2024 NBA Mock Draft 5.0 | The First Round

2024 NBA Mock Draft 5.0 | The First Round

howdy welcome to my fifth mock draft of the 2024 NBA draft cycle and the first featuring the entire first round as always these mocks are thought experiments to familiarize you with prospects their potential ranges fits outcomes and just generally inight some NBA draft discussion and I genuinely don’t do this often but before we jump into the mock I would kindly request all of the subs likes whatever else it really really helps me towards my goal of being able to do this YouTube thing more often so without further Ado let’s jump into it for the second straight mock we have the Atlanta Hawks taking Alex SAR first overall I expect Atlanta to shop this pick around for win now players do their due diligence on prospects like Zachary rachet mest buellis Nicola topic even Donovan kingan but I expect them to eventually land on what they need to do and that’s select SAR before others can at 7′ one SAR immediately infuses the Hawks with exactly what they need a high octane Rim Runner and versatile rim protector will be able to switch and guard on the perimeter with ease down the line and he’s got one of the higher ceilings in this class with some projectable three-point shooting and off the dribble play as I’ve said before sarb both works as a stop gap for the current roster configuration with Trey young or a Launchpad for the team into a rebuild second overall we’ve got what’s likely to be an unconventional selection amongst mock drafts in gie Gite Wing modest pelis to Washington but it’s a pick that I think makes a ton of sense the Wizards could go any number of directions at number two topit as their point guard of the the future Riz AET as a high floor 3 indd Wing Stefon Castle is another lineup filler before the 25 and 26 drafts I’ve gone with the swing on balis as one of the higher stealing picks in this draft it’s no secret the Wizards are in zero hurry their GM Will Dawkins alluded to it in a radio spot the other day saying they’re drafting to have the best player in three to four seasons not necessarily next year and while bazis is a project he could very well blossome into that with time he’s 6’9 and can do just about everything despite not being able to fluidly put it all together just yet but if the things like the handle three-point shot and point forward flashes gain consistency he has Allstar potential down the line I have some stock in him being one of the better players from this class and even the low-end outcome could still be a valuable contributor if he hits his threes third overall we have the Rockets selecting Yukon Center Donovan kingan who’s really begun gaining steam as a top three to five pick in this draft again I’m not really sure that I buy that Atlanta should be comfortable with SAR I don’t buy cling into Washington unless they’re comfortable with his future three-point shot and I think the Spurs and pistons go different directions so if there’s a team that’s going to grab him it feels like Houston and this does make some sense at a legit 7’3 kingan is a potent rim protector capable of changing the game in near any stretch of basketball he gets easy offense with his size and his role is extremely projectable in the NBA best of all he covers a lot of the low points of the rocket centrifugal piece in alperin shangu the Rockets recently traded for Steven Adams a somewhat similar archetype but he’s got just one year remaining on his deal and there’s potential health concerns coming off injury so they could lock in their true center of the future and cling in with their Lottery jump this year fourth overall San Antonio takes a gamble on Nicola toic of red star who’s recently hit some injury obstacles but remains one of the higher ceiling ball handlers in this draft plenty of people seem to be in a rush to get Victor wanyama to contention which I get he’s a special generational talent but time and again we’ve seen teams hit the red button much too soon and leave themselves without assets and tangible ways to improve the roster patience should be the name of the game with the Spurs build through the draft grab high ceiling prospects this year capable of growing alongside wmi as well as making him better topich fits that mold as a 66 ball handler and table setter that can probe the court with his Euroleague style it’ll be less immediately rewarding than a Trey young or a Darius Garland but should absolutely be the thought process moving forward for San Antonio at number five we’ve got the Detroit Pistons taking a shot on Reed Shepard of Kentucky a pick I’ve mocked before and a fit I really like on several fronts I know at first glance mocking a 62 combo guard to the Piston seems crazy but Shepard addresses so many of Detroit’s biggest issues in one high floor pick the team ranked 30th in steals 30th in points off turnovers 26th in three-point percentage Shepard is one of if not the best shooter in this draft 52% on 4.4 attempts per game he racked up over three stocks per game he can play off of Kade Cunningham hit H threes cut and generally make things easier on the team he can play on ball using his high IQ assuming some of the playmaking duties he’s going to rack up those Steals and blocks with great hands and feel for the game and you’ve still got AAR Thompson at the point of attack and Kade Cunningham both really lengthy I think Shepard makes the team better as soon as next season gives Cunningham a strong backcourt