Tag: NBA Mock Draft

Where did Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go in The Athletic’s new NBA mock draft?

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning and paired two former Blue Devils with two big teams.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday and paired former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] with two recent playoff heavyweights.

Vecenie put McCain on the Philadelphia 76ers (a team that is becoming a popular destination for the sharpshooting 20-year-old) before Filipowski went 24th to the New York Knicks.

McCain, who made more than 41% of his 3-pointers last season and scored at least 30 points twice in four NCAA Tournament games, wowed fans and scouts at the combine with his shooting display. He’s earned comparisons to the Currys, two-time MVP Steph and former Blue Devil Seth, for his form and consistency from behind the line.

Vecenie pointed out that McCain averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists during his final 28 games.

“Over the last two-thirds of the season, McCain was one of the best freshman scorers in high-major college basketball,” Vecenie wrote. “He made 41.6 percent of his 6.4 3-point attempts per game during that span and consistently got into the lane in transition or when driving closeouts. I also thought he improved drastically on defense over his final 15 or so games.”

Filipowski, a 7-footer who can participate in the offense as a ball-handler and distributor, earns first-round hype for his particular skillset. He made nearly 35% of his 3-pointers.

“(Filipowski) carried the Blue Devils through long stretches of games with his ability to catch the ball on the block and score,” Vecenie wrote. “But pro scouts are more intrigued by his well-rounded perimeter game.”

The NBA draft begins on June 26.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go to playoff teams in new USA TODAY Sports mock draft

USA TODAY Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning and put Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski just outside of lottery range.

USA TODAY Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning with less than a week before the Atlanta Hawks get put on the clock.

Jeff Zillgett and Scooby Axson teamed to pair the best prospects from around the world with certain NBA teams, and former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] found themselves just outside of lottery range in the projection.

McCain, who routinely goes first in most projections, went 16th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers. Home of 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2023-24 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers remain in search of additional pieces to push them into the elusive Eastern Conference finals.

After his lights-out shooting performance at the combine, many analysts think McCain can be one of those pieces.

Six picks later, Filipowski went 22nd to the Phoenix Suns. Another team with major star power, Phoenix boasts Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal as its main trio (and former Blue Devil [autotag]Grayson Allen[/autotag] as a key rotational piece) but the team’s depth forced them out of the playoffs in the opening round.

As an All-American 7-footer who averaged 2.8 assists per game, Filipowski can provide frontcourt depth while remaining a part of the perimeter offense.

“A low-post big who uses his size, strength and athleticism,” the duo wrote. “As the screener on pick-and-rolls, he can step outside and hit 3s and go to the bucket for dunks and layups.”

The NBA draft begins on June 26.

The latest NBA mock draft from The Athletic has Donovan Clingan going No. 1 overall to the Hawks

Is Donovan Clingan good enough to be a No. 1 overall pick?

Well this would be spicy on NBA Draft night.

There’s been some buzz about Donovan Clingan as a possible No. 1 pick but not a ton of mock draft love getting him to the Atlanta Hawks.

In our latest NBA mock from Bryan Kalbrosky, he’s at No. 7 to the Portland Trail Blazers. But in the latest from The Athletic, Sam Vecenie has him going as the top pick to the Hawks, who may want the best player available in what’s looking like a weak draft class.

Why would the UConn big man go at that point? Here’s what Vecenie had to say about it:

Clingan is the name I have heard linked with the Hawks most often over this past week. He wouldn’t be the sexiest pick, but would fill a few objectives for Atlanta. Firstly, the organization has not yet shown any indication of rebuilding, so it might prefer to select a player who can fit with its roster sooner rather than later. Secondly, coach Quin Snyder had success in Utah building around an elite big man screener and rim protector in Rudy Gobert. Clingan, who impressed in a recent workout for Atlanta, would provide the Hawks a potentially dominant interior presence and high-character big locked up for the near term.

Intriguing! Check out our latest NBA mock draft, the latest “consensus” mock draft showing who all the experts are picking, and the official draft order.

Four Kentucky Wildcats selected in new ESPN NBA mock draft

Four former Kentucky basketball players were projected to be picked in a new ESPN NBA mock draft.

