Tag: NBA Mock Draft

The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from CBS has Stephon Castle to the Rockets

CBS Sports has the national champion going to the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets will have a big decision to make when they are on the clock at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.

French prospects Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher are considered the most likely players to hear their names called at No. 1 overall and No. 2 overall to the Hawks and to Wizards, though the order of who goes first is still debated and unclear.

In our first 2024 NBA mock draft after the lottery, we had Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard as the third player off the board. But in the latest mock draft from CBS Sports, NBA writer Colin Ward-Henninger had a different player off the board.

Here is what he wrote about UConn’s Stephon Castle, who won a national championship during his sole collegiate campaign:

“Do I think Castle is the third-best prospect in this class? No. However, the fit with the Rockets is too perfect to pass up. Ideally they’d like a better shooter here, but Castle’s versatility and defensive upside make him a perfect Ime Udoka player as Houston attempts to climb into the postseason picture. I could see Castle having a Josh Hart-like impact on winning from day one with plenty of other Rockets to run the show offensively.”

We still have a few weeks until Houston has to make a decision, but Castle makes a lot of sense as a player who could potentially provide an immediate help on the defensive on the floor.

It is worth noting that according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, however, the former UConn standout reportedly views himself as a point guard and may be avoiding workouts for teams with established point guards.

The Rockets have Fred VanVleet under contract for another year before a club option for 2024-25.

Make sure you check out our newest post-lottery mock draft, along with the official full draft order post-lottery.

Four Kentucky Wildcats selected in new NBA mock draft by ESPN

ESPN’s newest NBA mock draft has Antonio Reeves going in round two.

Many of the recent NBA mock drafts have had three former Kentucky basketball players taken in them. Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, and Justin Edwards have been constants, and mostly first round picks. Antonio Reeves has been left out of most, however, a new ESPN projection written by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo has Reeves back in the mix.

Reed Sheppard – Pick #3, Houston Rockets

After setting the college basketball world on fire in his Freshman season, Sheppard is prepared to do the same at the next level. His shooting would be an instant help for Houston, but his ability to pass and get into passing lanes on defense will make a difference too.

Rob Dillingham – Pick #6, Charlotte Hornets

One of the most exciting players in college basketball last season, Rob Dillingham can electrify an offense. He’ll be one of the quickest players in the league as soon as he gets on the floor, and his ability to score while off-balance is second-to-none, both in the lane, and from deep.

Justin Edwards – Pick #29, Utah Jazz

In terms of raw talent, Justin Edwards is at the top of the class. He didn’t have the kind of season he would have liked, but he did show flashes. He has great length and athleticism, and he also shoots it well and can defend one-on-one. His upside is unlimited.

Antonio Reeves – Pick #58, Dallas Mavericks

Few players improved their game like Antonio Reeves did going into last season. Always a terrific three-point shooter, he drastically improved his driving ability as well. Teams likely see him as already at his ceiling, but he can absolutely help a team right away.

Warriors land Bronny James in latest mock draft from ESPN

In the latest mock draft from ESPN, Bronny James lands with the Warriors in the second round.

Although he’s not widely considered one of the top prospects available in the  2024 NBA draft, all eyes will be on Bronny James and the James family on draft night.

After one season at Southern California, the 19-year-old wing declared for the draft. Whichever team submits its draft card with James listed as the pick will likely have a looming decision from his father, LeBron, waiting. James has a player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and has a chance to become a free agent in the summer.

While it’s still unclear where the younger James could land in June’s draft, mock drafts have him up and down the board. In the latest mock from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, James lands with the Golden State Warriors in the second round at pick No. 52 overall.

Read the full mock draft from ESPN here. 

In 25 games with the Trojans, James averaged 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting from the field to go along with 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game. James notched a career-high 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field with three assists and a rebound in 20 minutes against Oregon State.

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The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has Bronny James taken by … the Warriors!

This would make for serious drama!

Bronny James will reportedly only work out for the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, with the former making noise about taking the USC guard and the latter being the home of his dad, LeBron.

But what if a team out there takes him just to trade him to the Lakers or to attempt and lure LeBron? It’s a fascinating question.

In our most recent NBA mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky, he didn’t have anyone taking Bronny. But in the latest 2024 mock from ESPN, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have James being taken by … the Golden State Warriors! In the second round!

No word on the reasoning, but that would make for an amazing moment.

Check out the latest mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky, along with the official draft order post-lottery.

The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from CBS has Bronny James in the first round

Is Bronny really going to go in the first round?

