Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Where Colorado’s big three stand in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft following March Madness run

KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva’s NBA draft stocks benefited from Colorado’s March Madness run

Although they fell short of upsetting Marquette, Colorado stars KJ Simpson, Tristan da Silva and Cody Williams each impressed in their second-round NCAA men’s basketball tournament game on Sunday.

The Buffs’ big three combined for 49 points with a boatload of national eyeballs focused on the high-scoring March Madness matchup. In the aftermath, da Silva’s NBA draft stock improved, the freshman Williams Williams remains a projected lottery pick and Simpson may also test the draft waters this spring.

ESPN released an updated 2024 NBA mock draft on Monday (subscription required) and each of those three found a landing spot. Williams and da Silva were projected first-rounders — No. 9 (Utah Jazz) and No. 18 (Miami Heat), respectively — while Simspon went 39th overall to the New York Knicks.

In late November, ESPN projected da Silva as the 36th overall pick and had Williams at No. 12.

Simpson, who was arguably snubbed for Pac-12 Player of the Year, enjoyed the best season of his college career as Colorado’s starting point guard. The junior averaged career-highs in points (19.7 per game), assists (4.8) and rebounds (5.8).

As for Williams, some are arguing that he’d benefit from another year at the college level due to his injury issues. We should learn soon whether or not the former five-star prospect agrees.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 14 rebounds and eight blocks in 27 minutes in UConn’s 75-58 win over Northwestern in the round of 32 on Sunday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in win over James Madison

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in win over James Madison.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Duke center Kyle Filipowski. He finished with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 21 minutes of Duke’s 93-55 win over No. 12 James Madison in the round of 32 on Sunday.

Filipowski has been the offensive hub for Duke this season. The 7-foot center can stretch the floor and pass when needed. He has an NBA-ready frame at 248 pounds, which means he should immediately contribute and not be physically overwhelmed.

In his second year at Duke, he’s averaged 17.1 points on 51% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s shot 35% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. The 20-year-old led Duke to a 24-8 record and the No. 4 seed in the South Region.

The Thunder could hope Filipowski would add serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups. He’s also versatile enough to fit with OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Cody Williams’ tournament run ends in loss to Marquette

Potential Thunder draft prospect Cody Williams’ tournament run ends in loss to Marquette.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Colorado forward Cody Williams, whose freshman season ended in an 81-77 loss to No. 2 Marquette in the round of 32 on Sunday.

Williams finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and two blocks in 28 minutes off the bench.

Williams has been highly touted as one of the best prospects in his class. The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 12.6 points on 57% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He’s projected as a complimentary scorer and playmaker with a nice feel around the basket. At 19 years old, he has plenty of room to grow at the next level.

The Thunder will likely need to trade up to pair Williams with his older brother, Jalen Williams. He could provide OKC with another versatile wing, which is a hot commodity in the league.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht helps Tennessee escape thriller against Texas

Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht helps Tennessee escape thriller against Texas.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht. He finished with 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 1-of-8 from 3 and nine rebounds in No. 2 Tennessee’s close 62-58 win over No. 7 Texas in the round of 32 on Saturday. He also shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

The third-year player has enjoyed a career season at Tennessee after spending the last two years with Northern Colorado. The 22-year-old is one of the older lottery prospects, but the negative connotation surrounding age has slowly faded.

Knecht’s best skill is outside shooting; he has been a high-volume 3-point shooter. He’s averaged 21.1 points on 47% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He has shot 39.7% from 3 on 6.2 attempts.

The Thunder could have a shot to draft Knecht in the lottery range. Considering they have their core set, the draft strategy now is about filling out the margins for OKC’s roster. He can help with that with his outside shooting, which is always in high demand in the league.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Johnny Furphy falters in Kansas’ loss to Gonzaga

Potential Thunder draft prospect Johnny Furphy falters in Kansas’ loss to Gonzaga.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Kansas guard Johnny Furphy. The shot didn’t fall for the freshman starter as he totaled nine points on 3-of-12 shooting, 2-of-7 from 3 and seven rebounds in 31 minutes in No. 4 Kansas’ 89-68 loss to No. 5 Gonzaga in the round of 32 on Saturday.