fit for the foreseeable future and lets you move off some pieces and mix up the roster for the better moving forward at number six we’ve got the Charlotte Hornets selecting Stefon Castle a fit and range I really like for the Yukon guard the only real hitch in this plan is that Castle’s been pretty adamant in the pre-draft process about wanting to play point guard at the next level I personally am not immensely high on that for now I really like him as a handling wing and secondary Creator especially in the Hornet system where lamelo ball and Brandon Miller can handle the bulk of the offensive duties while Castle hounds at the point of attack connects the offense with passing and hones that spot up shooting secondarily adding the slashing creating and the stuff he apparently wants to do the three-point shooting isn’t great at this juncture but that is well covered by ball and Miller and that three-headed attack of lengthy handlers down the line could be really fun if Charlotte can fill out its front court and that’s a direction I really think the NBA is headed towards finally off the board at number seven is French Wing Zachary Riz AE likely too far of a slip here with his recent output in the lmb Pro a postseason but still somewhat of a possibility if the above teams fall in love with creators or better win Now options as a 69ine wing Who projects to really shoot the three ball and defend at a high level rachet fits exceptionally well with the Trailblazers young core to the point I think he’ll be a trade-up option for them if he makes it by San Antonio which he might not in that middle area between scoot Henderson Shaden sharp Simons and the front Court pieces rachet could spot up get to the rim with simple dribble driving and guard his natural position in wings and smaller forwards best of all Portland is in no real rush to win games and while the team is in development mode Ray can attempt to tap into some of those intriguing creation and P passing upsides a pick I was accosted lambasted ridiculed for last time Rob Dillingham finds himself in San Antonio’s clutches at number eight even in a theoretical draft where San Antonio’s already Come Away with a point guard in Nicolet toic dillingh him does make a ton of sense as a spark plug score that can play off of wiim minyama in either a combo guard role or even running the second unit despite being around 61 Dillingham has tremendous upside as a Handler passer and just general Advantage Creator which the team definitely wants next to wimy in this scenario alongside topic the two could play in tandem with each other toggling between on andof ball reps while wimy commands attention it would be a really fun yin and yang of two players who can both get paint touches shoot and make plays for each other and wimy at moment’s notice defensively dilling him likely has the case to be the worst among the top 14 but in this case he’d have a player who’s on track to be one of the greatest ever in that regard right behind him at number nine we’ve got Memphis grabbing Firepower in the form of Tennessee’s Dalton connect with their top Center options off the board already the Grizzlies load up here on more offense and win now prowess with connect Who lit up college basketball this season with 21.7 points per game at 23 years old his skills as an off ball scorer are immediately going to translate he can spot up come off screens handle the ball and is just generally an offensive Supernova the defense isn’t one of the more workable skills in this draft but connects offensive skills are proven to work alongside the Grizzlies core of Jar rant Desmond Bane jiren Jackson Jr in this situation connect would likely come off the bench but could play pretty vital minutes for Memphis as early as next season and for a team that’s looking to win games number 10 the Utah Jazz get what I believe to be a real steal in Ron Holland of the g- league ignite I continue to have him as one of my top prospects in this draft offering Baseline skills like a high defensive motor and some Snappy athleticism as well as an improving offensive game that I think is really going to be bolstered by NBA Talent specifically guards with the Jazz Holland slots in nicely as a transition threat and point of attack defender on the wing who can improve on things like spot up shooting creating and the passing and playmaking I think Utah should be on the lookout for a big swing pick to really send this roster to the next level and I think they get it here with Ron Holland I continue to assert that the Chicago Bulls desperately need to add high ceiling youth to the team in order to prepare for the future and Colorado forward Cody Williams is a great swing at that while also grabbing some baseline NBA skills Williams is a 69 wing with a good transition game pretty outstanding defense and workable spot up shooting numbers that should help him see the NBA court early but he’s also flashed great stuff as a point forward with shot making and playmaking in short Williams FS a position of need could see some early career minutes in Chicago and could blossom into much much more with the right developmental path strong pick here for Chicago 12th overall we’ve got the Oklahoma City Thunder taking a chance on Kyle filipowski of Duke flip was a highly touted High School Prospect he put together a few pretty productive Seasons with the blue Devils but hasn’t yet fully capitalized on his potential as a seven-footer who’s able to play a lot of