Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

LeBron thinks not drafting Dalton Knecht means that 16 other NBA teams ‘[expletive] up’

Knecht looks even better than expected.

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht just had his best game as a pro, recording 37 points against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

It was an outstanding effort from the former Tennessee star, who was also 9-of-12 on 3-pointers during the win over the Jazz in NBA Cup play. That tied a league record for most 3-pointers ever made by a rookie, which is no small accomplishment.

When asked about how the Lakers were able to find Knecht, it didn’t take long for LeBron James to admit exactly what happened. Los Angeles didn’t exactly “discover” some secret talent with Knecht.

Instead, according to LeBron, the other 16 teams that did not pick him in the 2024 NBA Draft “[expletive] it up” and he then wondered if any of the talent evaluators and decision makers watched him play.

Knecht, who was named SEC Player of the Year and won the Julius Erving Award for the best small forward in the nation, was simply available when the Lakers were on the clock.

That serendipity worked out perfectly for Los Angeles, who now have a 23-year-old sharpshooter ready to inject life into a team coached by JJ Redick.

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Former Duke basketball star Kyle Filipowski officially signs first NBA contract

The Utah Jazz announced on Monday that second-round pick Kyle Filipowski, the former Duke basketball star, officially signed his contract.

Former Duke basketball star [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] officially signed his first NBA contract on Monday, the Utah Jazz announced.

The Jazz took the 7-foot forward in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft. The team didn’t release the terms of the agreement.

The 2022-23 ACC Rookie of the Year surprised many in the college basketball world when he elected to return to the Blue Devils for a second season, but he certainly stepped his game up in year two. Filipowski averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2023-24, making the All-ACC First Team and earning Second Team All-American honors.

Despite ESPN Analytics thinking he had more than a 70% chance to get drafted within the first 30 picks, he needed to wait overnight before the Jazz took him off the board with the second pick of the second round.

He played eight games for the Jazz during the NBA Summer League, averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game to cement his spot on the roster.

He and former Duke teammate Jared McCain actually played against each other in one Summer League game, and McCain told a story about trying to box out Filipowski for a rebound on The Brotherhood Podcast.

Thunder’s Nikola Topic flexes basketball knowledge in TikTok video

Thunder’s Nikola Topic flexes basketball knowledge in TikTok video.

Heading into the 2024 NBA draft process, Nikola Topic was tabbed as a high IQ player. This is shown in his playmaking and passing abilities. The 18-year-old has a high ceiling as a lead facilitator.

After he fell to the No. 12 spot due to a torn ACL, the Oklahoma City Thunder must practice patience with Topic as he will miss the 2024-25 season recovering from his knee injury.

But Topic’s basketball knowledge was flexed in the form of a TikTok. He was featured in a video where he was quizzed to name European NBA players.

The 18-year-old showed off his deep library of names as several players he mentioned were either bubble NBA players with short stints or played before his time.

It’s a fun video showing a little of Topic’s personality. It’s evident he’s a basketball savant and that obsessiveness paired with his work ethic gives him a shot to work out for the Thunder.

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Former UNC basketball standout Harrison Ingram signs first professional contract

The San Antonio Spurs officially signed former UNC standout Harrison Ingram on Monday afternoon.

Looking back on the 2023-2024 North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball season, I think we can all agree that Harrison Ingram was a valuable part of that success.

UNC entered the year in desperate need of a starting power forward, as Pete Nance used his last season of eligibility during the 2022-2023 campaign. North Carolina could’ve easily used Jae’Lyn Withers, but head coach Hubert Davis wanted to make sure his team had valuable depth.

Ingram brought the Tar Heels a rare combination of strong post presence, perimeter shooting ability and strong defense, averaging 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds last year. There was debate whether Ingram would return for senior year, but he chose the NBA Draft, which was the right decision.

Ingram wound up being the San Antonio Spurs’ second-round selection at 44th overall. He now joins a roster with the likes of rising superstar Victor Wembanyama, former UNC star Harrison Barnes and former Wake Forest standout Chris Paul, regarded amongst the NBA’s best active point guards.

On Monday, Ingram’s dream of being a professional basketball player officially came true, as San Antonio signed him to a 2-way contract.

Inking a 2-way contract means that Ingram will split his rookie campaign between San Antonio and Austin, Texas, where the Spurs’ G-League affiliate by the same name is located. We’ve seen former North Carolina stars, such as Leaky Black, sign 2-way contracts.

Ingram’s strong NBA 2K25 Summer League statline was a strong indicator he deserves a roster spot, as he averaged 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists over three games. Ingram might not play full-time in San Antonio, but if he plays well in the G-League, several call-ups await him.

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Two time national champion point guard signs with Indiana Pacers

Former UConn Huskies point guard Tristen Newton inks two-way deal with Indiana Pacers.

The Indiana Pacers inked former UConn Huskies guard Tristen Newton to a two-way contract on Saturday.

Newton was the 49th player selected in the 2024 NBA draft, joined in the draft class by fellow UConn starters Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and Cam Spencer.

The 6’5 guard averaged 9.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across five Summer League games, although he shot just 20% from the field and 18.2% from the three point line.

“Tristen Newton, tremendous [growth] from game one to game five,” Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo said. “Understanding our offense more, playing more confident. Being able to call plays and run our sets and be more comfortable out there.”

Newton averaged over 15 points, six assists, and six rebounds in his final season with UConn, leading Dan Hurley’s team to back-to-back national championships as the primary ball-handler.

