Tag: NBA Mock Draft

Jared McCain goes to the Toronto Raptors in new College Sports Wire mock draft

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, giving Jared McCain to the Toronto Raptors with the 19th pick.

We’re two days away from the first round of the NBA draft, and there are two Duke basketball players eagerly awaiting a new home.

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released a new NBA mock draft on Monday morning, and he slotted [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] to the Toronto Raptors with the 19th overall pick.

The sharpshooting freshman is frequently mocked to the Miami Heat (15th pick) and the Philadelphia 76ers (16th pick), and ESPN Analytics says there’s more than a 30% chance that McCain goes to either of those two teams.

However, Patton had him sliding slightly below that range despite a strong NCAA Tournament when the former five-star prospect scored at least 30 points against both James Madison and NC State.

“In the midst of a rebuild, Toronto could grab a young point guard with significant upside here,” Patton wrote.

The one-year Duke star made waves as a 41.4% 3-point shooter last season and he excelled again during long-range shooting drills at the NBA combine.

The NBA draft begins on Wednesday with the first round broadcasted on ABC and ESPN.

Rob Dillingham falls out of the top ten in latest NBA mock draft

Three former Kentucky Wildcats selected in latest NBA mock draft from College Sports Wire.

The 2024 NBA draft is now just days away, and analysts are posting their final NBA mock drafts. College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton posted his latest on Monday, and like many of the recent projections has three former Kentucky basketball stars being picked.

Reed Sheppard – Pick #3, Houston Rockets

These days, Sheppard is the overwhelming favorite to be the first Wildcat off the board, and most have him going to Houston with the third pick. Houston badly needs some shooters, and no college prospect did it better than the Kentucky Freshman.

Rob Dillingham – Pick #15, Miami Heat

Dillingham has the potential to fall in the draft thanks to questionable defense, smaller size, and a nagging injury. However, he is also the most explosive player in the draft, and can score from anywhere and at any time.

Justin Edwards – Pick #31, Toronto Raptors

Before the season started, most would have thought Edwards would be a top ten pick. Inconsistent play lowered his stock, however, and it seems like he might fall to round two. He has upside, though, and could turn out to be a great value pick at this spot.

Kyle Filipowski gets to play for JJ Redick in new College Sports Wire mock draft

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton thinks JJ Redick, the new Lakers head coach, might pick a fellow Duke alum in a new NBA mock draft.

The idea that new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick might get a former Blue Devil in the NBA draft sounds almost like a movie script, but College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton thinks it’s a strong possibility.

Patton released a new two-round NBA mock draft on Monday morning, just two days before Wednesday’s first round, and he paired sophomore 7-footer Kyle Filipowski with the iconic franchise at 17th overall.

Patton didn’t just make the connection because of Duke, either. He said that Filipowski, who averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, would fit with the franchise well.

“Filipowski is a nice fit on this roster next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis,” Patton wrote. “The big man can space the floor and is a quality connector, and would provide the Lakers with an experienced, winning frontcourt player to play off Davis.”

ESPN Analytics said Filipowski has a remarkable range of outcomes, from the mid-teens to the second round, but the Lakers would be close to the highest possible expected spot for the Second Team All-American. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo mentioned that Filipowski met with each team from the ninth pick through the 13th during the pre-draft process.

The 2024 NBA draft begins on Wednesday night and can be watched on ABC and ESPN.

ESPN Analytics says Kyle Filipowski has a wide range of outcomes for the NBA draft

With two days before the 2024 NBA draft gets underway, ESPN Analytics says All-American forward Kyle Filipowski could go…anywhere?

Monday morning marked the start of NBA draft week, and with the first round taking place on Wednesday night, fans are starting to zero in on where certain prospects will go.

Expect for Duke basketball star [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag].

According to ESPN Analytics, as of Monday afternoon, Filipowski could go anywhere from the mid-teens of Wednesday’s first round to Thursday’s second round.