different ways there’s a clear pathway towards success for flip with the thunder in the form of backup center minutes and double big minutes with Chad hren he fits the team’s versatility bill with improving three-point shooting eight rebounds per game three assists some post offense and workable defense despite not being an elite rebounder he gives OKC more size chip England can work on that three-point shot big big actions with hren would be really fun I’m skeptical he’d be impactful in year 1 but that’s a project that’s well worth it for Oklahoma City at number 13 we have the Sacramento Kings using their lottery pick on Tristan DVA of Colorado who I think is one of a few Wing SL forwards capable of making an impact in year one at 68 dilva doesn’t boast any really Elite skills but he’s the definition of plug-and playay in terms of handling the ball knocking down shots both spotting up and off screens defending with length connective passing the kings are rightfully looking to win ball games next season they’ve got good front and backourt pieces I like d Silva as a versatile Prospect in the Middle Ground Off the Bench that can help to size up I don’t think this is maximum value at this spot necessarily but if you’re wanting someone to hit the ground running DVA is your guy rounding out the Luder we have the Portland Trailblazers with a pick I’ve mocked a few times now to Jean Salon of cholay in the lmb Pro a league Salon like rizet has had strong output in the postseason so there’s a chance he’s worked himself even higher than this spot at 69 he can attack the basket both on and off ball he can spot up and there’s these lightning quick flashes of good feel for the game at a young age while there’s plenty of development needed overall the bones are there for a massive Do-it all forward and similarly to their early pick that would do wonders for the Portland Trailblazers who at this point are just looking to add Youth and talent in bounds a lineup of scoot sharp two lengthy two-way French wings and one of the team’s versatile front Court pieces wouldn’t be a bad swing moving forward kicking off the Post Lottery are the Miami Heat who here take Devin Carter of Providence who showcased Elite two-way production as a junior with the Friars at 6’3 Carter’s peskiness was a known Factor on the defensive end of the court again posting 2.8 stocks per game in his latest season but he saw an offensive surge to nearly 20 points per game with 37% shooting for beyond the arc on almost seven attempts his 8.7 rebounds per game are also significant similarly to the haih hakz junior pick last season Carter offers the heat what should be a pretty impactful player off the rip in an area of need the shooting isn’t likely a huge strength from the get-go but he would likely be able to toggle on andof ball while offering patented heat culture defense and intangibles love the fit with Devin Carter in Miami at 16 we have Philadelphia grabbing some forward insurance and Tyler Smith of the G League ignite at 610 Smith has several Baseline offensive skills that should be translatable to the big leagues fairly quickly he’s got great vertical athleticism pullup shot making and some play finishing in transition pick and roll and the dunker spot he slots in easily long term with the gravity of guys like Tyrese Maxi and of course Joel embiid Smith likely wouldn’t be a strong year one contributor but he’d offer some easy insurance at the forward position with Tobias Harris departure from the squad and the eventual phasing out of guys like Nick patum there’s better defensive gambles should the team want to swing that direction but I like Smith as an eventual piece in Philly’s core 17th overall we’ve got the New Orleans Pelicans taking Duke guard Jared McCain I don’t really antic ipate McCain to fall this far in fact I think there’s a great chance he ends up mid to late lottery so I consider this an absolute Home Run for the pels at 63 McCain wow is a oneandone for the Blue Devils scoring 14.3 points grabbing five boards and dishing a few assists per game he really tows the line between lead guard and shooting guard able to handle the ball fairly well but really making his Mark in the shooting Department over 40% on nearly six threes attempted per game with the pels McCain could play an off ball role spotting up with the space created by Zion Williams son while also providing some of the ball handling that the team desperately needs if you were to come around in a few areas like creation passing playmaking and just generally on defense he could be a near Perfect backourt Fit next to Williamson at number 18 we have the magic taking a flyer on jacobe Walter of Baylor Walter was one of the more productive freshman in college basketball this season scoring 14 a half points per game for the Bears on some moderate splits but as a former five star the talent is very clearly there I think Orlando is going to look for more immediate shooting next season most likely on the free agent Market or even via trade but there’s no sense in not taking a swing on one of the higher upside Shooters in this class here Midway through the first Walter is a ways off from NBA impact but a few years in the system working on his shot defense and continuing to home getting to the line a real Plus for him so far would make him a great addition to poo banero and Co at number 19 we have the Toronto Raptors who narrowly missed out on a top six pick selecting one of my favorite guys here in