Now, his experience, winning mentality, facilitation, and positional rebounding skills will give Indiana additional point guard depth available throughout the season, although Newton will likely spend most of his time in the G League with the Mad Ants.

Thunder’s Nikola Topic undergoes surgery for torn ACL

Thunder’s Nikola Topic undergoes surgery for torn ACL.

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that Nikola Topic underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL. The procedure was conducted in Los Angeles. The 18-year-old is expected to miss the 2024-25 season.

This was inevitable once Topic suffered a knee injury in May 2024. After being viewed as a top prospect, his injury was likely the reason he slid down to the No. 12 spot in the 2024 NBA draft.

Topic has an upside as a prospect with his feel and passing. He must work on his shooting though as that was seen as the biggest area of improvement during the predraft process.

Once healthy, Topic will have a chance to be a starter next season. He can also be a backup facilitator. The Thunder can afford the swing and have a successful history with redshirt rookies like Chet Holmgren.

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Will the San Antonio Spurs end up regretting trading away their second lottery pick of the 2024 NBA draft?

If you ask Bleacher Report, there is a very good chance that they will.

Fans of the San Antonio Spurs were stoked to see what prospects their favorite ball club’s front office was going to take with a pair of picks in the lottery of the 2024 NBA draft. But when push came to shove on draft night, the Spurs only used one of the two to bring on a rookie. They traded their No. 8 overall pick of the draft for future assets after picking up University of Connecticut combo guard Stephon Castle with the No. 4 overall pick.

Will San Antonio end up regretting trading away their second lottery pick of the 2024 draft? If you ask Bleacher Report league analyst Greg Swartz, there is a very good chance that they will.

“Teams only get so many chances to build around a generational prospect, which is why punting on the No. 8 overall pick in the draft a year after selecting Victor Wembanyama was the wrong thing to do for the … Spurs,” writes Swartz.

“Franchises should be trying to get as many bites at the apple as they possibly can, knowing that not all their young pieces are eventually going to fit.”

“There were some really interesting prospects the Spurs could have taken at No. 8 to pair with Wembaynama,” he adds, pointing to prospects like Matas Buzelis, or simply hanging onto Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham.

“The Spurs are going to get really good, really fast, meaning these lottery pick opportunities will slowly fade away,” he suggests. “San Antonio overthought this and should have taken the best prospect on its board instead.”

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OKC Thunder adds Alex Ducas to two-way deal

OKC Thunder adds Alex Ducas to two-way deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Tuesday that they have signed undrafted rookie Alex Ducas to a two-way deal.

The 23-year-old spent five college seasons at Saint Mary’s from 2019-24. He averaged 9.9 points on 45.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 34 games last season. He shot 43.8% from 3 on 5.4 attempts.

At 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, Ducas possesses plus size for a guard. He is now eligible to appear in 50 games next season for the Thunder and will spend most of his rookie campaign with the G League’s OKC Blue.

Ducas hasn’t had a chance to play in the summer league for the Thunder. He’s dealt with a hip injury that’s kept him out of action.

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NBA offseason creates an unusual pipeline between San Antonio Spurs and UNC basketball

What is the significance of Harrison Ingram and Harrison Barnes teaming up on the San Antonio Spurs?

In just one offseason, the San Antonio Spurs bolstered their roster drastically with the addition of an NBA star and two North Carolina Tar Heels.

Chris Paul, a fellow ACC basketball alumni who starred at Wake Forest from 2003-2005, joined the Spurs after one season with the Golden State Warriors. Paul is a 12-time NBA All-Star who, despite not winning a championship, should be in the Hall of Fame when he retires.

Before Paul came to San Antonio, the Spurs added their first former UNC basketball standout: Harrison Ingram, who heard his name called 48th overall (second round) in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Around the same time Paul joined San Antonio, a fellow former Tar Heel in Harrison Barnes did the same. If you remember Barnes’ name, he led North Carolina to a pair of Elite 8 appearances – in 2011 and 2012.

It’s always exciting watching former UNC standouts play on NBA squads, but to have two on the same team is pretty rare.

Looking at the Spurs’ roster, how likely is it Barnes and Ingram play on the court together?

Off the top of our heads, we know Barnes will be San Antonio’s starting small forward. He’s a reliable, consistent scorer who’s averaged double-digit points in each of the last 12 seasons.

Ingram’s spot on the roster isn’t guaranteed, though. The Spurs are four deep at small forward – Ingram could play power forward, but at 6’5″, he’s undersized at the NBA level.

I could see Ingram signing a 2-way contract. That way, he’d be on the roster while getting playing time in the G-League.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

One week with the San Antonio Spurs 2024 rookies

If fans of the San Antonio Spurs think it has been a busy week for their favorite NBA ball club, they are not wrong.

If fans of the San Antonio Spurs think it has been a busy week for their favorite NBA ball club, they are not wrong. And for the incoming cohort of players picked up by San Antonio’s front office in the 2024 NBA draft, it has been especially busy, with the three prospects taken literally upending their entire lives to join the Spurs organization.

To give you all a better idea of what the last week has been like for University of Connecticut combo guard Stephon Castle, Ratiopharm Ulm guard Juan Nunez, and University of North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram, the team put together a short clip highlighting their experiences from draft night onward.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to get an inside look at a tumultuous if exciting seven days for these three Spurs rookies.

It might be a blur from their perspective, but it is also the start of a new chapter in San Antonio’s history.

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