Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Report: Northwestern’s Boo Buie had predraft workout with Thunder

Report: Northwestern’s Boo Buie had predraft workout with Thunder.

The calendar has flipped to June, which means NBA teams are intensifying their predraft process and hosting players for workouts and visits. The 2024 NBA draft will take place from June 26-27.

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter this year’s class with a sole draft pick of the No. 12 selection. OKC was gifted the free lottery pick via the Houston Rockets.

The Thunder hosted several meetings with draft prospects in the past weeks. This includes players outside the lottery range as OKC will likely seek to add undrafted free agents or even buy back into the second round if it likes someone enough.

One possibility is Northwestern’s Boo Buie. He reportedly had a predraft workout with the Thunder, per HoopsHype.

The 24-year-old played in five college seasons at Northwestern from 2019-24. He was a starter in his last three campaigns with the Wildcats.

In 34 games last season, Buie averaged 19 points on 43.8% shooting, five assists and 3.3 rebounds. He shot 43.4% from 3 on six attempts. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he’s a bit small for a guard.

Buie is a potential undrafted free agent target. He has a shot to join the Thunder’s summer league squad and possibly be added to the G League’s OKC Blue for next season if he impresses enough.

A full list of 2024 NBA draft prospects that have worked out or visited the Thunder in the predraft process can be viewed here.

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Suns owner Mat Ishbia denied Kevin Durant is getting traded and might’ve forgotten who he’s dealing with

Suns owner Mat Ishbia is in denial if he thinks he has power over Kevin Durant.

There is a tried and true adage about the NBA over the last decade. If Kevin Durant wants to be on a new team, he will be on a new team.

Someone should pass along this memo to Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia.

Amid rumors that the Houston Rockets are interested in trading for Durant around the 2024 NBA Draft, Ishbia decided to quell these concerns in public. He posted a milquetoast, naive screed to his Twitter account about how Phoenix fans should effectively ignore the noise from the media and still focus on Durant, who he assured will be a key piece of a championship-contending Suns team.

Man, Ishbia doesn’t understand who he’s dealing with, does he?

I’ll spell this out for Ishbia in the plainest terms.

Durant will be 36 by the time the next NBA season starts. The Suns have been his third team since the start of the decade. To no avail, he’s tried to recreate the title-winning magic of the late 2010s Golden State Warriors (something that will never happen again).

As it stands, the Suns have a top-heavy roster and are much more liable to screw up their offseason and reload a way-too-flawed team rather than blow it up. Why would Durant want to waste one of the last few years of his legendary NBA career in this tenuous situation? What, from his past, has given anyone in the Phoenix front office any comfort or indication that he won’t start forcing his hand the moment the Suns really go bottom up?

If Durant wants out, this remains a player’s league. There will be nothing Ishbia can do to stop the greatest mercenary in NBA history from deciding where his next chapter will be. Durant has all the leverage.

Why the NBA Draft is now 2 days starting in 2024, explained

Here’s the answer.

The 2024 NBA Draft may not have as much star power as in past drafts, but it marks a pretty notable moment in league history.

Because the draft will now be spread over two days, with the first round on Wednesday and the second held on Thursday.

Why is that? You’ve come to the right place!

From a speculation point of view: the draft will get more attention now that it’s spread out, as we’ve seen with other pro leagues. The NFL has a three-day affair, while the NHL has a two-day draft.

But this is also a move to help franchises. Per a statement from NBA executive VP Joe Dumars:

“Based on feedback about the NBA Draft format from basketball executives around the league and my own experience in draft rooms, we believe that teams will benefit from being able to regroup between rounds and having additional time to make decisions during the second round.”

There you have it!

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Cameroonian center Ulrich Chomche aims to make history with selection in NBA draft

The Cameroonian center is looking to become the sixth NBA Academy graduate to be selected in the draft.

Ulrich Chomche, a 6-foot-11 center from the NBA Academy Africa, will have the opportunity to make history should he be selected in either round of the 2024 NBA draft.

Chomche, who was born in Cameroon, was with the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal from 2019 to 2024. He can become the first player from the NBA Academy Africa to be drafted and the first player to be drafted directly out of any of the academies (Global, Latin).

The NBA Academy, started in 2016, is a year-round basketball development program that provides the top high school-age prospects from outside of the United States with the necessary tools to unlock their skills and maximize their potential.

