Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

UNC basketball transfer portal target still focused on 2024 NBA Draft

There are six schools pursuing Ugonna Onyenso including the UNC basketball program.

Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program have struck out on a few different targets in the transfer portal so far in 2024. But they are continuing on with pursuing other targets.

Among those targets is former Kentucky standout Ugonna Onyenso who has heard from North Carolina in his recruitment so far. The Tar Heels are one of about six teams that are in pursuit of the talented forward. But even with teams in pursuit, his focus is on the 2024 NBA Draft as Adam Zagoria of Zag’s Blog wrote:

His Pro Day is set for Thursday in Chicago and 18 NBA scouts are confirmed, the source said. His focus remains there, although he has not yet signed with an agent.

He entered the transfer portal and six schools are in the mix for the 7-footer from Nigeria — Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisville, Mississippi State, Alabama and Georgetown — per the source.

A Rutgers assistant also called to check in, the source said.

The 7-foot, 247-pound forward out of Nigeria averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game for Kentucky last season. He appeared in 24 games and averaged 18.6 minutes per game.

Onyenso is still very raw in terms of talent and has a lot to develop. But there are some very intriguing traits that not only college programs like but NBA teams as well.

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Rumor: Santa Clara guard Adama Bal to withdraw from 2024 NBA draft

Adama Bal will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to Santa Clara for his senior year.

Adama Bal will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to Santa Clara for his senior year, according to Jacob Myers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bal announced on April 6 that he would declare for the draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility. He recently participated in the G League Elite Camp and worked out with the Golden State Warriors on May 9.

The 6-foot-7 guard was named to the All-WCC first team after averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 35.4% shooting from 3-point range this past season. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 28 points on Jan. 6 in a win over Pepperdine.

Bal took advantage of his increased role with the Broncos after playing sparingly over his first two years at Arizona. He started every game for the first time and ranked seventh in the conference in scoring and eighth in assists per game.

He will have the opportunity to return to school and work on his overall game based on the feedback received from team executives in interviews. He projects to be on several player award watchlists next season with the Broncos.

His return figures to be a big addition to the Broncos’ roster next season. The team is expected to retain much of its roster while adding transfer Carlos Stewart from LSU.

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Who are the best options in the 2024 NBA draft for the Chicago Bulls?

The Bulls can find some talent at No. 11 overall.

Who are the best options in the 2024 NBA draft for the Chicago Bulls? The Bulls are selecting at No. 11 overall after a bit of mediocre luck in the 2024 draft lottery, but can still find some solid talent that late in the draft with some luck on their side.

Could it be G League small forward Ron Holland? Or maybe it could be University of Kentucky combo guard Reed Sheppard? And what about Baylor shooting guard Ja’Kobe Walter or University of Southern California point guard Isaiah Collier? Or would possibly University of Tennessee small forward Dalton Knecht be more the sort of prospect the Bulls’ front office is after in this draft?

The hosts of the “Locked On Bulls” podcast, Haize and Pat the Designer, took a deep dive into the players projected to fall in Chicago’s range of the lottery in their latest episode. Check it out for yourself in the clip below!

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Reed Sheppard had a hilarious reaction to his 42-inch draft combine vertical

Sheppard reminded everyone watching at the draft combine, including himself, that he can jump with the best of them.

Projected lottery pick Reed Sheppard emerged as one of the top performers in the strength and agility testing this week at the NBA draft combine in Chicago, Illinois.

Sheppard, who measured in at 6 feet, 1 3/4 inches without shoes, registered the 14th-fastest three-quarter sprint at 3.08 seconds. He finished eighth in the standing vertical jump (32 1/2 inches) and was tied for the highest max vertical jump (42 inches).

The 19-year-old occasionally flashed that athleticism throughout this past season at Kentucky, but he was mostly known as an elite shooter and defender. He reminded everyone watching, including himself, that he can jump with the best of them.

“I don’t know if I was really expecting it, but it was pretty cool seeing that,” Sheppard said. “They must have messed something up, there is no way I jumped that high. It was pretty cool seeing the 42 on the board after I did jump.”

Sheppard was named the SEC Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals on 52.1% shooting from 3-point range. He had seven 20-point games, including a season-high 32 points and the game-winning shot on Feb. 27 against Mississippi State.

The 6-foot-3 guard led the country in 3-point percentage and finished 10th in total steals (82). He was the only player in the country to record at least 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 3-pointers, and just the second in program history with 80 or more steals in a season.

He brings versatility with him to the next level as a combo guard. He doesn’t have a preferred position at this juncture of his career and is willing to fit in anywhere on the court.

I’m good with whatever. It doesn’t matter what I have to do as long as we’re winning and everyone is having fun. I said it going into Kentucky: I don’t care if I have to pass the ball, shoot the ball or get some water for the guys. Whatever it takes for the team to win, I’ll do.