this draft in EES Mei me is a really raw 7-footer who’s still very much honing his General basketball skills but despite that powered through to average 10.7 points 5.6 rebounds and one and a half blocks per game on 61% shooting in just 23 minutes with Baylor considering his pretty insane vertical bounce for his size he’s truly not far behind the other top Center prospects for me with that being said Raptor fans might not be chomping at the bit to add that to the team next year with guys like purle and Koko rostered but I love this for Toronto who’s been a real sleeper in terms of development over the last several years I really truly believe Mei is a sleeping giant in this draft and I think Toronto could maximize him potentially even into a future star Jaylen Tyson from California off the board to the Cleveland Cavaliers at number 20 a team that’s going to have some difficult decisions upcoming this summer Cleveland’s in a pretty precarious spot right now they’ve got decisions to be made potentially between Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland they could be moving on from their twoo big lineup by putting Jared Allen on the table there’s just a lot of different ways they could go and a lot of potential holes to fill in the case that Cleveland offloads a star guard one of the more likely scenarios I see I’ve gone with Tyson who offers legit creation shot making and ball handling at 6’7 he’s likely best utilized as a jumbo guard with the ball in his hands and could really thrive in the second unit even better he can size up play some forward maybe even small ball four and I think he could offer real minutes next season I like taking a gamble on potential Talent at 20 for the Cavs at 21 we’ve got one of the bigger swings in the entire draft khilo wear and I’ve got New Orleans taking a shot on him as their center of the future at 7 foot we was a five-star Center who bloomed a little late but came alive for Indiana as a sophomore averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 43% from Beyond the arc on limited volume suffice to say immense potential as a basketball Prospect Jonas Valen junis really struggled to make an impact in the playoffs this year and I struggle to see him as the long-term solution at the five forla where won’t be effec as a rookie maybe even for several years or ever but his two-way potential next to Zion Williamson as a player that can protect the rim get easy offense and space the floor is just too much to pass up on in this spot and honestly that’s going to be the case for a lot of teams with where easy pick for me here at number 22 the Phoenix Suns taking the ever translatable Kevin mcculler Jr of Kansas Fame Muller’s long been one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball he’s got some connective skills and really blossomed as a scorer in his most recent season which most don’t buy but really confirm to me that he’s at least going to be okay on that end in the big leagues Phoenix is in an obviously bad spot they’ve got their studs in KD book and Beal but they’ve sacrificed every bit of their depth to make that happen and that tangibly came to fruition with a sweep in the postseason this year I think most simply mcculler is going to be a longtime NBA role player capable of great defense easy stuff on offense and eventually a fine three-point shot I think he gives Phoenix a high motor plug-and-play next season which they very obviously need cheap reinforcements for a team potentially looking to make another run at it Dayton’s Duron Holmes taken here at number 23 by the Milwaukee Bucks at 610 Holmes somewhat is in the mold of the long line of interior threats to come before him but he made some major improvements to his game in his third year with the Flyers to bolster his NBA Outlook over 20 points eight rebounds two assists and two blocks while blossoming on Ball and shooting 38% is really really strong I like holes generally as a front Court piece both backing up Giannis and a TMO and playing in tandem with him there’s opportunities for easy offense spot-up shots and some of his bigger weaknesses on D are covered by The Greek Freak Holmes is a good player who while he doesn’t have an incredibly high ceiling will likely be a rotational player for a long time and could help Milwaukee as early as next year at number 24 we have really talented jumbo guard Dylan Jones who scored over 20 points grabbed 9.8 rebounds and dist over five assists in doit all fashion for Weber State the Knicks are a genuinely great basketball team and there’s already reports of them star hunting this off season so I really anticipate one or both of their first round picks this year to be gone in the case they keep them I like Jones who’s pretty fluid within a lineup at 66 with real touch handling scoring and distributing the ball adding him to any mix of lineups with Deon chenzo deuce or even Josh Hart is really fun he can play decent defense and while his off ball game needs work I think it’s worth powering through and adding ball handling and size to New York’s second unit with the second of their picks I have New York finally taking the much talked about Zack Edy produ long time Behemoth of a center Edy is a massively polarizing Prospect he’s of the traditional mold at 7′ 4 with really slow foot speed but his Collegiate domination and production speaks for itself over 25 points 12 rebounds and two blocks per game in his last season he was just massively massively impactful at