There are stories reported on a fairly regular basis about costume jewelry or nondescript paintings bought at garage sales or flea markets that turn out to be precious gems or artistic masterpieces. Few of us ever experience that sort of luck, of course. When we sort through someone else’s leftovers, we usually find the stuff was left over for a reason.
Is it cruel to use that analogy to describe the 2024 NBA Draft?
Hey, look at the bright side: At least the teams didn’t look at the players available to be selected Wednesday night and choose to cancel.
For even one great player to emerge would be remarkable, something on the order of Nikola Jokic working his way – and I do mean working – from just a good player on Serbia’s youth teams to the 41st pick in the 2014 draft to the best player on the planet. It does happen. More likely, there will be some players drafted who will turn out to be quite good. That’s really the mission.
And for teams looking through the list of prospects who competed for U.S. colleges, we’re here to help with a list of the best available, although it does feel awkward to rank a lot of these guys in the top 10 of any list.
It feels like it would work best to place everyone at No. 12.
MORE: Full two-round NBA Mock Draft
1. Stephon Castle, Connecticut, 6-7 wing
When the games got tough for UConn … oh, yeah, that’s right, they never got tough. What I mean to say is, when the games got biggest, Castle became the Huskies’ best player. He defended at an elite level in the NCAA Tournament, most obviously when he held Illinois star Terrence Shannon to 2-of-12 shooting in the East Region final. Shannon had averaged 31.2 points in his previous six March elimination games.
Castle is not proven as a shooter or scorer. Some of that was Connecticut finding other ways to generate points while he missed the season’s early games with an injury and the Huskies never really needing to reassess their approach. Some is the gradual development of Castle’s perimeter touch. He may never be Klay Thompson, but Castle will be able to make shots from NBA range. It would have been interesting to see what Castle could do at UConn with a full offseason and with the demands of being a first option. He’ll have to build toward that in the league.
MORE: Stephon Castle NBA scouting report
2. Donovan Clingan, Connecticut, 7-2 center
There are teams performing well with centers who are Dave Cowens-size, but Jokic reminds us height still is a significant advantage in this game – so long as that really tall guy can do all the things the modern game requires.
Clingan moves great on defense, and notice I didn’t say “for a 7-2 guy”. He’s plenty mobile and extremely skilled. He can continue to get stronger, if he wishes, and that’s something the team that chooses him will want to ascertain.
MORE: Donovan Clingan NBA Draft scouting report
3. Devin Carter, Providence, 6-3 guard
The most underrated player in college basketball last season has become the most underrated player in this draft class. He’s a phenomenal athlete who defends with hunger and got better every year he was in college.
When the Friars lost co-star Bryce Hopkins for the season because of a January injury, Carter scored 25 or more in three of the next four games and averaged 20.6 points over the games that remained. He is one of the most dynamic players in the draft. One can say the team that selects him will not be sorry, but that’s not quite the point. That team will be delighted.
4. Dalton Knecht, Tennessee, 6-6 wing
There’s a rigid strength to Knecht that suggests he’s maybe not that dynamic. But he tested better than Castle in every performance category at the NBA Combine. He will need to grow more accustomed to defending elite wings. He’s only had a year’s experience competing against such players, since his transfer from Northern Colorado to UT.
He can be a high-level scorer, though. Watching him turn it on in big games like the SEC regular-season Auburn matchup or the Elite Eight game against Purdue was overwhelming.
MORE: Dalton Knecht NBA Draft scouting report
5. Rob Dillingham, Kentucky, 6-2 guard
Dillingham is a big-shot maker and a very effective passer. He appears to have the qualities to become a better point guard in the NBA than he was at Kentucky. At the very least, he understands what it feels like to come off the bench, which could help with his transition to the league.
Dillingham is not an effective defender now – OK, being completely honest, he’s pretty dreadful on D – but there’s no physical limitation that prevents him from becoming at least adequate.
6. Cody Williams, Colorado, 6-10 power forward
Williams on tape is breathtaking to behold. In that venue, you’re going to see the variety of ways he can make baskets, how he can fire off the catch or drive and finish with a mesmerizing touch. Watching him play a game, though, can be a vexing experience.
How could someone with his skillset average only 11.9 points? And it’s not like he got good when Colorado unleashed its surge to the NCAA Tournament. In the Buffaloes’ 11-5 stretch run, he scored in single digits eight times and averaged 10.8 points. He was scoreless in the First Four win over Boise State. The motor just doesn’t seem to be there. Or maybe he wasn’t comfortable taking over a team with several established veterans.
