terrific in pick-and-rolls, an A-plus passer and dependable 3-point shooter. Evidently, Phoenix wants assist at level guard. Kolek may present some assist.

McCullar’s season got here to an unlucky finish early as a result of a nagging knee harm that derailed Kansas’ season — however earlier than that he was clearly KU’s greatest participant whereas averaging a career-high 18.3 factors per sport in his fifth yr of faculty. He is an elite defender at his dimension and needs to be, on the age of 23, a stable plug-and-play possibility for a Milwaukee franchise that does not must waste any extra of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s prime years.

As unbelievable as Edey was at Purdue over the previous two years, he stays a divisive NBA prospect with what seems to be a reasonably large vary. He may go within the lottery or slip into the 20s. Both means, Edey can be a smart possibility for the Knicks if he is nonetheless accessible at this level within the draft contemplating they could possibly be on the verge of dropping Isaiah Hartenstein in free company.

Edwards was the highest-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s top-ranked recruiting class however was largely disappointing all season. He completed sixth on the staff in factors, sixth on the staff in scoring and averaged roughly as many turnovers as assists. Is he price a flier at this level within the draft by a New York franchise with back-to-back picks? Positive. However Edwards did little or no at UK to recommend he needs to be chosen anyplace near the place most had him projected six months in the past.

Smith making higher than 36% of the 4 3-pointers he tried per sport for the G-League Ignite this season is a large constructive for the Extra time Elite alum. To stay within the NBA, the protection should enhance dramatically. However Smith’s taking pictures alone may show useful for a Washington franchise that ranked twenty fifth in 3-point proportion this season.

Klintman is a two-way wing from Sweden who ought to be capable of alternate between each ahead spots. He initially declared for the 2023 NBA Draft after one yr at Wake Forest however in the end withdrew to pursue knowledgeable alternative in Australia. With one other yr of improvement underneath his belt, and never many nice choices within the 20s, Klintman can have a greater probability to get a assured contract on this draft than he did final yr.

Holmes is the uncommon top-55 highschool prospect who enrolled at an Atlantic 10 faculty. He is an inexpensive possibility at this level within the draft partly due to the best way he is gone from a non-shooter upon enrolling at Dayton to an actual stretch-the-floor menace as a third-year participant who made 38.6% of the 3-pointers he tried this season.

Some take into account Dunn a high-floor/low-ceiling prospect who has the potential to be an elite defender who guards a number of positions however will perhaps by no means quantity to a lot on offense. I do not utterly disagree with the sentiment. However utilizing the twenty ninth choose in a weak draft on a high-IQ, high-energy participant who initiatives as one of the best versatile defender on this draft would not seem to be the kind of factor a franchise would remorse.

Ighodaro would not venture as the kind of huge who will stretch the ground as a result of he by no means even took 3-pointers at Marquette. However the 6-11 athlete is a flexible defender and lob menace who could possibly be an actual weapon in Boston, the place 37 year-old Al Horford averaged 26.8 minutes per sport this season.