The Bronny James intrigue for the 2024 NBA Draft continues to swirl, especially now that he’s definitely in for June’s event and his father, LeBron, will likely opt out of his contract.

But there’s also the fact that the younger James seems to have seen his NBA Draft stock rise after the combine. So … could he be a first-round pick?

In his most recent NBA mock draft, our Bryan Kalbrosky didn’t have James picked. But in the latest mock from CBS Sports, there he is at pick No. 17 to .. the Los Angeles Lakers, which makes sense for both the franchise, James and his dad.

Here’s what Travis Branham wrote:

It’s decision time in Los Angeles. Do the Lakers want to keep LeBron James in purple and gold? Rich Paul’s comments regarding LeBron’s ‘free agent’ status has amplified the pressure, and if LA wants to keep him around, there’s no better way to do that than by drafting his son, Bronny. If the Lakers let Bronny remain available, they could be opening the door for any team, like the Suns, to snag what is anticipated to be a father-son package deal.

Intriguing! Make sure you check out the newest post-lottery mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky, along with the official draft order post-lottery.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both go first round in new NBA mock draft from ESPN

Check out where ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo slotted former Duke stars Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski in their latest mock draft.

ESPN released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday morning, and former Blue Devils Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski both went in the first 25 picks.

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo teamed to project every pick of the 2024 NBA draft in the article, and they slotted McCain to the Miami Heat with the 15th pick and Filipowski to the Phoenix Suns with the 22nd.

McCain, who earned lottery praise from social media after his exhilarating 3-point shooting showcase at the combine, would pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on the team that won the Eastern Conference in 2023. During his one season as a Blue Devil, the freshman averaged 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds after shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc.

“The Heat will likely hope to see the Duke freshman grow into more of an on-ball threat as his career progresses, but have some playmaking reps to offer on this roster,” Givony wrote.

The Heat have been one of the most popular destinations for McCain in the draft leadup.

Filipowski would join a team with even more star power as the Suns build around the big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. The 7-footer earned Second Team All-American honors as a sophomore after he averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds, and he improved into a 35% 3-point shooter who averaged 2.8 assists.

“Expect the Suns to look for a ready-made contributor at this spot, with Filipowski’s size and skill level adding a potentially useful dimension to their frontcourt,” Woo wrote.

The NBA Draft begins on June 26.

The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has Bronny James to the Celtics

Would the Celtics actually select Bronny one pick before the Lakers?

We still have more than a month until the 2024 NBA Draft, but the intrigue surrounding USC Trojans freshman Bronny James remains high.

There is excessive coverage of Bronny, who is the son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, relative to his projected draft position in the second round. It isn’t surprising, though, considering LeBron has talked about playing with his son in the pros for literal years.

While the Lakers are reportedly very open to drafting Bronny, especially after a strong showing at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, perhaps there are other suitors as well. Several mock drafts have Bronny landing alongside his father in Los Angeles, but teams like the Jazz are now linked to him as well.

In our first 2024 NBA mock draft after the lottery, we did not include Bronny in our projections (as we only included the first round).

But in the latest two-round mock draft from ESPN, draft expert Jonathan Givony included Bronny to the biggest rival of Los Angeles one pick ahead of the Lakers at No. 54 overall.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony recently described this as a “positive week” in Chicago for Bronny James:

“He’s moved into the late second round of our latest projections. We’re going to have him at 54 in our next update. That’s all the way from the backend of our top 100. Talking to NBA people out here, they feel like he’s legitimized himself as a real NBA prospect. He’s not just some kind of sideshow, LeBron’s son … The way he shot the ball in drills, the athletic testing … he played a great role helping his team to a win, playing good defense, making shots, just showing his feel for the game, his versatility. People love his attitude, his enthusiasm, the way he understands what type of player that he is.”

This would be a shocking but savvy move by the Celtics if it happens. It is unclear if this would be a move to try to somehow lure LeBron to Boston, to try to pry trade assets from the Lakers, or out of genuine interest for the guard as a prospect.

Either way, Bronny has made it very clear that he does not necessarily want to play on the same team as his father once in the NBA. He is happy to make his own name for himself, which is the right approach.

Make sure you check out our newest post-lottery mock draft, along with the official full draft order post-lottery.

College Sports Wire pairs Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski with NBA teams in new mock draft

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, and he paired Duke’s two first-round prospects with two ideal fits.

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released a full NBA mock draft on Monday after the conclusion of the NBA Draft Combine, and both [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] went inside the first 20 picks.