The NBA draft is now just a week away, and Big Blue Nation is anxiously waiting to see just how high Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham will go. Through the pre-draft process, Sheppard has really elevated his draft stock, and will likely be a top five pick.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released an updated NBA mock draft (subscription required), and they now have four Wildcats being drafted.

Reed Sheppard – Pick #3, Houston Rockets

It looks more and more like Sheppard will be the first Kentucky player off the board. After a series of terrific pre-draft workouts and interviews, nearly every analyst has him going very high in the process. He has an NBA skillset and will contribute right away for whoever picks him.

Rob Dillingham – Pick #8, San Antonio Spurs

Dillingham could take a bit of a tumble in the draft, but his talent is undeniable. He can score from anywhere, and is perhaps the quickest player available. His defensive struggles, and an injury he’s been dealing with, could hurt his stock a bit, but he would fit very well in San Antonio.

Justin Edwards – Pick #39, Memphis Grizzlies

Previously, ESPN had Edwards going at the end of round one, but falling into round two is certainly possible. He has tremendous talent, but wasn’t able to consistently show it with the Wildcats. There’s upside there, but a team has to be willing to take a risk, and might be more willing to do so in round two.

Antonio Reeves – Pick #54, Boston Celtics

Reeves has the opposite issue of Edwards. He is likely seen as at his ceiling already, which limits how high he may go. He’s an elite shooter, though, and the Celtics are a good fit, allowing him to come off the bench and do what he does best, which is shoot threes.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go to big-market East Coast NBA teams in ESPN mock draft

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new mock draft on Wednesday, and the two available Duke players went to some iconic teams.

ESPN released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday, one week before the opening round of the 2024 draft.

Writers Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo paired 58 prospects with specific spots in the draft, and both Duke players on the board went in the first round to some iconic franchises from the Northeast.

[autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag], the freshman who shot 41.4% from 3-point range and finished with three 30-point games as a debutant last season, went first to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick.

The prediction would pair him with 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2023-24 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey as the Sixers try to reach a summit that has eluded them for the past decade: the Eastern Conference finals.

“As an excellent shooter with impressive intangibles that have bolstered his case in the short and long term, McCain is well-prepared for an NBA adjustment and could be on a faster track to making an impact than your typical freshman,” Woo wrote.

[autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] went eight picks later to the New York Knicks with the 24th pick. A 7-footer who made the Second Team All-American squad as a sophomore averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds per game, but his 2.8 assists per game make him an intriguing first-round prospect.

“Filipowski’s ability to handle, pass and shoot is difficult to come by at 7-foot, and the dearth of versatile bigs who can play inside and out will surely be attractive to a team picking in this range,” Givony wrote.

The NBA draft gets underway on June 26.

See where Bleacher Report put Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski in new NBA mock draft

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday, and Jared McCain got paired with another former Blue Devil.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday morning, one week before the 2024 NBA draft gets underway on June 26, and he paired one recent Duke basketball star with another former Blue Devil.

Wasserman put [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] on the Orlando Magic with the 18th overall pick and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] went 28th to the Denver Nuggets, last year’s NBA champions.

McCain would be paired with [autotag]Paolo Banchero[/autotag], who led the Blue Devils to the Final Four in 2022 before winning the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year honors. As a 41.4% 3-point shooter, McCain would provide ideal floor spacing alongside the 6-foot-10 Banchero, and he showed off his form and consistency with a highlight-reel performance at the combine.

Filipowski, a 7-footer who averaged nearly three assists per game last season, would get to learn behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the best 7-footer passer in league history.

The Magic earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs last year, taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games before losing in the first round, while the Nuggets earned the third seed in the Western Conference and fell in the second round.

The latest NBA mock draft from ESPN has Bronny James going to the Lakers in the second round

Bronny to the Lakers continues to be what mock drafters are picking.

The “Where’s Bronny James going in the NBA Draft?” narrative continues to be a source of so much buzz.

Could the Los Angeles Lakers take him just to keep LeBron James around? Could Bronny end up going in the first round? Or could another team swoop in and grab him in the hopes that LeBron will join him?

