Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Projected top-5 pick Donovan Clingan explains his potential impact in the NBA

After helping UConn win back-to-back national titles, Donovan Clingan is confident he can continue that success in the NBA.

After helping the UConn Huskies win back-to-back national titles, projected top-five pick Donovan Clingan is confident he can continue that success in the NBA.

Clingan was an Associated Press All-American honorable mention after averaging 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 assists on 63.9% shooting from the field. He had the second-best player efficiency rating (34.8) and ranked fifth in blocked shots.

He was an integral player in the Huskies winning their second straight national championship. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team after posting 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 1.7 assists in six games.

The 7-footer is in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick on June 26, given his size and ability to protect the paint with his 7-foot, 6 3/4-inch wingspan. He also showed improvement on the perimeter to switch onto smaller players in certain situations.

He believes he brings that and more to the NBA.

It is all of the little things, whether that is defense, protecting the rim, finishing around the rim, being able to step out to shoot the 3, passing, which I love to do.

The 20-year-old is working to expand his offensive game during the predraft process. He is focusing on improving his shot from 3-point range and showing teams he can develop into a consistent floor spacer at the next level.

Clingan showed off that ability a bit at the draft combine in Chicago, Illinois. He impressed during the shooting portion of the workouts, converting over 60% of his attempts in the off-the-dribble and spot-up 3-point drills.

He rose rapidly up draft boards and is a proven winner at the collegiate level. He still has plenty of room to grow on the court, but believes he is more mature to handle playing in the NBA than he was after testing the process last year.

“Last year, I knew I was too young and wasn’t mature enough to play in the NBA,” Clingan said. “I realized I had to go back and just take my game to the next level.”

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Indiana big man, Colorado forward seen as good fits for Chicago Bulls’ first round pick

No. 11 overall could end up being used on a frontcourt player based on this projection.

The 2024 NBA draft is still several months away in the summer to come, but NBA draft experts have already been hard at work trying to project which ball clubs will end up taking which prospects in the 2024 cohort. And now that the league has finished the 2024 NBA draft lottery in Chicago to determine which teams will pick where in the lottery of this year’s draft, we have a better idea of which players might be available.

The Chicago Bulls, slated to select their first round pick at No. 11 overall, have been seen as great landing spots for University of Indiana big man Kel’el Ware and University of Colorado forward Tristan Da Silva by some draft analysts.

The hosts of the “Locked On Bulls” podcast, Haize and Pat the Designer, took a deep dive into these two players’ potential fit with the Bulls.

Check it out in the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

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ACC Freshman of the Year Markus Burton to withdraw from 2024 NBA draft

Burton is reportedly withdrawing from the 2024 NBA draft and returning to Notre Dame for his sophomore season.

Markus Burton is reportedly withdrawing from the 2024 NBA draft and returning to Notre Dame for his sophomore season, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Burton was named the ACC Freshman of the Year after averaging 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals on 42.1% shooting from the field. He became the third player in program history to win Freshman of the Year and the first to do so in the ACC.

The 5-foot-11 guard ranked first in the conference and third in the country in scoring among freshmen. He set the program scoring record for a freshman with 577 points, surpassing the previous mark of 519 by Troy Murphy in the 1998-99 season.

Burton, who declared for the draft on April 11, was among 201 players who filed as an early-entrant candidate. He will return to the Fighting Irish after testing the process and receiving feedback on his game from team executives and scouts.

The Fighting Irish look to improve upon their 13-20 record last season with Burton back on the roster. The team is adding Sir Mohammed, Cole Certa and Garrett Sundra from the 2024 high school recruiting class and Matt Allocco (Princeton) via the transfer portal.

Notre Dame finished 12th in the ACC last season under first-year head coach Micah Shrewsberry. The team last qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2022 when it advanced to the round of 32.

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Who might the Chicago Bulls draft at No. 11 overall this summer?

Is there any chance a player like University of Connecticut guard Stephon Castle or Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht could fall to Chicago’s range?

Who might the Chicago Bulls draft at No. 11 overall this summer in the 2024 NBA draft? Could it be one of the prospects currently mocked by the experts to go in the Bulls range like University of Southern California point guard Isaiah Collier, University of Colorado shooting guard Cody Williams or Baylor small forward Ja’Kobe Walter?

Or might they reach a bit on a raw project with upside, like Cholet forward Tidjane Salaun or Purdue center Zach Edey? And is there any chance a player like University of Connecticut guard Stephon Castle or Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht could fall to Chicago’s range?

NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson, Kevin Anderson, and Tony Gill for the latest episode of their “Bulls Talk” podcast in which they dial in on Chicago’s draft prospects selecting at No. 11 overall in the 2024 draft.

To hear which prospects they like best and who they think may be available, check out the clip embedded above.

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Arizona freshman KJ Lewis to withdraw from NBA draft, return to school

Arizona guard KJ Lewis announced on Friday that he will withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return for his sophomore season.

Arizona guard KJ Lewis announced Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he will withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return for his sophomore season.

Lewis was a Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention after averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals on 34.1% shooting from 3-point range. He scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 18 points, five rebounds and four assists on March 7.

The 6-foot-4 standout registered 38 steals in 36 games, tied for the ninth-most by a freshman in program history. He also recorded an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3, which ranked ninth among all freshmen in the country who had at least 69 assists.

Lewis, who declared for the draft on April 23, was among 201 players who filed as an early-entrant candidate. He will return to the Wildcats after testing the process and receiving feedback on his game from team executives and scouts.

His return projects to be a big addition to the team, which signed four-star prospects Carter Bryant, Jamari Phillips and Emmanuel Stephen. The team is also adding Anthony Dell’Orso (Campbell), Tobe Awaka (Tennessee) and Trey Townsend (Oakland) via the transfer portal.

The Wildcats have made three straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including two trips to the Sweet 16 (2022, 2024). They finished 27-9 last season.

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Rumor: French prospect Tidjane Salaün is now projected to be a top-10 pick

Salaün is reportedly now viewed as a potential top-10 pick in the NBA draft after a strong finish to his season with Cholet Basket.

Tidjane Salaün, a 6-foot-9 forward from France, is now viewed as a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft after a strong run with Cholet Basket.

Salaün, who will turn 19 in August, dazzled in his latest performance, producing 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in a win over Paris in Game 1 of the French League playoffs. He finished 8-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range.

The performance vaulted Salaün to be one of the top players off the board on June 26, with many teams penciling him to go eighth to the San Antonio Spurs, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Salaun clearly didn’t hurt his draft stock, and a big contingent of NBA executives is now en route to France to take in the rest of the LNB quarterfinals, where both him and potential No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher are competing against Parisian-based teams, making for one-stop scouting shopping for lottery teams.

Salaün is averaging 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals on 40.5% shooting from the field in 52 games. He started 38 games between all league competitions and is among the leaders on the team in scoring and rebounding.

He has dazzled this season with his ability to handle the ball in transition, drive and finish at the rim. He crashes the glass on both ends of the court with force and can defend multiple positions with his reported 7-foot, 2-inch wingspan.

With Cholet Basket still competing in the playoffs, Salaün likely won’t arrive in the United States until later this month at the earliest. He will have the opportunity to meet with teams for interviews and workouts once his season is over.

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All-SEC guard Meechie Johnson to withdraw from NBA draft, transfer to Ohio State

South Carolina junior Meechie Johnson Jr. will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and transfer to Ohio State.

South Carolina junior Meechie Johnson Jr. will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and transfer to Ohio State, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Johnson was among 201 players who filed as an early-entrant candidate for the draft. He declared while maintaining his remaining college eligibility and will join Ohio State after playing the past two years at South Carolina.

The 6-foot-2 guard was named to the All-SEC second team this past season after averaging 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 39.9% shooting from the field. He registered 10 20-point games, including a season-high 29 points and five rebounds on Nov. 28.

Johnson, who is from Cleveland, played the first two years of his college career with the Buckeyes. He announced last month that he’d return to Columbus if he opted against staying in the NBA draft and will play for first-time head coach Jake Diebler.

He projects to be a big addition to the Buckeyes next season. He joins Sean Stewart (Duke), Micah Parrish (San Diego State) and Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky) by transferring to the team, while the program also added recruits Juni Mobley and Colin White.

The Buckeyes finished 22-14 this past season, including 9-11 in conference play, and look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.

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Rumor: VCU senior Joe Bamisile to withdraw from 2024 NBA draft

Senior Joe Bamisile will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to VCU for the 2024-25 season.

Senior Joe Bamisile will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to VCU for the 2024-25 season, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Bamisile was among 201 players who filed as an early-entrant candidate for the draft this year. He declared while maintaining his last year of college eligibility and has decided to return to play for head coach Ryan Odom, who just completed his first season with the Rams.

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 13.1 points and 3.4 rebounds on 37% shooting from 3-point range in 28 games. He registered six 20-point games, including a season-high 29 points, five rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot on Jan. 19 in a win over Saint Louis.