an all-time rate for the boiler makers and I really do think Ed can be impactful in the NBA it’s just about finding a team that will utilize him and I think the Knicks have shown to be a team that’s done that in the last few years they’ve got pretty decent Center options with the breakout in Isaiah hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson Robinson hasn’t been the picture of Health two seasons with just 31 games played in the last four years I think Ed could get some real burn on this Knicks team and be a differenc maker in the second unit throughout the season at number 26 we have another one of my favorite prospects in the draft Kean George of Miami another big time gamble for the Wizards George was a potential surprise one andone for the Hurricanes averaging just 7.6 points and 2.2 assists in a limited role but really shining at times with 41% three-point shooting and legit guard skills at 68 he is not massively athletically gifted there’s very little burst explosion acceleration but we’ve seen some Uber skilled players become stars in the league without great athleticism and there’s hints already seeping through the cracks for Geor in that regard I really like George as a big swing with a low stakes pick near the end of the first for the Wizards who again just need to add long-term Talent his three-point shooting sticking around and him potentially turning into a secondary jumbo Handler alongside other wizard studs would be really cool great Prospect and fit here at number 27 marquette’s Tyler Kik joining the Minnesota Timberwolves Kik is an easy bet as a rotational NBA guard pick and roll prowess decent spot up shooting tons of feel for the game he’s just a High floor point guard that could bring a ton of good qualities Mike Conley is the only real Minnesota point guard who has consistency over the course of the Season Cola could Moonlight as Conley in the second unit setting up the bigs playing off Edwards and just generally providing help there’s no guarantee he plays as early as next season being that Minnesota is a really good basketball team but it would certainly be nice for them to have the option at number 28 we’ve got the reigning but recently eliminated Champs in the Denver Nuggets taking Baylor shyan of kraton shyan did a ton to help his stock at the NBA draft combine especially showing his Sharp Shooting and strong passing feel which would melt terrifically with the nuggets in scrimmages shyan’s a flamethrower from three 38% on over eight attempts he averaged nearly four assists in that role and despite needing simple Pathways to the rim is a pretty great finisher all things that I think fit the yic Leed nuggets really really well his nine rebounds per game is just an added bonus he’s one of the oldest players in this class but I think would make a real impact both right away and longterm in Denver at number 29 we have the Utah Jazz using their second pick on a real flyer Justin Edwards of Kentucky Edwards was a five-star and one of the top players in the 2023 High School class ranking number three per rsci he’s a really toolsy 6768 is forward but saw a roller coaster year for the Wildcats failing to show much consistency in really any area just 8.8 points on the year despite that I still think Edwards has a ton of gas left left in the tank and there’s few better spots to test that than with the Jazz where he could play in the g-league and sparingly fill the forward cracks on the main roster I think there’s a decently realistic chance he returns to his form as a defensive stopper strong scorer and impactful basketball player and I think Utah genuinely could maximize that rounding out the top 30 in our fifth mock draft of the cycle is the Boston Celtics your odds on title favorites at the moment taking USC’s Isaiah Collier for what it’s worth I think Collier as a former five star with t brimming throughout his game goes much much sooner than this but I had a hard time fitting him in earlier with so many teams probably looking for win now Talent Coler is an admittedly funky pick with the current configuration of the Seas and would almost definitely not see playing time for a while but Boston could stash him in the g-league let him develop and bring him to light in a few years if the roster looks pretty different they’ve done a great job of developing talent in recent years and grabbing one of the highest cealing ball handlers in the class just seems like a no-brainer at number 30 30 [Music]

With the NBA Draft Lottery now over, it’s time for my fourth mock draft of the 2024 NBA draft cycle.

The NBA Draft is just over a month away, and it’s time for the fifth mock draft of the 2024 Draft cycle, and the first featuring the entire first round.

Contents of this video:

0:00 – Intro
0:31- No. 1 | Hawks
1:15 – No. 2 | Wizards
2:16 – No. 3 | Rockets
3:09 – No. 4 | Spurs
3:57 – No. 5 | Pistons
4:55 – No. 6 | Hornets
5:41 – No. 7 | Trail Blazers
6:30 – No. 8 | Spurs
7:24 – No. 9 | Grizzlies
8:06 – No. 10 | Jazz
8:44 – No. 11 | Bulls
9:18 – No. 12 | Thunder
10:03 – No. 13 | Kings
10:42 – No. 14 | Trail Blazers
11:25 – No. 15 | Heat
12:11 – No. 16 | Sixers
12:52 – No. 17 | Pelicans
13:42 – No. 18 | Magic
14:20 – No. 19 | Raptors
15:09 – No. 20 | Cavaliers
15:57 – No. 21 | Pelicans
16:44 – No. 22 | Suns
17:35 – No. 23 | Bucks
18:20 – No. 24 | Knicks
19:02 – No. 25 | Knicks
19:53 – No. 26 | Wizards
20:43 – No. 27 | Timberwolves
21:20 – No. 28 | Nuggets
22:00 – No. 29 | Jazz
22:45 – No. 30 | Celtics