While McCain has gotten more steam recently in light of his 3-point shooting exhibition at the combine, Filipowski actually came off the board first. The All-American 7-footer went 12th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference this past season.

While the Thunder already have the 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren, his slight frame could use some additional help on the interior. Filipowski isn’t exactly the most physical big man on the planet, but he’s got 30 pounds on Holmgren. Additionally, he averaged 2.8 assists last season and shot 34.8% from 3-point range, an alluring combination for a big man.

“While Filipowski isn’t exactly a low post anchor, he is a capable stretch four who takes some pressure off Chet Holmgren,” Patton wrote.

McCain went seven picks later to the Toronto Raptors, who won the NBA Finals in 2019. The 41% 3-point shooter is a little undersized at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, but his two 30-point games in the NCAA Tournament show he can be an offensive weapon anyway.

“In the midst of a rebuild, Toronto could grab a young point guard with significant upside here,” Patton added. “Especially with Duke’s strong track record of NBA talent.”

The NBA Draft begins on June 26.

The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report has Alex Sarr to the Wizards

Bleacher Report has a new player at No. 1 overall.

While initial expectations after the lottery had Alex Sarr as a projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, even that much is uncertain.

After the Hawks shockingly received the No. 1 pick in this draft, many expected the French big man to hear his name called first in this class. Sarr, however, is one of several candidates who could come off the board with that pick.

Others include Zaccharie Risacher, who recently had an outstanding playoff game in France.

In our first 2024 NBA mock draft after the lottery, we had Sarr projected to the Hawks in that pole position. But in the latest two-round mock draft from Bleacher Report, draft expert Jonathan Wasserman thinks that it could look a little different. Here is what he wrote:

“The Washington Wizards can ignore fit and needs at No. 2, though Alex Sarr could potentially check both the best-player-available box and give them the cornerstone big they’ve been missing.

He measured well in Chicago, coming in at just under 7’0″ in socks, 224 pounds with a 7’4″ wingspan. At that size, the ability to slide defensively, handle in the open floor and shoot off the dribble really separates him from other centers.

The Wizards will eventually need to find a point guard, but at No. 2, Sarr’s physical talent, evolving skill versatility and defensive upside create visions of upside that could be difficult to resist.”

This decision is far from over, but Sarr would make for an intriguing fit at No. 2 overall for the rebuilding Wizards and it isn’t exactly a significant fall from the top spot.

Make sure you check out our newest post-lottery mock draft, along with the official full draft order post-lottery.

Three Wildcats selected in latest USA TODAY Sports NBA mock draft

CollegeSportsWire’s Andy Patton has three Wildcats in his NBA mock draft.

With the NBA Draft Combine in the past, and the draft getting closer, NBA mock drafts have once again been updated based on the new data. CollegeSportsWire’s Andy Patton produced a new one on Monday, with some new destinations for Kentucky basketball’s entries.

Rob Dillingham – Pick 3 – Houston Rockets

As is usually the case, guard Rob Dillingham is the first former Wildcat off the board. He’s one of the most exciting players in the draft, and will be a fan favorite wherever he winds up. Patton says:

Houston has a ton of young talent at basically every position, but could use more outside shooting to compliment the driving ability of guards Amen Thompson and Jalen Green.

Enter Dillingham, an undersized guard that fits well with Houson’s established personnel and provides what this team needs as they assemble a core that is inching closer to becoming a force in the western conference.

Reed Sheppard – Pick 6 – Charlotte Hornets

Guard Reed Sheppard impressed everyone at the Combine with his shooting and his athleticism. He is also a terrific passer and seems to almost always make the right decision on offense. Patton says:

Charlotte could use a secondary ball-handler and outside shooter to compliment LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, and Sheppard proved he can be extremely productive without needing the ball in his hands constantly while at Kentucky.

Without a ton of proven depth in the guard room outside of Ball, Sheppard could step into a big role right away in Charlotte and help this team start to compete after years of mediocrity.

Justin Edwards – Pick 24 – New York Knicks

Although his Freshman season didn’t go as he would have liked, forward Justin Edwards did flash incredible talent. He also had a solid Combine that may be moving him up draft boards. Patton says:

Edwards was among the biggest disappointments in college basketball last season, but his extreme athleticism and ability to attack the basket make him an intriguing prospect regardless of the subpar performance at Kentucky.

The Knicks have a pretty complete roster right now and could be willing to gamble on the upside here, especially with back to back picks.

Antonio Reeves is the potential fourth former Kentucky player who could hear his name called this year. Patton doesn’t have him getting picked, but Big Blue Nation will be rooting for him.