NBA evaluators have been underwhelmed by what they’ve seen so far from the top prospects among this year’s high school seniors, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link), who says the 2024 draft class doesn’t necessarily feature any players who are viewed as “sure-fire, elite” NBA prospects.
As Givony writes, 2023’s draft class is headed by two clear-cut top prospects in Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, and other recent drafts have also had a fairly well-defined top tier. However, that’s not the case so far for the 2024 class, since many of the best players in the group haven’t developed as rapidly as NBA teams have hoped.
Givony’s first 2024 mock draft has 6’10” Lithuanian guard Matas Buzelis coming off the board first, followed by Cody Williams, the brother of 2022 Thunder lottery pick Jalen Williams. Buzelis will play for the G League Ignite next season and should get the opportunity to take the reins for the Ignite with Henderson leaving for the NBA; Williams has committed to playing his college ball at Colorado.
In a somewhat surprising development, Givony has Bronny James, the son of Lakers star LeBron James, at No. 10 overall in his first ’24 mock. According to Givony, Bronny has emerged as perhaps the best perimeter defender of this year’s high school class, making major strides during the last 12-to-18 months while many of his peers have “flatlined.”
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, widely considered to be a top-five prospect in the 2023 NBA draft class, allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip last month, according to police testimony (link via Carol Robinson of AL.com). Miller’s former Alabama teammate Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were arrested and charged with capital murder. While the gun belonged to Miles, Miller reportedly brought it to the scene at his ex-teammate’s request. Miller’s car, which was struck by two bullets during the shooting, was allegedly one of two vehicles blocking the victim’s car.
- Miller has not faced any charges related to the shooting and Alabama head coach Nate Oats said the freshman forward is “not in any trouble,” per Mike Rodak of AL.com. However, it’s safe to assume that any NBA team that had been considering using a lottery pick on Miller in June will have to take a long, hard look at his alleged involvement in this incident.
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Jonathan Givony and SI.com’s Jeremy Woo have shared excellent, in-depth profiles on super-prospect Victor Wembanyama, who is considered a virtual lock to be the first prospect drafted four months from today.
- While Wembanyama has rightly received most of the hype, NBA teams have their eyes on several other rising prospects who possess a tantalizing mix of size and skill, as Seth Davis writes for The Athletic. “We’ve heard this term ‘small ball’ for a while, but what NBA teams were really trying to do was play ‘skill ball,'” broadcaster Stan Van Gundy said to Davis. “But if you can get size to go along with that skill, that’s going to make you even better. … I’m not saying they’re all going to be 7-3, but seeing guys 6-10 or bigger play like Victor are not going to be all that rare. Those guys are definitely the future of the game.”
Defense will get you minutes, offense will come with it.
At least credit the quote lol. Kawhi said it.
The Brandon Miller situation just scares me. Why would he have brought his friend a gun? What did he expect his friend to do with the gun, other than hurt someone? And why doesn’t the Alabama head coach give a **** about the whole situation?
This is bad. Miller brought his gun and told the shooter, it was loaded. How is he not in any trouble? How does Nate Oates still have a job?
It would be the athletic director that granted the impunity to the player. Not the coach. Even if Oates wanted Miller benched for his own personal belief about this incident, it would be insubordination if the AD didn’t approve it first.
This young fella is gonna learn about politics & beaurocracy at a young age, and in a hard way very soon.
Its hard to believe another Darius Miles is making unpleasant headlines a decade after the 1st Darius Miles did the same. These guys have to be related
If there’s 1 thing you can’t count on its guys that have never played the game calling young stars underwhelming/busts/overrated as much as possible. DJ Wagner, Mikey, Rob Dillingham & many other 2024 grads are gonna spice up the league when their time comes & can’t wait to see it…. Here’s another disappointing, underwhelming youngster that yall will be hating on soon enuf (Nick Smith Jr) just destroying the pups last night… link to m.youtube.com
Because of some words you use here and the overall vibe you are presenting, I’m not sure I want to reply to your comment instead of starting my own. But in the hopes of creating good will, here I go. I hope this is received and accepted for the sincerity behind it.
Nick Smith returning to the lineup for Arkansas gives them a huge lift !! One thing they lacked which would probably hurt them in the tournament, is outside shooting and Smith is giving them a big pop in that regard. Massive addition and at just the right time.
Thank you for the link and highlights !!
Lol what was the purpose of that 1st paragraph? I do appreciate the fact that eventually talked some basketball but the intro was very unnecessary. If you really wanna create some goodwill with me just talk basketball with some degree of intelligence & dont be a massive hater. Like enjoy basketball & then talk about it. I’d love to talk about Nick Smith Jr (or literally any other basketball player past/present) with you or anyone else if yall can do that
If you want to know the purpose of his first paragraph, just read everything you just wrote in response to him.
Yes, bc every single guy drafted plays for the team that drafted them.
Why worry about the #1 pick, the #30 pick will be just as good…right?
OR….we can just look at the history of the draft and realize most of your names are going to be foot notes.
Does the University of Alabama care so little about that person’s life that they are willing to sell their soul for a tournament run? Something is off about the whole situation.
Believe it.
Yes.
His downfall started when they named him Darius Miles…