2024 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Projecting first-round after entry deadline passes

With the college basketball season a thing of the past now, attention shifts to the 2024 NBA Draft for fans of the best young players in the sport. Plenty of top players will be involved, as well as other prospects from the professional ranks with the G-League Ignite, Overtime Elite or international leagues.

The deadline to enter the NBA Draft as an underclassman has come and gone, passing at 11:59 pm ET on April 27, helping shape the draft class and college basketball rosters for next season. Players who retain their college eligibility will still have the option to withdraw until the June 16 deadline.

As the NBA prepares to send combine invites over the coming weeks leading up to May 12, here is a look at how the first 30 picks could play out in the 2024 NBA Draft.

1. Detroit Pistons: Zaccharie Risacher, France

The Detroit Pistons currently hold the No. 1 overall pick based on the regular season standings, giving them first choice of prospects on the board. Without a runaway candidate in the draft class, there is a group of players in the mix for this selection.

Despite a poor run, Zaccharie Risacher has shown enough throughout the rest of his professional season to put him in the conversation for this pick. His ability to space the floor and provide much-needed wing production beside franchise cornerstone Cade Cunningham makes him the pick.

2. Washington Wizards: Alex Sarr, France

The Washington Wizards are in need of talent above any positional value this season, desperately needing to reset the franchise clock after ending an era last season. The mix of players currently on the roster is unlikely to find success without drastic overhaul, meaning this pick could go in a number of directions.

Alex Sarr has the most tantalizing upside in the draft based on his size and flashes of production on both ends of the floor. He has fit in well while playing in a professional league and continues to grow, leading him to the top of many draft boards.

3. Charlotte Hornets: Reed Sheppard, Kentucky

The Charlotte Hornets have hit in recent drafts, building out the outline of a core worthy of playoff conversation. However, health and off-court issues have gotten in the way of tangible progress to this point. Perhaps that means they factor in fit more than a team typically in this range would — especially given the lack of top-tier talent to choose.

Reed Sheppard makes sense in checking all these categories. He could slot in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller well, and provide an alternative to either for stretches if needed. The basketball pedigree and lack of off-court stories surrounding him also add value in this circumstance.

4. Portland Trailblazers: Donovan Clingan, UConn 

The Portal Trail Blazers also ended an era this season when they chose to hit reset with Scoot Henderson rather than sell out for a Damian Lillard reload. The team already boasts several fascinating options in the backcourt which have yet to show their full potential, complementing their game will be important.

Donovan Clingan might play the same position as DeAndre Ayton — a big piece of the Damian Lillard trade — but his future with the organization has been questioned since that day. In the early stages of a rebuild, they have plenty of pieces which can be moved to aid the process.

5. San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Topic, Serbia

The San Antonio Spurs have a clear goal entering this season: Build a playoff contender around Victor Wembanyama. The generational talent is ready to compete with the NBA’s elite, and needs a supporting cast to do so. Step one in that process will be to acquire a talented ball-handler who can set up the offense.

The best option left on the board to do that — and arguably in the draft class — is Nikola Topic. He quickly rose through leagues in Europe and showcased his playmaking ability with great size for a lead guard with scoring upside.

6. Toronto Raptors: Matas Buzelis, G-League

The Toronto Raptors moved closer to a rebuild this season, without fully diving in. Reloading with a renovated cast of players leaves the potential for them to go many ways here. Depending on where the pick lands after the lottery, they will need to make a decision on whether a potential core piece is left on the board.

Matas Buzelis is among the best candidates left for that kind of upside based on his pre-G-League-Ignite projections. A disastrous season which led to a permanent shutdown and untimely injuries dropped his stock and made it hard to gather any real data points on his trajectory.

7. Memphis Grizzlies: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky

The Memphis Grizzlies had one of the NBA’s most injury-plagued seasons in history, taking them from a Western Conference contender to a lottery team. If the pick falls in this range and no players are on the board at their biggest position of need — center — a trade allowing for the recipient to take the best player available makes sense.

Whether the Grizzlies want to take the best player on the board or another team, Rob Dillingham fits that mold. His electric offensive upside will immediately translate if used in the right role, while his defense could hold him back from true star status barring improvement.