The loss ends the Jayhawks’ season, and Furphy will likely declare for the 2024 NBA draft with aspirations of a lottery selection.

The stats don’t jump out, but Furphy plays on a stacked Kansas squad. The 19-year-old’s draft intrigue will be what he can eventually develop into, not his current production.

He’s a high-motor, off-ball moving shooter. The 6-foot-9 wing averaged 8.8 points on 48% shooting and 4.7 rebounds. He shot 35.4% from 3 on 3.6 attempts.

If the Thunder adds Furphy, he’ll bring on an off-ball shooter who can move around the perimeter and find catch-and-shoot opportunities. Considering how drive-heavy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams are, this is an extremely complementary archetype. His spacing will give them more chances at clear lanes toward the basket.

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New mock sees San Antonio take Santa Barbara point guard in 2024 NBA draft

We’d be happy with such a prospect for the Spurs, given he has the size and profile to top out as a solid starting point guard.

It may be all you can do to keep up with the NBA and NCAA Tournament, with both going down at the same time. But for NBA draft analysts like Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, it is the best time of the year to connect the two audiences.

And for the San Antonio Spurs’ earlier of their two selections in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft set to take place this summer, he also has a prospect in mind for the Spurs’ front office to consider. That would be Santa Barbara point guard Ajay Mitchell, a 6-foot-5, 21-year-old floor general who draws comparisons to Andrew Nembhard.

“Mitchell’s year ended with him scoring over 35 points in two of Santa Barbara’s final 3 games,” writes Wasserman. “A weak strength of schedule, record (7th in the Big West) and his lack of 3-point volume work against him.”

“But there will be believers in his scoring translating based on how effectively he uses change of speed to get to spots and touch shots/adjustments around the paint,” adds the B/R draft expert.

“Plus, despite taking just 2.9 3s in 31.5 minutes as a third-year college guard, he’s making them at a solid rate (39.3%), burying free throws (85.8%) and demonstrating the shot-making versatility to connect off the catch and dribble.”

We’d be happy with such a prospect for the Spurs, given Mitchell has the size and profile to top out as a solid starting point guard. He might not translate at the next level given his prior competition (think Kentucky’s James Young), but a worthwhile gable this late in the draft.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke collect win over Vermont

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke collect win over Vermont.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to go to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national eyes for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Duke center Kyle Filipowski. He finished with three points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals in 37 minutes in No. 4 Duke’s 64-47 win over No. 13 Vermont in the Round of 64 on Friday.

Filipowski has been the offensive hub for Duke this season. The 7-foot center can stretch the floor and pass when needed. He has an NBA-ready frame at 248 pounds, which means he should immediately contribute and not be physically overwhelmed.

In his second year at Duke, he’s averaged 17.1 points on 51% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s shot 35% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. The 20-year-old has led Duke to a 24-8 record and the No. 4 seed in the South Region.

The Thunder could hope to add Filipowski to add some serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups. He’s also versatile enough to fit with OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn past Stetson in dominant win

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn past Stetson in dominant win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to go to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national eyes for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 91-52 win over No. 16 Stetson in the Round of 64 on Friday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could hope to add Clingan to add some serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Spurs mocked to take Kentucky wing in 2024 NBA draft

A recent mock has San Antonio gambling on upside with their second-rounder.

If you are still trying to keep track of what is going on in the 2024 NCAA Tournament — never mind what the San Antonio Spurs might do in the 2024 NBA draft — you are not alone. But for Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, this is the busiest part of his calendar, as that sweet tourney action pulls in potential readers.

And he has a player in mind for San Antonio in the second round, where they will be selecting with a pick currently projected to come in at No. 43 overall. Wasserman sees the Spurs going for a Kentucky forward, Justin Edwards.

“It’s easy to see the appeal to … Edwards when his shot is falling, but limited creation and shooting inconsistency have made it difficult to buy in,” writes the B/R expert of the 6-foot-8 20-year-old prospect.

“He’s demonstrated enough shot-making potential lately to remain interesting, but he will still have some convincing to do during workouts to sway teams to see a serviceable 3-and-D wing,” he adds.

Not exactly the home run one might hope for in a potential rookie. But this late in the draft, that tends to be the case, and Edwards has flashed a lot of potential before his recent stumbles have hurt his stock.

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