Sheppard started the season considered a potential lottery pick. He has seen his stock rise and is gaining momentum to be selected in the top five after a strong campaign with the Wildcats. He is even in the conversation by some to be the No. 1 pick.

The sharpshooter isn’t concerned with his potential stock, with over a month to go until the draft on June 26-27. He is just trying to improve as much as possible on the court and showcase himself at a high level in workouts and interviews.

“I’m just going to focus on this next month and just try to become the best player that I can and continue to get better and continue to get in the gym and really through all of this just have fun and enjoy it,” Sheppard said. “At the end of the day, no matter what happens, right now, I’m at the NBA combine. Not a lot of people can say they do this or work out with teams and have interviews with these teams and organizations.”

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Sooners offseason overhaul is complete with No. 2 rated JUCO prospect Jeff Nwankwo transferring to OU

Oklahoma lands the number two rated JUCO prospect in Jeff Nwankwo.

Oklahoma has finished its offseason overhaul. It comes with a bang, as the Sooners just received a commitment from Jeff Nwankwo, a former Oklahoma preps player.

Nwankwo played high school basketball and football at Putnam City North. In football, he helped lead the team to an 8-2 record, a conference title, a district title, and an appearance in the state playoff in 2020 as a wide receiver.

He was also accomplished on the basketball court, but his upside as a football player earned him an offer from Tulane, which he accepted.

He signed with Tulane and didn’t appear in the 2021 season. He would give up playing football and head to junior college to play basketball. He ended up at Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kansas.

There, his true athletic calling began to reveal itself. He started 16 of 19 games in 2022, averaging 10. 7 PPG on about 25 minutes of playing time per game. He shot 35 percent from distance.

He initially committed to Marist University but returned to Cowley for one more go last year. There, he would put together an incredible campaign.

Nwankwo averaged 18.6 points and 7.6 rebounds and shot 37 percent on 3-pointers to earn first-team NJCAA All-America honors this season.

The talented wing committed to Mark Madsen and the Cal Bears on April 13 before reopening his recruitment on Tuesday. Twenty-four hours later, he committed to Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners.

With his commitment, Oklahoma adds more shooting and athleticism to a team that has become loaded with shooters and versatile wing defenders.

At 6-foot-6, Nwankwo can catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble, and showcase the ability to put the ball on the floor, get to the cup, or find open teammates when collapsing a defense. He has two years of eligibility and could factor into Oklahoma’s rotation this upcoming season off his athleticism alone.

With his commitment, Oklahoma is done with the portal additions. The only decision to wait is to see if Jalon Moore, Oklahoma’s presumptive leader for this upcoming season and the most impactful returner from last year’s team, decides to return or if he will stay in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Moore has until May 29 to make his decision and withdraw his name.

Either way, Oklahoma seems set on all fronts to attack 2024 with the group assembled. This team is set to play the school’s first season in the SEC and hope to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Porter Moser.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on X @thatmanbryant.

Should the San Antonio Spurs try to draft Serbian point guard Nikola Topic in the 2024 NBA draft?

His playmaking is an interesting wrinkle for the Spurs to consider, but needs work with his jumper and defense.

Should the San Antonio Spurs try to draft Serbian point guard Nikola Topic in the 2024 NBA draft? Currently playing abroad in the EuroLeague’s KK Crvena zvezda, the 18-year-old floor general has some size at 6-foot-6, and can handle the rock in ways that has had him compared to Goran Dragic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Seen as going anywhere from the fringes of the top five to the late lottery, San Antonio could grab him safely with their No. 4 pick, and could roll the dice with solid odds at No. 8 if the team’s front office sees him as the team’s lead guard of the future.

His playmaking is another interesting wrinkle for the Spurs to consider, but needs work with his jumper and defense — not that rare for incoming guards and wings.

The host of the “Locked On Spurs” podcast, Jeff Garcia, sat down with “Sweep The League” host Rudy Campos to talk it over. Check it out above!

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If the San Antonio Spurs draft a big man, should it be Donovan Clingan, or Zach Edey?

Which of these big men can shoot the rock to better fit in next French forward phenom Victor Wembanyama?

If the San Antonio Spurs draft a big man in the 2024 NBA draft, should it be University of Connecticut champion center Donovan Clingan, or Purdue big man Zach Edey? Is there a chance that vaunted combo big Alex Sarr falls to the Spurs’ range at No. 4 overall?

And which of these big men can shoot the rock to better fit in next French forward phenom Victor Wembanyama? San Antonio’s front office is doing its best to surround the rising star with the sort of players who best compliment his skill set and unearthly physical gifts. And when it comes to big men, these are some of the questions being considered.

The folks behind the “TSR Sports” podcast recently weighed in on a range of big man prospects in the coming draft. Check out the clip embedded below to hear their takes on the draft prospects who might best fit what San Antonio is trying to do.

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Ex-Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. addresses ‘real serious’ charges

Shannon Jr. addressed the charges brought against him for the first time on Tuesday at the NBA draft combine.

