Kyshawn George Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Rumors: Knicks, Sixers, Dillingham, Heat, Jazz, Lakers, More

June 26th, 2024 at 8:17am CST by Luke Adams

After surrendering several future first-round picks in their trade agreement for Mikal Bridges, the Knicks are now considered more likely to keep their three picks – No. 24, No. 25, and No. 38 – in this year’s draft, which begins on Wednesday night, Jonathan Givony writes in ESPN’s latest mock draft (Insider link).

The updated mock draft from Givony and ESPN’s Jeremy Woo includes several more notable tidbits, including the fact that the Sixers have conducted perhaps the fewest pre-draft workouts of any team with a first-round pick, resulting in speculation that the No. 16 selection will be traded.

Givony also provides an update on Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, who wasn’t able to work out for teams for most of the pre-draft process due to an ankle injury. According to Givony, teams picking both earlier and later in the first round are trying to figure out where they might need to get to in order to land Dillingham, who has been considered a candidate to fall further than initially anticipated.

The Heat at No. 15 would be one option for Dillingham, as rival teams expect them to select a guard at that spot. Jared McCain, Isaiah Collier, and Carlton Carrington have also been mentioned as candidates for Miami at No. 15, Givony writes.

Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft, which gets underway in less than 11 hours:

According to Givony, the Jazz (No. 10) have looked into some trade-up scenarios involving the Pistons‘ No. 5 overall pick. Their likely target would be UConn’s Stephon Castle, who is considered a possibility for the Hornets at No. 6 but may also come off the board at No. 4 to the Spurs, Givony explains.
Some rival executives think the Lakers will attempt to move up from No. 17 in the draft in order to target a specific player, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, who says Providence’s Devin Carter and Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter are two prospects the team likes.
Within his final look at the Spurs‘ draft options at No. 4 and 8, LJ Ellis of SpursTalk says a rumor that San Antonio has made a promise to French forward Tidjane Salaun has been “spreading like wildfire in the draft world,” though he hasn’t been able to confirm it himself. Ellis lists Salaun at No. 5 on his big board of Spurs draft prospects.
Salaun is also a potential target to watch for the Trail Blazers at No. 7, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who identifies Donovan Clingan, Cody Williams, Dalton Knecht, and Salaun as the prospects he believes Portland is most interested in. At No. 14, Highkin views Kyshawn George, Tristan Da Silva, Kel’el Ware, and Zach Edey as the Blazers’ most likely targets.

Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More

June 24th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.

Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:

Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.

Several More Players Invited To Green Room For 2024 Draft

June 14th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Eight additional players have received green room invites for this month’s 2024 draft.

Sources have informed Jonathan Givony of ESPN (via these various and sundry Twitter links here) that Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham, EuroLeague point guard Nikola Topic, Duke guard Jared McCain and power forward Kyle Filipowski, Miami swingman Kyshawn George, USC point guard Isaiah Collier, Kansas wing Johnny Furphy, and Baylor center Yves Missi have all been invited to attend the draft in person.

Givony notes that Dillingham, a 6’3″ All-SEC Second Teamer in 2023/24 as a freshman, earned the invitation after he wrapped up his NBA Combine prerequisites on Friday morning, at the Lakers’ El Segundo practice facility.

Among the latest invitees, Dillingham is the highest-ranked player on ESPN’s big board, where he comes in at No. 7 overall. Missi is the lowest-ranked prospect of the eight, as he’s ranked at No. 23.

All-American Purdue center Zach Edey also received an invite, Givony tweets, though he is opting to watch the draft at Purdue instead, with his family, coaches, and Boilermakers teammates in attendance.

This group is joining the 12 other likely first round draft picks whose green room invitations were previously reported.

Northwest Notes: Knecht, Bjorkgren, Blazers, Jazz, Wolves

June 7th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Tennessee star Dalton Knecht had a solo pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers on Thursday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The 23-year-old wing is ranked No. 8 on ESPN’s big board, while Portland controls a pair of lottery picks (Nos. 7 and 14) and two second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40).

ESPN recently reported that each team in the 6-10 range holds “strong interest” in Knecht, who averaged 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds on .458/.397/.772 shooting in 36 games for the Volunteers in 2023/24 (30.6 minutes per contest).

