College Basketball: Five Late-Blooming Freshmen Who Are Potential First-Round NBA Draft Picks

The 2024 NBA Draft continues to be a fun one to track. The tiers of players for this year’s draft are robust. The excitement lies in the fact that when draft night comes, the order of the names we hear will have no consensus. This will be a beauty is in the eye of the beholder type of draft. And with every team in the NBA having different needs and outlooks on players, the range of variance for players will be wide.

This year, more than ever, NBA scouting departments will need to trust their eyes. What are your core values, who are you building around, and what needs do you have? And they will need to cast a wide net and narrow down accordingly.

Over the past decade, or so, there has been a seismic shift in the NBA Draft with teams looking to draft young. Just looking at the 2023 NBA Draft, 15 of the 25 collegiate players taken in the first-round were one-and-done players. This includes the first eight collegiate players taken and eight of the nine who were taken in the lottery.

We are about at the halfway point of the college basketball season. The 2024 NBA Draft is not until June 27, five months away. On Monday, I discussed the top ten NBA Draft prospects in college basketball. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I talked about eight college basketball under and upperclassmen who have used this season to play their way into the NBA Draft conversation. Today, I am discussing five late-blooming freshmen who have worked their way into the first-round conversation of the 2024 NBA Draft.

READ | Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects in College Basketball | Eight Sleeper NBA Draft Picks That are College Basketball Underclassmen | Eight Sleeper NBA Draft Picks That Are Upperclassmen

G Kanaan Carlyle, Stanford

The Buzz: Kanaan Carlyle is an electric basketball player. He plays with aggression and pop at the point of attack, on both ends of the floor. Carlyle is capable of creating an offensive advantage off the bounce and is comfortable scoring at all three levels in the half-court. He also is a competitive on-ball defender. He has quick hands and feet and defends at the point of attack with a purpose. Decision-making and shot selection are both question marks moving forward, but he has averaged 15.7 points on 44.7 percent shooting from three since becoming eligible for Stanford.  

F Kwame Evans, Oregon

The Buzz: Kwame Evans is polarizing among the NBA scouts. He has the accolades, a McDonald’s All-American and a two-year starter for Montverde (FL) Montverde Academy. But his unique game also leaves a lot of questions. The defensive upside is obvious. He has long arms and natural anticipation with the size to guard up or down a lineup. Through his first 18 games at Oregon, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward is averaging 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks in 22.6 minutes per game. Offensively, he is a connecting passer and an 81.8 percent free-throw shooter. There are questions about where his offensive game fits in the NBA as he is a career sub-30 percent three-point shooter. The defensive upside along with the connecting pieces are intriguing, and the free-throw percentage shows there is a natural touch.

F Kyshawn George, Miami

The Buzz: Kyshawn George grew up playing guard until a late growth spurt jumped him up to 6-foot-8. George was born in Switzerland and attended school at Lycee Emiland Gauthey in France. The freshman has been inserted into the Hurricane’s starting lineup for the last six games. Through those games, George is averaging 12.7 points, 3.2 assists, and is shooting 42.2 percent from three. He has excellent positional size with a lengthy, projectable frame. The secondary decision-making with the shooting piques interest.

G Jared McCain, Duke

The Buzz: Jared McCain was a McDonald’s All-American and a USA Basketball Junior National Team member coming out of high school, so he is not a new name. With that said, he did have questions coming into Duke this season, being an undersized two-guard. McCain has started all 18 games this season. He has shot 41.5 percent from three, 48.7 percent from two, and 83.9 percent from the free throw line. Positionally, there are still some questions in place, he is averaging 0.7 assists to 1.1 turnovers per contest in ACC play. But McCain has a winning track record having won a Peach Jam E16 championship, a California Open Division State Championship, and a USA Basketball gold medal. His scoring, on-ball defense, and winning pedigree continue to open eyes.

F Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State

The Buzz: Milan Momcilovic has never had issues scoring the basketball. The questions always came on the defensive side of the ball. And those questions are still there. However, his unique scoring ability at the college has opened some eyes. Momcilovic is shooting 39.8 percent on 5.2 attempts per game this season. Where his unique nature starts is with his ability to create an advantage in the mid and high-post areas. His footwork and balance are both advanced, and he can create space while using minimal dribbles with an array of counters and fade-aways. The defense is still a question, but he is tough and willing. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, Momcilovic has put on a confident scoring display to this point in the season.