He would be the sixth NBA Academy graduate to be selected in the draft, joining Josh Giddey (2021, Oklahoma City), Dyson Daniels (2022, New Orleans), Bennedict Mathurin (2022, Indiana), Olivier-Maxence Prosper (2023, Dallas) and Mojave King (2023, Portland).

“Ulrich is a great ambassador for NBA Academy Africa,” said Chris Ebersole, the NBA’s head of international basketball operations. “(He) is an inspiration to his teammates and young players from Cameroon, and a trailblazer who is looking to become the first NBA Academy prospect drafted directly to the NBA.”

Chomche was a standout with the NBA Academy Africa at the G League Winter Showcase in December. He also competed with Team World at the Nike Hoop Summit in April, recording four points, four rebounds, three blocked shots and one assist in a 98-75 loss to Team USA.

The 18-year-old declared for the draft in April and participated in the combine last month, recording five points and four rebounds in one scrimmage game. He also registered the fourth-fastest shuttle run time (2.84 seconds).

Chomche has good size and mobility, which enables him to work in the post and protect the paint with his 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan. He can also step out and spread the floor a bit, which should only improve with more reps at the next level.

He is projected to be a second-round pick on Thursday after a solid predraft process. He had known workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz and will be looking to carry that momentum with him as he transitions to the NBA.

“Since enrolling in NBA Academy Africa, Ulrich transformed his skillset by adding to and sharpening his game every single year, which is a testament to his work ethic and the NBA Academy Africa coaching staff,” Ebersole said. “Ulrich’s defensive prowess and instincts distinguish him as a prospect, while his relentless drive and team-first mentality distinguish him as a leader.”

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LeBron James posted a sweet message about his sons ahead of Bronny James’ possible 2024 NBA Draft selection

LeBron James said he’s very proud of his sons as Bronny James waits to see where he falls in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Ahead of his son’s likely 2024 NBA Draft pick, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James posted a sweet message about Bronny James and his brother, Bryce, and how proud he is to be their dad.

It’s exactly the type of message you’d expect an adoring parent to post before one of their children reaches a major milestone, as Bronny James will most likely hear his name called at some point in the next two days to start his NBA career.

It’s very possible that the Lakers are the team that drafts Bronny James in the next two days, putting him together with his father on the court in Los Angeles.

Even if it’s another team, we’re sure that LeBron James will be immensely proud of his son no matter where he goes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8r822dOk8w

“Pops over here getting emotional as hell just thinking about yall journey so far!” James posted. “Thank you both for allowing me to be your DAD and be apart of your compass through life’s trials and tribulations!”

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Final NBA draft prediction for Duke basketball star Kyle Filipowski

Check out Duke Wire’s final prediction for Kyle Filipowski in Wednesday’s NBA draft here.

By almost every account, former Duke basketball star [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] will be on an NBA team by the end of Wednesday night.

The first round of the 2024 NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday, and while ESPN Analytics says Filipowski is not a guarantee to go within the first 30 selections, the odds are heavily in his favor. DraftKings Sportsbook reflects the sentiment that any one of a dozen teams could end up writing his name on the card, but which one will?

Duke Wire already laid out his five most likely destinations here (and ranked his five ideal destinations here). However, with just a few hours before the Atlanta Hawks come on the clock with the first overall pick, we’ve read the tea leaves and we’re ready to make our official prediction. By Thursday morning, Kyle Filipowski will be a member of…

…the New York Knicks.

The Knicks made a huge splash on Tuesday with a blockbuster trade for Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges. However, 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein remains set for the free market after his contract expired, and Bridges makes the finances of bringing Bridges back a little more complicated.

Enter Filipowski, another 7-footer who also averaged more than eight rebounds per game last season. The Knicks, without Hartenstein, also desperately need height. Bridges is 6-foot-6, All-NBA star Jalen Brunson is 6-foot-2, Josh Hart is 6-foot-4, and Donte DiVincenzo is 6-foot-4, and they’ll likely all see the court at once for long stretches if they aren’t all in the starting lineup.

The Knicks also have two draft picks late in the first round on Wednesday, going 24th and 25th on the board. If Duke fans look at DraftKings, Filipowski is the favorite at both spots.

If you want to get overly specific, I think the Knicks pick Filipowski with the 25th overall pick. Either way, however, I think he’ll be in the Big Apple next season.

Why do fans still boo NBA commissioner Adam Silver during the NBA Draft, anyway?

Here’s the answer.

The tradition of booing the head of the NBA may continue again on Wednesday night at the draft.

That’s right, it’s 2024 and we’re still booing Adam Silver.