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears the Blazers will host a 3-on-3 workout next week “that’s supposed to feature” G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, French forward Tidjane Salaun, Virginia wing Ryan Dunn, Purdue center Zach Edey, Baylor center Yves Missi, and Miami guard Kyshawn George. Five of those prospects are projected first-round picks — the only exception is Dunn, who is No. 34 on ESPN’s board.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Nate Bjorkgren, who went 34-38 as head coach of the Pacers in 2020/21, has been attending Portland’s recent pre-draft workouts, according to Highkin, who points out (via Twitter) that the Trail Blazers have some vacancies on their coaching staff. Bjorkgren had two stints as an assistant with Toronto, most recently in ’22/23.
In a press release, the Jazz announced several members of their basketball operations staff have been promoted to new positions. Shane Fenske, who previously served as VP of analytics and insights, is now an assistant GM. Assistant coach Sean Sheldon will move to the front of head coach Will Hardy‘s bench, as previously reported. Andrew Warren, who has been an assistant video coordinator the past two seasons, is now an assistant coach. Several other basketball operations employees have new positions as well.
Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines which players on the Timberwolves‘ roster will return in 2024/25, while John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if “really good” can be good enough for Wolves guard Anthony Edwards.

Pacific Notes: Hurley, Lakers, Bronny, Suns, Kings

June 7th, 2024 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Maher

UConn’s Dan Hurley is meeting with the Lakers regarding their head coaching vacancy on Friday. L.A. is reportedly going to offer Hurley a “significant” contract in terms of both years and salary.

A source close to Hurley tells Jeff Goodman of The Field Of 68 (via Twitter) that it’s “50-50” whether the 51-year-old accepts the job or returns to the Huskies in pursuit of a third consecutive national championship.

According to Goodman (Twitter links), UConn has an offer extended to Hurley that would make him the third-highest paid college coach in the country, behind only Bill Self and John Calipari. However, there’s an expectation that the school’s offer will likely pale in comparison to what the Lakers will put on the table.

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson was enthusiastic about the prospect of the Lakers hiring Hurley, as Chuck Schilken of The Los Angeles Times relays (subscriber link).

“I like Hurley,” Johnson said. “I want the coach to be Hurley. … He has a championship background. He’s great with offensive and defensive strategy. I think that the players will respect him. And he’s tough. The Lakers gotta have somebody who will hold them accountable, right?“

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Howard Beck of The Ringer argues that Hurley shouldn’t be viewed as a risky candidate despite never coaching at the NBA level. The Lakers‘ top target has admirers around the NBA, such as longtime assistant Ron Adams, who is currently with the Warriors. “I think he’s a marvelous coach,” Adams said of Hurley. “He comes from a tremendous basketball family. … I think his skill set is excellent for coming into the pros. … I know a lot of people will say, ‘Well, he’s a really demanding coach.’ Well yes, and that’s going to be a strength in the pros. You may have to dress it up differently, but that will be a strength of his if he’s good with people and good at bringing out the best version of a player. That’s going to work in the pros, too.”
USC guard Bronny James, who is ranked No. 53 on ESPN’s big board, had a strong showing during a workout with the Suns on Wednesday, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Villanova guard Mark Armstrong and West Virginia guard Raequan Battle also impressed Phoenix during the group workout, according to Rankin. The Suns hold the No. 22 pick in this month’s draft.
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports examines five big men the Suns could target with their first-round pick, including Baylor’s Yves Missi and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware.
The Kings hosted a pre-draft workout on Wednesday featuring Weber State’s Dillon Jones, Creighton’s Trey Alexander, Pitt’s Carlton Carrington and Miami’s Kyshawn George, a league source tells Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140. Sacramento controls the No. 13 and No. 45 picks in the 2024 draft. George (No. 19) and Carrington (No. 20) are projected first-round picks, according to ESPN, while Jones (No. 48) and Alexander (No. 65) are potential second-rounders.

Draft Notes: George, Storr, McCollum, Huntley, Clayton, Brazile

May 27th, 2024 at 9:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Projected first-round pick Kyshawn George believes he’ll immediately be a two-way asset for any team that drafts him, he told Michael Scotto and Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype.

“I think I’m a very dangerous shooter from the outside who can shoot from deep and make a shot from everywhere on the court,” George said. “I’m long and a versatile player. I’m a good defender who can bother shots with my length, and I have quick hands. I think I’m a smart player, too.”

