Will JJ Redick, Duke’s all-time leading scorer and the newest head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, end up with a former Blue Devil as his first draft pick? One expert says so.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday morning, just hours before the first round, and he paired the Lakers with Duke prospect [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag].
O’Connor said McCain, who shot better than 41% from beyond the arc, reminded him of something “between Steph and Seth Curry,” invoking the best shooting family in basketball history. He also pointed out that the Lakers took fewer 3-pointers than almost any other team in the NBA last season.
“Redick wants to take pressure off LeBron James and start running more offense through Anthony Davis,” O’Connor wrote. “So it’d make sense for them to find a shotmaking guard like McCain, who could fly through AD handoffs or run a pick-and-roll with LeBron screening or spacing.”
New 2024 NBA mock draft with explanations for every pick and scouting reports for every prospect, plus a final tweak to my top 70 big board: https://t.co/sAIg3lMfHM
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 26, 2024
O’Connor also had [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag], an All-American as a sophomore last season, to the New York Knicks with the 25th overall pick, one of the 7-footer’s most likely destinations.
The 2024 NBA draft gets underway with Wednesday’s first round broadcasted on ABC and ESPN.