Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Kentucky center Aaron Bradshaw to enter transfer portal, test 2024 NBA draft

Aaron Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds on 57.6% shooting from the field in 26 games.

Kentucky freshman center Aaron Bradshaw announced this week on social media that he will enter the transfer portal and test the 2024 NBA draft after one season with the Wildcats.

Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds on 57.6% shooting from the field in 26 games. He scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 17 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and one steal on Dec. 9 in a win over Penn.

The 7-footer was highly recruited out of Camden High School in New Jersey and was the top-ranked center in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports. He was a consensus five-star recruit and should once again garner plenty of interest among the top programs in the country.

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Bradshaw missed the first seven games of the season due to an offseason foot injury. He mostly came off the bench but produced his best stretch of the season in 10 games as a starter from Dec. 16-Jan. 27, including four games in double figures.

The 20-year-old will be able to work out and interview with teams throughout the pre-draft process. He will receive feedback on his game from executives and coaches, which will ultimately help him form a decision on his future.

He has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion.

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.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew 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, who helped the Huskies win back-to-back championships. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 31 minutes in UConn’s 75-60 win over Purdue in the national championship game on Monday.

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 was the No. 1 seed 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.

All-WCC guard Adama Bal announces decision to test 2024 NBA draft

Santa Clara junior Adama Bal announced that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility.

Santa Clara junior guard Adama Bal announced this week on social media that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility.

Bal, who was born in France, 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 in 30 games. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 28 points on Jan. 6 in a win over Pepperdine.

The 6-foot-7 standout took advantage of his increased role with the Broncos after playing sparingly at Arizona. He started every game for the first time and ranked seventh in the conference in scoring and eighth in assists per game.

Bal began the year considered a first-round pick but his stock dropped after an inconsistent year. He is projected to be a possible second-round pick, likely a key reason why the decision was made to test the pre-draft process instead of signing with an agent.

The 20-year-old is highly touted for creating for himself and getting others involved. He has had some crafty finishes at the rim and can finish through contact. He will need to improve as a shooter, but he has offered glimpses of what he can bring to the next level.

Bal will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts during the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

He has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title.

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.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew 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 Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 37 points on 15-of-25 shooting, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes in Purdue’s 75-60 loss to UConn in the national championship game on Monday.

Edey is a polarizing figure as a draft prospect. After opting out of last year’s draft, he returned for his senior season at Purdue and put up monster numbers. In 35 games, he averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He led Purdue to a No. 1 seed.

The concern with the 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man is his mobility and slowness. If he can’t improve in those areas, he might not survive as an NBA center.

On the Thunder, Edey would add serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. However, he ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

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Potential second-round pick Trevon Brazile to forgo eligibility, declare for 2024 NBA draft

Brazile averaged 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on 48.8% shooting from the field in 26 games.

Arkansas junior Trevon Brazile on Monday told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

Brazile averaged 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on 48.8% shooting from the field in 26 games. He scored in double figures 11 times, including a season-high 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks on Nov. 29 in a win over Duke.

The 6-foot-10 forward had a productive season after an ACL injury limited him to nine games a season ago. He finished 14th in the SEC in rebounds and ninth in blocked shots.

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Brazile is a potential second-round pick this year. He possesses elite athleticism and is highly effective at protecting the paint with his 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan. He can also space the floor, converting 35.3% from 3-point range.

He will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2024 NBA draft will occur June 26-27 in New York City.

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LSU guard Jalen Cook declares for 2024 NBA draft

Jalen Cook returned to LSU after two years at Tulane, but he was injured and later suspended down the stretch.

LSU and former Tulane guard [autotag]Jalen Cook[/autotag] is entering the 2024 NBA draft, he told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein on Monday. Cook does have remaining eligibility and will have the opportunity to return to school after testing the draft waters, provided he hires an NCAA-approved agent.

Cook, a native of Walker, Louisiana, began his career at LSU before transferring to Tulane. After earning back-to-back First Team All-AAC honors with the Green Wave, he returned to Baton Rouge this season.

He was initially expected to sit out the 2023-24 season as a two-time transfer, but he received eligibility from the NCAA in mid-December.

Cook appeared in 13 games, making nine starts while averaging 15.6 points and 2.8 assists. However, he battled a leg injury down the stretch and was later suspended by coach Matt McMahon for reasons that were never disclosed.