Former Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr. addressed the charges brought against him for the first time on Tuesday at the NBA draft combine and said he understands the severity of them.

Shannon was ordered by a Kansas judge last week to stand trial on first-degree felony rape and sexual aggravated battery charges on June 10. The judge ruled at the preliminary hearing that there was probable cause for the trial to proceed.

He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on Sept. 8 in Lawrence, Kansas, while he was in town for an Illinois football game. The woman informed police about the incident the following day after identifying Shannon through a Google search.

Shannon, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was arrested in Douglas County on Dec. 28 after police issued a warrant and released after posting a $50,000 bail.

“Obviously, it’s a real serious accusation, and I’m aware of that,” Shannon said, via WCIA-TV in Champaign, Illinois. “I can’t go into much detail about it, but I’m just focused on what I can control and that is basketball, what I do on the court, in the weight room and with my family.”

Shannon was suspended indefinitely by Illinois in December after his arrest. He returned after missing six games when he received a temporary restraining order from a federal judge, who ruled the program didn’t provide him due process at his school hearing.

The 23-year-old finished the season, leading the Fighting Illini to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. He didn’t participate in media interviews following his arrest and had been silent until speaking Tuesday in Chicago, Illinois.

“I have a trial on June 10,” said Shannon, who fielded questions from reporters for about 25 minutes. “I can’t really talk much about it, but I’m looking forward to my day in court.”

Shannon was voted a third-team All-American by the Associated Press after averaging 23 points, four rebounds, 2.3 assists and one steal in 32 games this past season as a fifth-year senior. He finished third in the country in scoring and sixth in free throws (221).

He is considered a potential first-round pick this year in the NBA draft. His lawyers have said that his rape trial will be finished by the draft on June 26-27.

“Everybody is going to face adversity in their life, but it is all about how you respond to it,” Shannon said. “It is all about how you respond to it. You can’t just sit and pout. You got to just face it head-on and I feel like it has made me a better leader.”

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Bronny James had a great answer on if he wants to play alongside father LeBron James in the NBA

Bronny James shared a thoughtful, perfect response about his dad.

This is a huge week for USC Trojans freshman guard Bronny James.

After passing the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel and getting medical clearance for the next level following his terrifying cardiac arrest last year, James went to Chicago and was a full participant in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine.

While a bit undersized at 6-foot-1.5 in socks, he measured well at 210.4 pounds with a 6-foot-7.25 wingspan. He also had a 40.5-inch max vertical, which was one of the best among all participants.

RELATED: Bronny James is medically cleared for the NBA, but will he prove he’s ready for the next level?

He wasn’t as impressive during his first scrimmage, though it was very encouraging that he decided to play rather than sit it out like so many others.

Shooting drills and athletic testing are all interesting, but that’s hardly what mattered most from the son of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader.

RELATED: 5 awesome Bronny James highlights from the 2024 NBA Draft combine

Perhaps what scouts and executives wanted to hear most from James, though, was from him directly.

For several years now, we have heard LeBron James talk about his desire to play alongside his son in the NBA. But the public hasn’t heard Bronny speak to his own desire for the same.

Here is what Bronny said when asked if he shared that aspiration:

“No, never. My dream has always just been to put my name out, make a name for myself, and get to the NBA, which is everyone’s end goal that’s here. I never thought about just playing with my dad, but of course he’s brought it up a couple of times. But yeah, I don’t think about it much.”

That is a perfect answer from Bronny.

He made it clear that his goal is to do this on his own, and while he addressed the fact that his father obviously has that desire, he said that he does not think about it as often.

There is genuine honesty, humor and humility in that response.

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Donovan Clingan believes in potential fit with Rockets, Alperen Sengun

Donovan Clingan on a potential pairing in Houston with Alperen Sengun: “If he’s working inside, I’ll be able to step out and shoot the 3 and be able to space the floor.”

After Houston’s unexpected lottery jump to the No. 3 selection in the 2024 NBA draft, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan is among the more popular mock-draft projections at that slot.

There is, however, a tricky issue. Clingan plays almost exclusively at center, as does current Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who has become an emerging star entering his fourth season.

So, would it be worth it to draft Clingan, if there’s no clear path (as the roster is constructed) to a starting role? Or, perhaps by one or both developing a 3-point shot, is there a way the Rockets could eventually play both Clingan and Sengun together?

These are questions that general manager Rafael Stone and Houston’s front office will need to ponder in the weeks leading to the June 26 first round. At this week’s draft combine in Chicago, Clingan expressed confidence the pairing could work.

Via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:

If he’s working inside, I’ll be able to step out and shoot the 3 and be able to space the floor. I could be very impactful at the defensive end, having team defense, ball-screen defense. I can see myself with (Sengun) for sure.

According to Feigen, Clingan fared well in shooting drills at the combine. However, game situations are obviously a greater challenge.

Beyond Clingan, Houston’s other popular mock-draft projections at No. 3 include Kentucky guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, and French forward Zaccharie Risacher.

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