In the latest NBA mock draft from our Bryan Kalbrosky, he’s not in the first round. But in the latest two-round mock from ESPN, there he is at pick No. 55 to … the Lakers.

No reason is given, but it just makes too much sense, doesn’t it?

There you have it! Make sure you check out our latest NBA mock draft, the latest “consensus” mock draft showing who all the experts are picking, and the official draft order.

SB Nation assigns Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski to ‘perfect’ fits in new mock draft

See which squads took Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski in the new SB Nation mock draft, detailing the ‘perfect’ prospects for each team, here.

SB Nation released a new mock draft on Monday with writer Ricky O’Donnell taking a slightly different approach. Instead of detailing which picks he thinks each NBA team will make, O’Donnell said he went for which player he would take in each position.

The Duke basketball team has two players in the draft pool this year, and both went in the top 21 selections of O’Donnell’s ideal draft.

[autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] went 18th overall to the Orlando Magic. The No. 5 seed in last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs is led by another former Duke basketball player in [autotag]Paolo Banchero[/autotag], and McCain’s 41% 3-point shooting clip can help space the floor.

“While he’s not a natural shot creator off the dribble, he could play well off Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and provide them with floor spacing,” O’Donnell wrote.

[autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] went three picks later to the New Orleans Pelicans led by former Duke basketball players [autotag]Brandon Ingram[/autotag] and [autotag]Zion Williamson[/autotag].

O’Donnell even said Filipowski might go higher than 21st due to his combination of height (7 feet tall) and ball-handling (2.8 assists per game last season).

“Duke’s sophomore center is one of the most skilled big men in the class: a great decision-maker as a passer, a capable three-point shooter, and a tough interior scorer,” the SB Nation writer said.

The NBA draft kicks off on Wednesday, June 26.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both paired with recent MVPs in new CBS Sports mock draft

CBS Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, and Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski got paired with some all-time new teammates.

CBS Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, and writer Cameron Salerno paired former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] with some of the best teammates in the sport.

McCain went first out of the two, the 16th overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in the projection. A 41.4% 3-point shooter with three 30-point performances as a freshman, Salerno said the Sacramento native is arguably the best marksman in the class.

“McCain projects as more of an off-ball guard at the next level, but his strong rebounding skills make him equipped to thrive at the next level,” Salerno wrote.

The projection, should it come true, puts McCain on the same team as 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid.

Filipowski, his All-American teammate from last year, would also play with a former MVP. Salerno slotted the 7-footer in as the 23rd pick to the Milwaukee Bucks alongside two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

With 2.8 assists last season, the former Blue Devil’s ability to facilitate from the inside-out makes him an enticing option.

“Filipowski is probably the most skilled player offensively his size in this class,” Salerno wrote. “(He) is more of a four than a five at the next level, but his archetype is what NBA teams are looking for.”

The NBA draft gets underway on June 26.

New ESPN mock draft discusses the best value for Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski

ESPN analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released an in-depth NBA mock draft debating team needs and value on Tuesday. Where were Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski?

The NBA has become a league increasingly built around a team’s best player going head to head with his best opponent, but professional basketball teams can’t ignore value and team needs in the team-building process.

ESPN analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released an in-depth mock draft on Tuesday morning, breaking down the best fit and best value pick for each of the 30 first-round selections.

The two agreed on [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag], considering him the best fit and the best value for the Sacramento Kings at 13th overall. McCain, a Sacramento native, offers a 41% perimeter shooter to pair with All-NBA Third Teamer Domantas Sabonis.

“McCain has an easy niche he can fill in the NBA with his scoring versatility, basketball instincts, competitiveness and smarts,” Givony wrote.

The two were more divided about [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag], however. Givony said he fit best for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the 20th pick in the draft, despite Cleveland already having multiple starting power forwards on the roster. The Duke product’s 2.8 assists per game make him an alluring prospect as a forward or center.

“Filipowski’s ability to handle, pass and shoot is difficult to come by at 7-foot,” Givony wrote.

Woo said the best value for the All-American came with the New York Knicks at 24th overall, again praising Filipowski’s ability with the ball in his hands.

The NBA draft gets underway on June 26.