The Second Team All-American star has no more than a 7.5% chance to go in any one spot (compared to the 32% chance that teammate Jared McCain goes to either Miami or Philadelphia). His most likely range comes between 22nd and 25th on the board, but ESPN’s math says there’s about a 20% chance that he needs to wait until the second round.

That lines up with what ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo said about the sophomore 7-footer in a Monday mock draft. Woo wrote that Filipowski met with each team from ninth to 13th on the draft board, but teams in the 20s still think he’ll be on the board for them as well.

The duo had Filipowski go 23rd to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 2024 NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday night on ABC and ESPN.

Where do Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go in ESPN’s NBA fan mock draft?

ESPN released an update on its Draft Day Simulator on Monday. See which teams should end up with McCain and Filipowski in the eyes of fans.

With two days until the 2024 NBA draft, ESPN released an updated look at the site’s Draft Day Predictor.

The model combines every mock draft from the site and weighs the most popular or frequent selection at every spot (who is still on the board), creating a consensus mock draft with the results.

Despite [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] going above [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] in almost every projection, the sophomore forward came off the board first this time around. Filipowski went 12th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder, last year’s top seed in the Western Conference.

To be fair, only 6% of fans paired Filipowski with the Thunder, but each player with a higher rate already came off the board.

The site also pointed out that Filipowski emerged as the most popular selection for the Cleveland Cavaliers (20th) and the Phoenix Suns (22nd), two other popular spots for him in mock drafts, but he was already off the board by then in the fan mock.

McCain, despite being the most popular selection for the Philadelphia 76ers at 16th overall, went one selection before to the Miami Heat in the fan projection. 20% of NBA fans think the Duke sharpshooter is headed to South Beach.

The 2024 NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday.

ESPN puts Kyle Filipowski on Eastern Conference playoff team in new NBA mock draft

ESPN released a new NBA mock draft on Monday and All-American Duke forward Kyle Filipowski got paired with a star who won multiple MVPs.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new NBA mock draft on Monday morning, factoring in the latest rumors about Wednesday’s first round.

Several picks after the duo slotted Jared McCain to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick, Givony and Woo paired Kyle Filipowski with the Milwaukee Bucks with the 23rd pick.

The Bucks, now led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, actually hosted McCain for a workout earlier in the process, but now Woo thinks they might circle the other Blue Devil on the board.

“Filipowski primarily conducted workouts for teams selecting inside the top 20, but he looks to have a wide range of outcomes on draft night,” Woo wrote. “He worked out for every team in the Nos. 9-to-13 range, but teams selecting in the 20s are also speculating he might be available to them.”

As a sophomore last season, Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

The NBA draft begins on Wednesday.

ESPN pairs Jared McCain with the Philadelphia 76ers again in new mock draft

ESPN released a new mock draft on Monday, just days ahead of the NBA draft, and they paired Jared McCain with his most frequent landing spot.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, this time paired with the rumor mill and what ESPN’s scouts are hearing ahead of Wednesday’s opening round.

The duo paired McCain with the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Blue Devil’s most popular destination in pre-draft predictions and the same spot the ESPN duo had him in their mock draft last week.

The 41.4% 3-point shooter emerged as a fan favorite after he demolished the combine, going 19/25 from 3-point range during a shooting drill and earning comparisons to the Curry brothers because of his form and consistency. The popular pairing would let him share the court with former MVP Joel Embiid and last season’s Most Improved Player, Tyrese Maxey.

However, despite McCain routinely coming close to the lottery range as a prospect, Givony wrote that the pairing doesn’t stem from strong feelings about Philadelphia. The Sixers have reportedly hosted the fewest workouts of any team in the league, fanning speculation that they might include the pick in a trade.

“Regardless of who is picking, McCain has an easy niche he can fill in the NBA,” Givony wrote, praising the former Blue Devil’s offensive ability.

The NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday night.

The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has Rob Dillingham to the Spurs

Imagine that Dillingham-Wembanyama pick-and-roll.

Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham could become the point guard of the future alongside Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs.

Dillingham is widely considered one of the top players at his position in this class. After averaging 15.2 points with 3.9 assists per game while shooting 44.4 percent on 3-pointers as a freshman, the SEC named him Sixth Man of the Year.