Bamisile joined the Rams last year after playing one season each at Virginia Tech, George Washington and Oklahoma. He connected on a career-high 64 3-pointers last season and is 17 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points.

His return projects to be a big addition to the team, which will be adding three-star recruit Brandon Jennings and Phillip Russell (Texas-Arlington) and Jack Clark (Clemson) via the transfer portal. He was the second-leading scorer on the team.

The Rams finished 24-14 under Odom this past season. They earned an invitation to the NIT after finishing as the runner-up to Duquesne in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

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The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from Fox Sports has Donovan Clingan to the Rockets at No. 3

Is this the big man of the future in Houston?

Now that we know the order of the 2024 NBA Draft, we can better predict where players like UConn’s Donovan Clingan will play next season.

After winning back to back NCAA men’s basketball national championships, the big man is one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. He is likely one of the first players who will hear his name called in Brooklyn at Barclays Center next month.

He measured just short of 7-foot-2 in socks with a wingspan nearly 7-foot-7 at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Both ranked as the top among all participants except for just Purdue’s Zach Edey, who Clingan defeated in the NCAA title game.

RELATED: A consensus shows how experts are projecting all of the top prospects

Although he is potentially a candidate at No. 1 overall to the Hawks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the big man ranked at No. 5 overall in our first consensus mock draft after the lottery.

While that is fairly high for Clingan, he could go even higher. FOX’s John Fanta project the big man at No. 3 overall to the Rockets in his latest mock draft.

This would project Clingan as the big man of the future, alongside forward Alperen Sengun, for Houston. He would provide a solid young option for the Rockets, who recently acquired veteran Steven Adams.

RELATED: Full projections for the Hawks and the first round after the lottery

Our latest mock here at For The Win has Clingan potentially falling a bit and landing with the Grizzlies, though there are a wide range of outcomes for the UConn star on draft night.

Either way, though, Clingan is a promising big man with major upside on the defensive end of the floor.

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Bronny James reportedly intrigues the Jazz, which is a genius move by Lakers rival Danny Ainge

Will the Jazz force the Lakers to trade up for Bronny?

USC Trojans freshman Bronny James was one of the biggest winners of the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. Now, he has interest around the league.

Bronny, who is expected to stay in this class but recently told reporters that he doesn’t necessarily want to play with his father in the NBA, performed well while in Chicago. While a bit undersized at 6-foot-1.5 in socks, his other measurements were good.

He had a an 8-foot-2.5 standing reach and 6-foot-7.25 wingspan while weighing 210.4 pounds, proving that he can play a bit bigger than his listed height.

The freshman also showed legitimate vertical pop, recording a 40.5-inch max vertical during athletic testing. His 32-inch standing reach was also solid and he fared well in the speed and agility runs as well.

This was enough to potentially raise eyebrows around the league, including from the Utah Jazz. Here is more from Krysten Peek (via Yahoo):

“The Jazz have expressed interest in bringing Bronny in for an individual workout and could be interested in him with the 32nd pick, sources told Yahoo Sports. The franchise has been patiently rebuilding behind the leadership of Danny Ainge, and bringing in Bronny with the hopes of luring a superstar like LeBron could be the jump owner Ryan Smith is looking for to add a spark to the Jazz.”

Long before the 2024 NBA Combine, Bronny was already reportedly on multiple team draft boards despite USC’s struggles this season.

But after leading his team in scoring with 13 points off the bench during his second scrimmage, perhaps there is interest in him as a prospect beyond the idea of selecting him just to try to sign his dad as a free agent.

The Lakers are reportedly very open to drafting Bronny and Los Angeles is where several mock drafts have him landing. The Jazz, however, are wise to leak potential interest.

RELATED: If the Lakers don’t draft Bronny James, betting odds favor some interesting contenders (including LeBron’s old teams)

This is a savvy move by Danny Ainge, who is the CEO of Basketball Operations for the franchise. The Jazz are a potential competitor of the Lakers in the Western Conference and Ainge is a former executive of the Celtics, the most notable rival of Los Angeles.

Even if Utah doesn’t actually want to draft Bronny, this puts the Lakers in a bit of a predicament. They’re basically daring them: If you want to select the son of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader so he can play alongside his father in the NBA, perhaps you will need to trade with us (or ahead of us) to get the pick.

If they can score an asset or two from Los Angeles to make it happen, that is brilliant. Or if they can force the Lakers to give something up to leapfrog the draft position, that works in Utah’s favor as well. Well-played, Ainge.

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