Here are some of Yahoo Sports ' most recent primary- and second-round projections, along with details on how people are faring during the pre-drafting process.
The NBA Draft is three weeks away. Some prospects are traveling around the country working out for teams and meeting with executives, while others are still finishing out their seasons in Europe, where many scouts are making their way to Italy this week for the adidas Eurocamp to get additional eyes on draft-eligible players.
The No. 1 pick is still up for grabs for the Atlanta Hawks, but French wing Zaccharie Risacher has emerged as the new frontrunner with how well he played in the French LNB Pro A playoffs for JL Bourg-en-Bresse.
The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, now have two draft picks with the Pelicans deferring the 17th pick in 2024 for a first-round pick in 2025. Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul has made it clear that Bronny James will only work out for a select number of teams, including the Lakers and Phoenix Suns, almost solidifying Bronny James as a lock to the Lakers in the second round.
The college withdrawal deadline was May 29 and draft boards are slowly taking shape with plenty of movement to come leading up to the NBA Draft on June 26 and 27. Here's a look at Yahoo Sports' latest first- and second-round projections with intel notes on how well players are performing during the pre-draft process.
1. Atlanta Hawks: G/F Zaccharie Risacher
Risacher ended his season in France on a high note, playing his best basketball in front of scouts and executives from the Hawks, Wizards and Rockets last month. He is one of the best catch-and-shoot wings in the draft and has extended his game off the bounce and as a facilitator. In a series against Monaco, Risacher averaged 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in 30 minutes per game.
2. Washington Wizards: C Alex Sarr
Sarr is the best big in this draft with his size and versatility. He is an elite rim protector and has showed he can be effective in pick-and-pop situations, knocking down 3s during the combine shooting drills. He can also defend the perimeter and moves extremely well for his size, fitting the mold of the new hybrid center in the NBA.
3. Houston Rockets: G Stephon Castle
Castle was one of the best defending guards in college basketball this season and followed that up with a solid shooting performance at the combine. He has great size and is a potential superstar in this draft with his two-way play and upside as a combo guard.
4. San Antonio Spurs: G Reed Sheppard
Sheppard's combination of shot creation, passing and sneaky athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect in the top half of the lottery. He plays the right way and his game translates well to the NBA with how productive he can be with or without the ball on offense.
5. Detroit Pistons: G/F Tidjane Salaun
Salaun could end up going as high as No. 4 to the Spurs with how well he played during the LNB Pro A Playoffs for Cholet. He remains a sleeper as a top-five pick but showed his vast potential as an NBA wing when he scored 19 points and added eight rebounds and three assists against Paris Basketball in a game that was even more impressive than his stat line.
6. Charlotte Hornets: F Matas Buzelis
Buzelis showed vast improvement during his one year with the Ignite, adding 20 pounds of muscle and displaying more versatility on defense and creativity moving off the ball on offense. When he did have the ball in his hands, his decisions off the pick-and-roll were quick and he extended defenses in mismatch situations.
7. Portland Trail Blazers: C Donovan Clingan
The Trail Blazers have invested in their backcourt during the rebuild process with Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and with four picks in this draft, they could be looking to reload in the frontcourt, starting with Clingan.
8. San Antonio Spurs: G/F Ron Holland
Holland is one of the best defending forwards in this draft class and averaged 2.3 steals in the G League last season. His length and second gear in the open court are his best traits as an NBA forward, and his outside jumper and shot creation remain areas of development.
9. Memphis Grizzlies: G Dalton Knecht
Knecht was one of the best scorers in college basketball and can contribute immediately to any team next season. He can be slotted on or off the ball in the starting backcourt alongside Ja Morant or lead the second unit.
10. Utah Jazz: G Rob Dillingham
Dillngham's pre-draft process has been kept unusually quiet and that might be on purpose to protect his draft stock. He didn't test or go through shooting drills during the combine and didn't participate in the Klutch pro day, citing a sore ankle. Some teams love his play-making and how well he plays in crunch time, but others worry about his defense along the perimeter and his size.
11. Chicago Bulls: G Nikola Topić
Topić re-injured his knee last month and might be giving teams pause in the first half of the lottery. When healthy, he was one of the best passers in the Serbian league and has great size.
12: Oklahoma City Thunder: F Cody Williams
Williams playing alongside his older brother and learning the NBA game in OKC's system is the best-case scenario for the young wing who played one season at Colorado. The 19-year-old is far from contributing to a team right away but further along at his age than his brother, and the Thunder have room to be patient with his development.
13. Sacramento Kings: G/F Kyshawn George
George is one of the most promising wings in this class with how well he shoots from 3-point range and his potential as a 3-and-D wing in the NBA.