In our latest 2024 NBA mock draft, we had Dillingham selected by the Chicago Bulls at No. 11 overall. But since then, the Bulls have traded for former Oklahoma City starter Josh Giddey and may no longer want a guard.

Meanwhile, in the latest mock draft from ESPN, analyst Jonathan Givony had Dillingham going a bit higher to join Wembanyama on the Spurs at No. 8 overall. Here is what Givony wrote:

“Dillingham conducted his first visits of the pre-draft process this past week with San Antonio, before moving on to Detroit and also meeting with Utah. An ankle injury he suffered prior to the NBA draft combine prevented him from conducting any competitive workouts for teams.

Dillingham’s dynamic ballhandling, playmaking and shot-making prowess could be a natural fit for the Spurs with the creativity he offers in the open court and the pick-and-roll. Pairing him with a veteran mentor guard such as Chris Paul — whom Dillingham has known from a young age, having played for his grassroots EYBL team (Team CP3) — could make sense should the Golden State Warriors elect to waive Paul’s non-guaranteed contract prior to their June 28 deadline.”

According to Givony, there are several other names to watch for the Spurs, too. That includes Matas Buzelis as well as Dalton Knecht, Cody Williams, Tidjane Salaun, and Nikola Topic.

Givony added that other teams that could consider Dillingham include the Jazz (No. 10 overall) and the Heat (No. 15 overall) as well as potential trade opportunities.

Make sure you check out our newest mock draft, along with the official full draft order. You can also read or watch our new interview with Dillingham.

Two Wildcats picked in round one of new USA TODAY Sports NBA mock draft

Two former Kentucky basketball stars projected in round one in new USA TODAY Sports NBA mock draft.

With the NBA Draft now just a week away, outlets are forming their final NBA mock draft. It seems pretty certain that two Kentucky Freshman will be picked in round one, but the question is whether or not a third will be selected.

USA TODAY Sports has released an updated mock draft, and they have the usual two Wildcats going in the top ten, but Justin Edwards is not in the first round.

Here is how the writers see the two Kentucky guards going, with their analysis included.

Pick #3: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Can flat out score, especially off screens, using floaters or pulling up in transition. Lacks elite athleticism but handles ball well enough to warrant look at point guard. Will compete defensively, and rebounds well for his size. Performed well at the NBA draft combine with his shot and impressive 42-inch vertical leap.

Pick #8: Rob Dillingham, San Antonio Spurs

As a smaller guard, he is elite at creating own shot, through spot-up shooting or dribble penetration because of his speed and ball-handling. Will need to get stronger and improve shot selection. Kentucky lost in the first round and Dillingham measured less in height and weight than he was listed in college, Dillingham remains a projected lottery pick.

This mock draft only predicted the first round, and Edwards was outside it, as was Antonio Reeves. The NBA draft will be on June 26th and 27th.

One Eastern Conference playoff team keeps showing up for Jared McCain in mock drafts

NBA mock drafts keep dropping with less than a week to go, and former Duke basketball star Jared McCain keeps getting paired with one squad.

The 2024 NBA draft begins on June 26, and with less than a week to go, outlets keep dropping mock drafts left and right.

Smoke doesn’t always signal fire at this stage in the process, but if Duke basketball fans want to draw a connection between the USA TODAY Sports and The Athletic mock drafts both released on Thursday, there’s one to draw for [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag].

Both outlets, as well as ESPN and a few other outlets, connected McCain to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick.

Sam Vecenie, who wrote The Athletic’s mock draft, said the Sixers could still move their first-round pick as they try to build around former MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

However, if Philadelphia wants another piece to inch closer to [autotag]Jayson Tatum[/autotag] and the Boston Celtics in the East, it’d be hard to go wrong with a 41% 3-point shooter on the perimeter. With Embiid now 30 years old, the Sixers seem ready to make moves for a title in the next few seasons.

Does McCain end up in The City of Brotherly Love? There are still six days to go, but based on the recent noise and projections, that seems to be the leader in the clubhouse.