George is ranked No. 19 on ESPN’s Best Available list. The native of Switzerland played the point most of his formative years but is projected as a shooting guard. The 6’8” George averaged 7.6 points and 2.2 assists in 31 games with Miami University last season while knocking down 40.8% of his 3-point attempts.

“I try to learn from various players,” he said. “I study ball handling like Luka Doncic, shooting like Klay Thompson, and pace like Doncic. I pick up different elements from different players to improve my game.”

We have more draft-related news:

Guard AJ Storr has withdrawn from the draft and will play for Kansas next season, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Storr is transferring from Wisconsin, where he averaged 16.8 PPG last season.
Javian McCollum is withdrawing and will transfer to Georgia Tech, Rothstein tweets. McCollum averaged 13.3 PPG for Oklahoma last season. Appalachian State’s CJ Huntley and Florida’s Walter Clayton will also return to college, per Rothstein (Twitter links).
Forward Trevon Brazile has changed his mind and will now withdraw from the draft, Rothstein adds in another tweet. Brazile, who played for Arkansas last season, previously stated he was “100 percent into the draft.” It’s uncertain where he’ll play next season.

Draft Notes: Combine, Mocks, Holland, Trade Rumors, Osobor

May 13th, 2024 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Boogie Ellis (USC), Isaac Jones (Washington State), Jesse Edwards (West Virginia), Nae’Qwan Tomlin (Memphis), and Enrique Freeman (Akron) are among the prospects who stood out at the G League Elite Camp over the weekend and earned invitations to participate in the NBA’s combine this week, according to a series of tweets from Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The G League officially confirmed Givony’s reporting (Twitter link).

The combine got underway in Chicago on Monday, with all participants taking part in shooting drills and undergoing strength, agility, and performance testing.

Language in the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement requires all prospects to participate in those aspects of the combine, though they’re still permitted to opt out of this week’s scrimmages. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) identifies several of the fringe first-rounders who have decided to pass on scrimmaging, including Kyshawn George (Miami), Carlton Carrington (Pittsburgh), Kevin McCullar (Kansas), and Johnny Furphy (Kansas), among many others.

As Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network tweets, prospects whose international teams’ seasons haven’t ended are permitted to miss the combine, but those players – including Zaccharie Risacher of JL Bourg and Nikola Topic (Crvena Zvezda) – will be required to complete “pre-draft activities” at a later date.

Here are several more draft-related notes:

Wasserman, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, and Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com updated their 2024 mock drafts following the conclusion of Sunday’s lottery to reflect the new order. All three mocks have the Hawks using the No. 1 overall pick on French big man Alexandre Sarr.
John Hollinger of The Athletic has shared his rankings of the top 20 prospects in the 2024 draft class, with plenty of choices that deviate from the consensus. Hollinger has G League Ignite guard Ron Holland at No. 1, with Sarr at No. 5 and Risacher (ESPN’s top prospect) all the way down at No. 13.
Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link) and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, two of the media members who were in the draft lottery drawing room on Sunday, share some behind-the-scenes observations from the event and consider what’s next for the teams most impacted by Sunday’s results. Sources tell Lowe that the Rockets (No. 3) and Grizzlies (No. 9) are expected to be among the teams that explore trade possibilities with their picks, though both teams could ultimately end up hanging onto their lottery selections. Meanwhile, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins told Fischer that he thinks “there are multiple All-Stars in this class.” Washington holds the No. 2 pick.
Coming off his junior year at Utah State, forward Great Osobor is testing the NBA draft waters, but it sounds like he’ll end up transferring to a new school for his senior year. According to Givony, Osobor has an NIL deal in place with Washington worth $2MM, which is the most lucrative known deal in college basketball this season.
A series of ESPN’s NBA reporters explore the biggest questions facing every lottery team.

Draft Notes: G League Elite Camp, Carrington, Edwards, George

May 8th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced the list of invitees for its 2024 G League Elite Camp, which will take place this weekend in Chicago. The 45-player list is made up of some of the top prospects who didn’t earn invites to next week’s draft combine, though the standout performers at the Elite Camp will be invited to stick around for the combine.

There are a few differences between the final list of participants and the initial 44-player list of invitees. After previously reporting that Johnell Davis had turned down his invitation while Jaylen Wells had been upgraded to a combine invite, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets that three more players from the original list won’t take part: Spanish big man Eli Ndiaye, former Wisconsin wing AJ Storr, and Arizona guard KJ Lewis.