8. Utah Jazz: Stephon Castle, UConn

Danny Ainge has accumulated talent and now look ready to start piecing together the puzzle. The Utah Jazz could go a number of directions with the pick here, but another ballhandler likely benefits them most in reaching the next step.

Stephon Castle is capable of playing either role in the backcourt, as he showed fitting into the UConn scheme as a freshman on the way to a national championship. His poor shooting from beyond the arc leaves questions about his overall upside, but he provides plenty intangibles plus defensive talent.

9. Houston Rockets*: Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

No team showed a bigger commitment to improvement than the Houston Rockets, who invested in a new coaching staff to guide a new core of players headlined by Fred VanVleet. The young group of players still features Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith and Jalen Green as well.

Ja’Kobe Walter showcased a high level of intensity during the NCAA Tournament, which would fit in well to the new culture being built. Combine that with the upside of his talent and he makes sense as the next piece in getting to the playoffs.

10. Atlanta Hawks: Tidjane Salaun, France

The Atlanta Hawks have big decisions to make about the future of the franchise after the backcourt pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray seemed to miss the mark. While they must figure out the next steps up top first, the supporting cast also needs a renovation before returning to the Eastern Conference race.

Tidjane Salaun is the type of long, athletic forward which has paired well with Trae Young in the past. If the franchise opts to stick with him and move Dejounte Murray, this pick makes sense to bring out the best in everyone on the court and hopefully improve the defense.

11. Chicago Bulls: Isaiah Collier, USC

The Chicago Bulls also have big decisions to make about the future this offseason, with DeMar DeRozan hitting free agency and the contract of injured Lonzo Ball still on the books with several others in need of new contracts.

Not only does Isaiah Collier raise the talent level of the Bulls roster, he helps take pressure off several players who could be a big piece of the future. Despite injuries and a slow start, his performances by the end of the season looked closer to what a No. 1 recruit would expect even if the results never followed.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

The Oklahoma City Thunder have burst onto the scene as the 1-seed in the Western Conference playoffs despite a young core of rising stars. The stockpile of draft picks they have left to use could land complementary pieces via trade or selection as they take a step closer to a potential dynasty.

Dalton Knecht is the type of player who could plug and play in this — or any — offense in the NBA. Whether picked by the Thunder to play a role in the offense or by a team trading into the spot for a go-to scorer, he promises to fill the role well early on.

13. Sacramento Kings: Jared McCain, Duke

The Sacramento Kings have an intriguing core which has seen varying degrees of success over the past few seasons. To take the next step, they must figure out the best way to enhance De’Aaron Fox and Damontas Sabonis as a pairing.

There is potential that Jared McCain could fit that mold, able to play both guard spots and space the floor with his shooting ability. Putting as an overall solid guard behind Fox and filling the remaining minutes while he is off the floor too is something McCain looks prepared to do.

14. Portland Trail Blazers*: Cody Williams, Colorado

The Portland Trail Blazers come up on the clock again with their second pick in the lottery. Again, they must look for high-upside players who could fit in with the young guards already in place, as well as Donovan Clingan based on the previous pick.

Cody Williams might have a brother — Jalen — making a name for himself in the NBA Playoffs, but his game speaks for itself as a modern wing. Despite an up-and-down season at Colorado which suffered an injury setback, he has showcased all the tools needed in flashes to make an impact.

Picks 15-30

15. Miami Heat: Kyle Filipowski, Duke
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Devin Carter, Providence
17. New Orleans Pelicans*: Kel’el Ware, Indiana
18. Orlando Magic: Ron Holland, G-League
19. Toronto Raptors*: Tyler Smith, G-League
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tristan Da Silva, Colorado
21. New Orleans Pelicans*: Justin Edwards, Kentucky
22. Phoenix Suns: Yves Missi, Baylor
23. Milwaukee Bucks*: Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
24. New York Knicks*: Kyshawn George, Miami
25. New York Knicks: Ryan Dunn, Virginia
26. Washington Wizards*: Zach Edey, Purdue
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Johnny Furphy, Kansas
28. Denver Nuggets: DaRon Holmes II, Dayton
29. Utah Jazz*: Oso Ighodaro, Marquette
30. Boston Celtics: Tyler Kolek, Marquette