But why? For that matter, why does any commissioner of any league get booed?

Usually, some of it has to do with decisions that have angered fans, and Silver might be in that group too.

Here’s my take: It’s tradition for a commissioner to be booed at the draft. Remember that the commissioner before Silver, David Stern, used to make a joke out of it in some of the years he announced picks at the draft:

So, there you go.

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Final NBA draft prediction for Duke basketball star Jared McCain

Check out Duke Wire’s final prediction for Jared McCain in Wednesday’s NBA draft here.

The day [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] has waited for all summer is finally here.

Months after his final game in a Duke uniform (appropriately, a 32-point game in the NCAA Tournament to cap off a star-making run), McCain will get drafted by an NBA team during Wednesday night’s first round. But where will he go?

Here at Duke Wire, we’ve laid out McCain’s five ideal destinations here and his five most likely landing spots here. Multiple mock drafts from multiple different outlets paired him with the Philadelphia 76ers, reports confirmed that he worked out with the Milwaukee Bucks, and fans clamored for him to get taken in the lottery after a steller 3-point shooting performance at the combine.

With the draft just hours away, however. we’re ready to lock in our final guess for the 41.4% 3-point shooter. By the end of Wednesday night, McCain will be a member of…

…the Miami Heat.

McCain’s draft odds, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook on Wednesday afternoon, tie him to multiple teams in the mid-to-late teens in the draft order, which reflects that analysts and scouts haven’t heard smoke tying him to any one team. The Heat, who own the 15th overall pick, sit as one of the earliest of those teams on the draft board, however, and Miami desperately needs offense, specifically on the perimeter.

One year removed from winning the Eastern Conference for the second time in four years, the Heat finished with the fifth-worst scoring offense in the NBA. Jimmy Butler will turn 35 years old in September, and the Heat need to take advantage of their window while its open. McCain not only changes the offensive math, he also lets Miami shop players like Tyler Herro in trade packages later this summer without surrendering their scoring.

The first round of the NBA draft gets underway at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday night and Duke fans can watch McCain and Filipowski’s lives change on ABC and ESPN.

A final stab at who the San Antonio Spurs might take in the 2024 NBA draft

Armed with two lottery picks at Nos. 4 and 8 overall, the Spurs are poised to make noise in the first round. But that’s not all they’ll pick!

As the 2024 NBA draft is nearly upon us, the San Antonio Spurs‘ front office and fans and analysts of the team are running out of time to guess who the Spurs will take with all four of their selections in this year’s draft.

Armed with two lottery picks in the ’24 draft at Nos. 4 and 8 overall, the Spurs are poised to make some noise in the first round. But that is not where their drafting will cease, with San Antonio also controlling a pair of picks in the second round as well. Those picks, at Nos. 35 and 48, could also be used to bring in some developmental projects or limited role players to help the Spurs’ rebuilding efforts as well.

The host of the “Locked On Spurs” podcast, Jeff Garcia, sat down with guest Jack Thompson, formerly with San Antonio Sports Star, to try to prognosticate the picks.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

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Projected lottery pick Devin Carter dealing with shoulder injury ahead of draft

Former Providence guard Devin Carter is reportedly dealing with a shoulder injury ahead of the draft.

Former Providence guard Devin Carter is reportedly dealing with a shoulder injury ahead of the 2024 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.

Carter, the son of former 13-year NBA veteran Anthony Carter, averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals on 47.3% shooting from the field. He led the conference in scoring and finished 10th in the country in defensive rebounds (253).

The 22-year-old began the year viewed as a potential second-round pick. He improved his draft stock and is now projected to be selected in the lottery following a strong junior campaign and showing at the combine last month.

Sources tell Bleacher Report that Devin Carter is dealing with a shoulder injury, though it’s unclear how much it will affect his stock. If it’s not red-flagged, he should be in play in the Nos. 8-13 range.

Carter worked out with at least seven teams throughout the predraft process and proved himself as a lock to be a lottery pick, so it appears as though his injury likely won’t significantly hurt his draft stock in the first round on Wednesday.

He is considered one of the top perimeter defenders in the draft and has garnered interest from several teams, including the San Antonio Spurs. He was also reportedly said to have received a draft promise from a team in the lottery.

Carter expanded his offensive game this past season by improving his 3-point percentage from 29.9% to 37.7% on 6.8 attempts per game. He projects to fill several needs for teams in the first half of the draft and could develop into an impactful player at the next level.

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