Ndiaye’s season with Real Madrid is still in progress, which explains his absence. Storr appears to be focused on transferring to Kansas, while Givony speculates that Lewis may also end up withdrawing from the draft to return to Arizona.

With those five players not attending the Elite Camp, the NBA invited six more prospects to round out the 45-player field. Those final six invitees are USC guard Boogie Ellis, Alabama guard Aaron Estrada, Florida guard Zyon Pullin, North Florida guard Chaz Lanier, New Mexico guard Jaelen House, and Cairns Taipans (Australia) guard Taran Armstrong.

Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft:

In a story for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto looked at several prospects whose stock appears to be on the rise ahead of the combine, starting with Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington, who jumped 25 spots to No. 27 in HoopsHype’s latest aggregate mock draft. A number of NBA executives who spoke to Scotto believe Carrington could be selected in the 15-30 range. “I think he can handle the ball and has good size,” one exec said. “I don’t know if he can guard anybody on our level at his position. He didn’t showcase an ability to create shots for himself. He did a good job of passing the ball.”
Kentucky’s Justin Edwards, who entered last season with lottery upside, saw his stock drop over the course of an up-and-down freshman season, but it has bounced back as of late, according to Scotto, who notes that Edwards is now widely viewed as a borderline first-round pick. “Edwards is a little older for a freshman (20) and isn’t the most in-shape guy,” one scout told Scotto. “There’s a Shabazz Muhammad comparison with Edwards that some people may not want to hear. When he’s on, there’s a Rodney Hood comparison to be made. He’s fine. I think you can win basketball games with him as a role player.”
DaRon Holmes II (Dayton), Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest), Tristan Da Silva (Colorado), Trey Alexander (Creighton), and Kyshawn George (Miami) are among several other prospects identified by Scotto as trending up. “I think Kyshawn is pretty good,” a veteran scout told HoopsHype. “He’s young and skilled. He’s big at 6-foot-8, can shoot, and can handle it. He’s going to need some years, but you’d invest in him. I’d pick him higher than a lot of other guys because of his age. He’s impressed me.”

NBA Announces 78 Invitees For 2024 Draft Combine

May 3rd, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 78 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 12-19.

In addition to those 78 players, a handful of standout players from the G League Elite Camp, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.

Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2024 draft pool, since some are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility. College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 29 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 16. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.

Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2024 draft combine:

(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)

Michael Ajayi, F, Pepperdine (junior)
Melvin Ajinca, G/F, France (born 2004)
Trey Alexander, G, Creighton (junior)
Izan Almansa, F, G League Ignite (born 2005)
Reece Beekman, G, Virginia (senior)
Adem Bona, F/C, UCLA (sophomore)
Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas (sophomore)
Jalen Bridges, F, Baylor (senior)
Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt (freshman)
Devin Carter, G, Providence (junior)
Stephon Castle, G, UConn (freshman)
Ulrich Chomche, C, NBA Academy Africa (born 2005)
Cam Christie, G, Minnesota (freshman)
Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State (senior)
Donovan Clingan, C, UConn (sophomore)
Isaiah Collier, G, USC (freshman)
Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado (senior)
Pacome Dadiet, G/F, Germany (born 2005)
N’Faly Dante, C, Oregon (super-senior)
Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky (freshman)
Nikola Djurisic, G/F, Serbia (born 2004)
Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia (sophomore)
Zach Edey, C, Purdue (senior)
Justin Edwards, G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke (sophomore)
Trentyn Flowers, G/F, Australia (born 2005)
Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas (freshman)
Kyshawn George, G/F, Miami (FL) (freshman)
Tyon Grant-Foster, G, Grand Canyon (senior)
PJ Hall, C, Clemson (senior)
Coleman Hawkins, F, Illinois (senior)
Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite (born 2005)
DaRon Holmes II, F, Dayton (junior)
Ariel Hukporti, C, Germany (born 2002)
Oso Ighodaro, F, Marquette (senior)
Harrison Ingram, F, UNC (junior)
Bronny James, G, USC (freshman)
A.J. Johnson, G, Australia (born 2004)
Keshad Johnson, F, Arizona (super-senior)
David Jones, F, Memphis (senior)
Dillon Jones, F, Weber State (senior)
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton (senior)
- Note: Kalkbrenner indicated this week that he intends to return to school, so it’s unclear if he’ll continue to go through the pre-draft process.
Alex Karaban, F, UConn (sophomore)
Bobi Klintman, F, Australia (born 2003)
Dalton Knecht, G, Tennessee (super-senior)
Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette (senior)
Pelle Larsson, G, Arizona (senior)
Jared McCain, G, Duke (freshman)
Kevin McCullar, G, Kansas (super-senior)
Yves Missi, C, Baylor (freshman)
Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara (junior)
Jonathan Mogbo, F/C, San Francisco (senior)
Tristen Newton, G, UConn (super-senior)
Juan Nunez, G, Germany (born 2004)
Quinten Post, F/C, Boston College (super-senior)
Antonio Reeves, G, Kentucky (super-senior)
Zaccharie Risacher, F, France (born 2005)
Jaxson Robinson, G/F, BYU (senior)
Tidjane Salaun, F, France (born 2005)
Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest (junior)
Payton Sandfort, G/F, Iowa (junior)
Alexandre Sarr, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
Baylor Scheierman, G/F, Creighton (super-senior)
Mark Sears, G, Alabama (senior)
Terrence Shannon, G, Illinois (super-senior)
Jamal Shead, G, Houston (senior)
Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky (freshman)
KJ Simpson, G, Colorado (junior)
Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
Cam Spencer, G, UConn (super-senior)
Nikola Topic, G, Serbia (born 2005)
JT Toppin, F, New Mexico (freshman)
Jaylon Tyson, G, California (junior)
Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor (freshman)
Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana (sophomore)
Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State (junior)
Cody Williams, F, Colorado (freshman)

