ESPN released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday morning, and former Blue Devils Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both went in the first 25 picks.
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo teamed to project every pick of the 2024 NBA draft in the article, and they slotted McCain to the Miami Heat with the 15th pick and Filipowski to the Phoenix Suns with the 22nd.
McCain, who earned lottery praise from social media after his exhilarating 3-point shooting showcase at the combine, would pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on the team that won the Eastern Conference in 2023. During his one season as a Blue Devil, the freshman averaged 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds after shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc.
“The Heat will likely hope to see the Duke freshman grow into more of an on-ball threat as his career progresses, but have some playmaking reps to offer on this roster,” Givony wrote.
The Heat have been one of the most popular destinations for McCain in the draft leadup.
Filipowski would join a team with even more star power as the Suns build around the big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. The 7-footer earned Second Team All-American honors as a sophomore after he averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds, and he improved into a 35% 3-point shooter who averaged 2.8 assists.
“Expect the Suns to look for a ready-made contributor at this spot, with Filipowski’s size and skill level adding a potentially useful dimension to their frontcourt,” Woo wrote.
The NBA Draft begins on June 26.