Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in 54-51 win over Houston

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in 54-51 win over Houston.

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.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, 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 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes. He shot 3-of-5 from 3. No. 4 Duke escaped with a 54-51 win over No. 1 Houston in the Sweet 16 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 Zach Edey dominates in Purdue’s win over Gonzaga

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey dominates in Purdue’s win over 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 come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, 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 Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes in No. 1 Purdue’s 80-68 win over No. 5 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

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 adds serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. He ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

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Florida State sophomore Baba Miller to enter transfer portal, test NBA draft

Florida State sophomore Baba Miller will reportedly enter the transfer portal, while opting to test the 2024 NBA draft.

Florida State sophomore Baba Miller will reportedly enter the transfer portal, while opting to test the 2024 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Miller averaged 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots on 44.9% shooting from the field in 33 games this season. He scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 14 points, three rebounds and three blocks on Jan. 9.

He finished 10th in the ACC in total blocks (37).

Miller projects to be one of the top players in the transfer portal and will likely have several programs interested in landing him. He will test the pre-draft process and have the opportunity to meet and work out with prospective teams.

Miller opted to return to Florida State after an up-and-down freshman campaign. He was limited to 15 games with the Seminoles due to an offseason injury and a suspension stemming from a rules infraction committed in 2020.

He was previously highly recruited as a four-star prospect and ultimately chose the Seminoles over Gonzaga. Miller, standing at 6 feet, 11 inches, is highly touted for his versatility, athleticism and ability to defend with his 7-foot-2 wingspan.

Miller previously represented Spain in the 2023 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. He averaged 9.4 points, six rebounds and 1.3 assists in seven games, helping Spain win the gold medal.

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Should Spurs target best player or best fit in 2024 NBA Draft?

In the 2024 NBA Draft, should the San Antonio Spurs focus on fit or just take the best player available?

The San Antonio Spurs changed the course of their franchise forever last offseason when they picked Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick. The French big man has been amazing in his rookie season, and this summer will be a chance for the Spurs to build on the success he’s found by putting a better team around him.

Because they have struggled so much this year from a win-loss perspective, the Spurs will have another top pick in the upcoming draft. This means they should be able to add a second high-level young prospect to pair with Wembanyama. But what direction should they go in during the draft?

The Locked On Spurs podcast recently discussed whether or not the Spurs should target the best for their roster or the best player in the draft.

Adding a player who fits well next to Wembanyama would be ideal for the Spurs, but at the same time, getting the best player available seems like the smart decision.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps UConn in win over San Diego State

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps in UConn’s win over San Diego State.

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.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, 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 eight points on 4-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and one block in 23 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 82-52 win over No. 5 San Diego State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

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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Duke star Jared McCain explained why he paints his nails in his latest TikTok during March Madness

Duke’s Jared McCain doesn’t care if his painted nails offend you.

Duke Blue Devils freshman guard Jared McCain is easily one of the biggest stars of the March Madness tournament so far.

McCain, a former McDonald’s All-American and Mr. California Basketball, was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school before eventually committing to play for Duke.

He has had a solid season in college but especially stood out during the early rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The impressive guard had 30 points in a win against James Madison during the Round of 32.

Not only was it a stellar showing but he looked good doing it, too. Some fans have noticed that like Caleb Williams, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCain keeps freshly manicured nails on his fingers.

@jaredmccain24

Y’all have been asking. @Sally Hansen is the GOAT 🐐! There’s no better nail polish in the game 💅💅 #SallyHansenPartner

♬ original sound – Jaredmccain24

RELATED: Caleb Williams has the perfect response to the dumb, offensive talk about his pink phone and nails

When he is not on the court, McCain also keeps an active TikTok profile.

For his latest video, he recently explained why he likes to paint his nails.

“Just do some self-care time. I think everyone should do self-care for themselves. For me, it’s nail painting. I’m sorry if that offends any of you guys.”

The video was a paid partnership with Sally Hansen as part of an NIL.

He continued, adding more context to why he likes the look so much:

“There’s really no crazy reason to it. It helps me not bite my nails. I went to a salon one time and I decided to pick out a color and I thought it looked nice and I know a lot of people disagree. A lot of people don’t like it. I’m just going to be myself and do what I think looks nice. One of the reason why I kept painting my nails is I had a game after I painted my nails and I ended up playing really well. I’m not crazy superstitious but I thought it looked nice and I thought it helped me play better and so far it’s worked so I’m just going to keep doing it.”