It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to a few combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:

A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child).
Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.

Regarding that last point, Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link) has the details on the top 10 played out this year, noting that the composite ranking was generated based on a combination of publicly available rankings and feedback from a panel of experts, as well as a retained-scouting service.

Sarr is considered the No. 1 overall prospect, per Givony, so only teams drafting in the top 10 will get access to his medicals. Buzelis, Castle, Clingan, Risacher, and Topic are in the 2-6 range, while Dillingham, Holland, Knecht, and Sheppard round out the top 10.

DaRon Holmes, Zacharie Perrin Among Draft’s Latest Early Entrants

April 26th, 2024 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

After testing the draft waters in 2023, Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II has once again entered the draft this year, according to David Jablonski of The Dayton Daily News, who says the junior forward filed his paperwork earlier this month.

The No. 53 prospect on ESPN’s big board of 2024 prospects, Holmes has built an impressive NCAA résumé with the Flyers. He was named the Atlantic 10’s Defensive Player of the Year and co-Player of the Year in 2024 in addition to making the All-Atlantic 10 first team for a second consecutive season. He was also a consensus second-team All-American.

Holmes averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game for Dayton in 2023/24, posting an impressive shooting line of .544/.386/.713 in 33 games (all starts).

Another player on ESPN’s big board (at No. 75), French power forward Zacharie Perrin announced on Instagram that he’s entering the 2024 NBA draft after spending the season playing for the Antibes Sharkes in France’s LNB Pro B. Perrin began the 2022/23 season at Illinois, but appeared in just one game for the Fighting Illini before leaving the program.

Here are more updates on the early entrants declaring for the NBA draft:

Thierry Darlan, a Central African guard who graduated from the NBA Academy Africa and spent the past season with the G League Ignite, is entering the draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Once projected by Givony to be a probable second-round pick in 2024, Darlan no longer shows up on ESPN’s top-100 list for this year after playing a modest role on an Ignite team that finished the G League season with a dismal 2-32 record.
Miami freshman guard Kyshawn George, who previously announced that he would be entering the 2024 draft, will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and go pro, he confirmed to Givony. George currently ranks 24th overall on ESPN’s board.
Yongxi Cui, a 6’7″ wing who graduated from the NBA Global Academy and played for Guangzhou in China this past season, has entered the NBA draft, according to Givony (Twitter link). The 20-year-old played for China’s World Cup team in 2023 before posting solid numbers in the CBA this season (15.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.1 APG).
A trio of players represented by Misko Raznatovic have declared for the draft, the agent announced in a series of tweets. Slovakian forward Timotej Malovec (Mega Basket), Montenegrin combo guard Luka Bogavac (SC Derby), and Serbian power forward Bogoljub Markovic (Mega Basket) are all putting their names in the 2024 draft pool.