In this draft, there just are too many good qualities to pass up the chance to take him.
7. Zach Edey, Purdue, 7-5 center
Apparently every anonymous scout within reach of Edey – and, man, that’s a long reach – has something negative to say about him. “I just don’t see the value he brings,” one of them told CBS Sports analyst Seth Davis for his Substack column.
It’s certainly possible he’s not agile enough. Until he gets into the league, we can’t be sure. But we can be sure there will be few who’ll push harder to achieve greatness. He showed that at Purdue. And we do know he wrecked Clingan when they went head-to-head in the NCAA final; Edey went for 37 points on 12-of-25 shooting. Clingan scored 11 points on 5-of-8 from the field.
The guy who can make that happen is worth the risk, in a different way than Williams is.
MORE: Zach Edey NBA Draft scouting report
8. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky, 6-3 guard
It bothers me that he’s only 6-3, which is small for someone who figures to play off the ball. It bothers me that he’s not elusive with the basketball. It bothers me that he grew up with parents who’d been elite players, played for a Hall of Fame coach and still made so many crucial mental errors in his one college season. He is an extraordinary shooter, though. His 52 percent shooting came on a reasonable number of attempts: 144 in 33 games. And he’s a disruptive defender who has compensated in the past for some of his mistakes by taking the ball away from the opposition.
I’m not as enthused as some scouts have indicated they are. Not every elite college shooter becomes a terrific pro.
MORE: Reed Sheppard NBA Draft scouting report
9. Tyler Kolek, Marquette, 6-2 point guard
Few college playmakers in the past decade have demonstrated a better feel for the position. He knows how to excel in pick-and-roll offense, rarely is guilty of attempting a shot he has no chance to make – even though, as his team’s primary ballhandler, he often finds himself possessing the ball in late-clock situations.
Kolek improved as a deep shooter every year in college. He still is judicious about the threes he will attempts, perhaps a bit too much so. But being so adept at creating for his teammates and getting into the lane for layups or pullups often pushes him in those directions.
MORE: Tyler Kolek NBA Draft scouting report
10. Jared McCain, Duke, 6-3 point guard
The problem with believing in McCain’s ability to run an NBA team is that he rarely did it at Duke. McCain ranked fifth among the Blue Devils in assists this season. That’s hard to love. He could be a Jordan Poole-style shooting guard, and probably without the attitude concerns, and maybe that’s enough.
MORE: Jared McCain NBA Draft scouting report
11. Terence Shannon, Illinois, 6-6 wing
Because his legal troubles were not resolved until earlier this month, Shannon’s potential as a draft pick understandably has been overlooked for a while. His improvement as a shooter in his fifth college season – 36.2 percent on 213 attempts – made him nearly impossible for defenders to stop. He is ferocious in transition, eager to run and so powerful few are eager to attempt to stand in his way.
Even with all the time he spent in NCAA basketball, he’ll only be 24 when the season begins. There are freshmen on this list that have passed their 20th birthdays.
12. Isaiah Collier, USC, 6-4 point guard
An injury to Collier wrecked USC’s hope to have a successful season, which is understandable, but it’s harder to explain why it’s damaged the belief that Collier can be a substantial pro.
He offers size, power and occasionally impressive passing ability. His middling perimeter shooting is problematic, but TJ McConnell has shown the right player can blow past that limitation.
13. Ke’lel Ware, Indiana, 7-1 center
Wow, he should be so good. No, he should be great. To stand 7-1 with this level of dynamism plus a 3-point stroke – there should be no way to stop him. But what you too often find is this: He can be content to let it happen.
It feels like Ware still doesn’t understand how great he can be. It’s harder to discover the skill of “dominance” at the NBA level, because it’s harder to make it happen often enough to believe. But it’s still out there for him, if he’s willing to embrace it.
14. Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor, 6-4 shooting guard
In a few years, this could be the player to make us regret the order of this list. Walter can look so comfortable shooting threes in so many circumstances it becomes easy to forget he only connected on 34 percent of his attempts. He looks great off one dribble. He looks better on catch-and-shoot. He appears unstoppable on catches in transition. And still he missed 66 percent of the time.
15. Yves Missi, Baylor, 7-0 center
You want upside? Here you go. Missi averaged double-figure scoring for Baylor though he only played 23 minutes a game and attempted fewer than 7 shots. He is tall, long, dynamic. He is everything a team wants in a center save for skill and experienced. Both of those may be covered in time, though.