We recently projected McCain as a lottery pick in the latest edition of our 2024 NBA Mock Draft.

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NBA Mock Draft sees Spurs select French forward with No. 3 pick

In a recent NBA Mock Draft, the San Antonio Spurs picked up French forward Zaccharie Risacher.

After selecting Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs have a chance to propel their organization even further forward this summer, as they are slated to have another top selection. They could pair Wembanyama with another young star, thus giving them a solidified core moving forward.

Though there may not be a sure-fire superstar in this year’s draft like there was last year with Wembanyama, the Spurs will still land a solid young piece. The question is, who will they choose to take, and which position will they end up prioritizing in the draft?

In a recent NBA Mock Draft written up by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, the Spurs took French forward Zaccharie Risacher.

“Zaccharie Risacher is locked in as one of the perceived safe top options at the draft,” Wasserman wrote. “There is simply a level of comfort around his scoring production, positional size, 42.9 percent three-point shooting, defensive tools and court coverage.

“On one hand, Bourg-en-Bresse has tightened his role, allowing Risacher to play strictly to his strengths as a spot-up scorer and transition finisher. On the other hand, he’s not been given many on-ball reps to showcase or grow his creation, ball-handling and playmaking skills. Risacher hasn’t recorded an assist in five consecutive games.

“But teams also won’t be overly picky in this draft. Fit will be valued more than usual at the top, given the lack of surefire stars. And Risacher’s three-and-D projection represents a coveted, low-risk archetype that is also easy to fit in most lineups.”

Adding Risacher, a fellow Frenchman, would create a dynamic duo in San Antonio.

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NBA Mock Draft sees Bulls take Duke guard with No. 11 pick

In a recent NBA Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Duke guard Jared McCain with the 11th pick.

As the Chicago Bulls prepare for the offseason, they need to have their eyes on two key things – the NBA Draft and the trade market. Free agency won’t matter as much for the Bulls this year, as rumors have indicated that they plan on trying to trade Zach LaVine. And if that’s the case, one can assume that they may try to take a step away from the current core.

But even if they don’t, adding new young talent to this team is crucial. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu look like potential stars in the making and Patrick Williams looked solid before his injury, but outside of that, there isn’t much to look forward to on the roster moving forward.

In a recent NBA Mock Draft concocted by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, the Bulls picked up Duke guard Jared McCain with the 11th pick.

“Eight three-point makes against James Madison gave Jared McCain another bump in the draft’s shooter rankings,” Wasserman wrote. “He’s now up at 41.5 percent from deep on the year with a balanced shot distribution chart of spot-up, off-screen and pull-up jumpers.

“But stellar pick-and-roll play with his pacing, floater touch, finishing craft and passing IQ also adds an extra element of creation and playmaking for McCain to generate offense with.

“Despite lacking ideal size or plus athletic traits, he has an easy-fit game with his on/off-ball skill set. Positive energy and passion are bonuses with teams likely to covet McCain’s character and intangibles.”

Adding McCain’s ball-handling and shooting would be huge for the Bulls.

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Projected first-round pick Kel’el Ware declares for 2024 NBA draft

Ware was named to the All-Big Ten second team after averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 assists.

Indiana sophomore Kel’el Ware announced Tuesday on Instagram that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility after one season with the Hoosiers.

Ware was named to the All-Big Ten second team after averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 assists on 58.6% shooting from the field in 30 games. He was one of two players in the conference to average at least 15 points and nine rebounds (Zach Edey, Purdue).

The 7-footer led the Big Ten in rebound percentage (26) and finished second in rebounding, field-goal percentage and double-doubles (15). He was fifth in blocks and 12th in scoring.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-uoAJOCze/?img_index=1

Ware transferred to Indiana after playing his freshman year at Oregon. He started that season projected to be a first-round pick in the draft, but after an inconsistent campaign, he decided to enter the transfer portal and move to Bloomington.

He is considered a mid-to-late first-round pick after a strong year. He impressed in a larger role with his rebounding and ability to block shots, and has shown some floor spacing ability after converting 42.5% from 3-point range on 1.3 attempts per game.

Ware projects to provide teams drafting in the first round with some versatility in the frontcourt, with his size and ability. He will be able to showcase himself in front of teams in workouts, and the draft combine May 12-19 in Chicago, Illinois.

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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.

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