If Cook opts to return to college basketball for a fifth and final season, it’s unclear if he will return to LSU or re-enter the transfer portal for a third time.

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Celtics take intriguing Big East big man in new 2024 NBA mock draft

His passing and defense have been compared to Al Horford, and he can catch and flush lobs when vertical spacing is needed to change up the offensive attack.

The Boston Celtics’ first round draft pick for the coming 2024 NBA draft may be the last in that round, thanks to the Celtics having locked up the best regular season record in the league for their 2023-24 campaign. But that doesn’t mean they are not scouring the prospects who have declared for this summer’s draft, and the folks at the Ringer have done the same.

For the Celtics in the first round, they like Marquette big man Oso Ighodaro. A 21-year-old combo big who stands 6-foot-11 and has the lateral mobility to guard the perimeter and switch when called on, Ighodaro has no jumper to speak of. 

And while that might be a problem for a player more suited to play the four at the NBA level, a team with shooting centers like Boston could find a way to make the high-IQ forward fit.

His passing and defense have been compared to Al Horford, and he can catch and flush lobs when vertical spacing is needed to change up the offensive attack.

While we might prefer a big with a trey like DaRon Holmes in this draft, Horford was also once a non-shooter, so we wouldn’t be opposed to rolling the dice with Ighodaro.

 Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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San Antonio mocked to take Big East floor general in new 2024 projection

A clutch player who can knock it down from deep or take it to the rack, we see the vision with this selection.

The San Antonio Spurs have a pair of second round draft picks at their disposal for the 2024 NBA draft. And in the Ringer’s new mock of that draft, a potential point guard prospect to pair with Victor Wembanyama has been floated we think would be an excellent fit with the Spurs.

That floor general would be Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, a 23-year-old, 6-foot-3 playmaker. With a game that is described as reminiscent of Jalen Brunson and Goran Dragic, we can see the appeal for a young ball club desperately in need of a game-managing guard to keep Wemby happy and the rest of the team settled into their roles.

And while defense is not exactly Kolek’s strong suit as a smaller NBA point guard, he’s still large enough to do the job at a high level with Wembanyama on the floor.

A clutch player who can knock it down from deep or take it to the rack, diversifying his offensive repertoire would also help his game.

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Celtics take a Florida floor general in new 2024 mock draft

The Gator alum could stand to work on his finishing and 3-point shot, but any prospect taken this late in the draft tends to be a bit of a project anyway.

The Boston Celtics front office likely already has a full range of prospective targets in mind for the 2024 NBA draft. And the folks over at the Ringer have put together a mock draft trying to divine what the Celtics will do with their picks for this year’s big event.

For the Celtics’ own second-rounder, currently projected to come in at No. 53 overall, and the Ringer has Boston using it on University of Florida floor general Zyon Pullin. A 6-foot-4, 23-year-old point guard with a 6-foot-6 wingspan who evokes shades of Andrew Nembhard and Tyus Jones, Pullin is described as a “game-managing point guard who runs a tight ship while providing versatile defense.”  

The Gator alum could stand to work on his finishing and 3-point shot, but any prospect taken this late in the draft tends to be a bit of a project anyway, and Pullin’s upside is worth the gamble in our estimation.


Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Spurs projected to take Weber State floor general in new 2024 mock draft

His size and aggressive style of play would indeed make for an interesting fit next to Wemby.

The San Antonio Spurs will likely look to the draft once again to find the players they need to surround star French forward phenom Victor Wembanyama with the right sort of players needed to compete in the league’s 2024-25 season.

And among others, the Spurs have a late second round pick currently projected to go 46th overall in a new mock 2024 NBA draft from the Ringer. And that mock draft has a player in mind for San Antonio — Weber State forward Dillon Jones. A 6-foot-6 22-year-old with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Jones evokes what the Ringer describes as “shades of Grant Williams crossed with Julius Randle”. Did we mention that Jones plays the point?

His size and aggressive style of play would indeed make for an interesting fit next to Wemby. And while his defense and jumper could use some work, the upside is considerable for a ball club that already has atypical physical gifts.

And Jones’ defensive and athletic deficiencies will be in a less harsh light with someone like Wembanyama behind him to help act as a second line of defense should the Weber State alum need the help.

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