14. Portland Trail Blazers: C Kel'el Ware
No other guard tested better during the draft combine than Carter. He tied for the best max vertical jump at 42 inches and broke the 3/4-court sprint record. His body of work this past season is a direct indication of how productive he can be, particularly in the open court.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: G Jared McCain
McCain was one of the best shooters at the combine and will undoubtedly interview well with the teams. Because of his combination of high IQ and consistent shooting, McCain will be a hard guard to pass in the mid-first round.
17. Los Angeles Lakers: G Carlton "Bub" Carrington
Carrington is a player a lot of teams left the combine high on with how well he interviewed and tested during the agility and shooting drills. The Lakers will most likely take Bronny James in the second round but will be looking for a true point guard who can bring a spark and possibly be used in a deal for veteran help.
18. Orlando Magic: G Isaiah Collier
The Magic have yet to find their franchise-changing guard who can be slotted next to Paolo Banchero as they continue to build a competitive team in the Eastern Conference. Collier didn't have a breakout season at USC, but he was a top recruit out of high school and a player whose game could translate to the NBA and exceed his draft stock in this weaker draft class.
19. Toronto Raptors: G Ja'Kobe Walter
Walter has great size and like Baylor's Keyonte George last year, he could be a surprise in this rookie class with how well he shoots the ball and can create off the dribble.
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: F Tristan da Silva
Because of his age (23), it will be up to teams to decide if da Silva's another iteration of Kevin Knox or Chris Duarte or if he can come in and be that hybrid forward/wing that has made teams successful in the playoffs. Da Silva was great during the NCAA tournament for Colorado and averaged 16.1 points and 5.1 rebounds during his senior year.
21. New Orleans Pelicans: C Yves Missi
Missi didn't shoot the ball well during the combine but still projects as a high-producing center in the NBA with how well he moves and his development as a pick-and-roll option. He was one of the best rim-running bigs in college basketball this past season.
22. Phoenix Suns: G Tyler Kolek
There are rumors of a promise for Kolek in the first round, and the Suns make sense for the established point guard who found ways to score at every level this season. He can come in right away and be the lead guard for the second unit with how well he reads the game and facilitates for others.
23: Milwaukee Bucks: F Tyler Smith
Teams that go back and look at film of Smith over his season with the Ignite and previously with Overtime Elite will notice his vast improvement and how well his game translates to the next level. It's his consistency and how well he performs during individual workouts that will determine where he falls in the first round.
24. New York Knicks: C Kyle Filipowski
NBA scouts and executives are very familiar with Filipowski at this point. His face-up game as a 7-footer shows promise at the NBA level, but his defense guarding the switch and extending to the perimeter might give some teams pause in the lottery and mid-first round.
25. New York Knicks: F Pacome Dadiet
Dadiet is a player who could continue to rise as teams go back and revisit film from the past season. He is one of the youngest players in the draft and has a lot of potential as an NBA wing with his size and how much he's improved in one season playing in Germany.
26. Washington Wizards: G Jaylon Tyson
There hasn't been a ton of buzz around Tyson since the combine and that could be for good reason with teams trying to keep his workouts from leaking heading into the draft. Tyson was one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 this year and, although he measured under his listed 6-7 size from college, there's still a lot to like with how easy he's able to score on and off the ball.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: G/F Johnny Furphy
Furphy turned down a lucrative NIL deal to stay in the draft, which can be interpreted as a first-round promise. The lanky sharpshooter is far from a finished product but shows tremendous upside with his length and how he projects as an NBA wing.
28. Denver Nuggets: F DaRon Holmes II
There have been rumblings around the league regarding a promise for Holmes late in the first round and sources say he's shut down all future workouts. Looking at what Minnesota has built with Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, Denver could be targeting an inside-out big who shot nearly 40% from 3 this season.
29. Utah Jazz: G AJ Johnson
Johnson remains one of the biggest mysteries of the draft but has a ton of upside with his size and how well he can create. He's still a bit raw but definitely a player a team could take a swing on in the late first round.
30. Boston Celtics: C Zach Edey
The Celtics are a championship-caliber team and have the luxury to take a swing on Edey, whose NBA game and projection is unknown with his limited skills in the paint and unknown range past the 3-point line.
Zach Edey: “every team needs someone to hold down the paint.” Good insight here from the 7’4” Purdue center. pic.twitter.com/iofgSylDxQ
— Krysten Peek (@krystenpeek) May 14, 2024
SECOND ROUND
31. Toronto Raptors: G Terrence Shannon Jr.
32. Utah Jazz: F Bobi Klintman
33. Milwaukee Bucks:. G/F Baylor Scheierman
34. Portland Trail Blazers: G/F Justin Edwards
35. San Antonio Spurs: G Dillon Jones
36. Indiana Pacers: G Cam Christie
37. Minnesota Timberwolves: G Kevin McCullar Jr.
38. New York Knicks: G Trey Alexander
39. Memphis Grizzlies: F Enrique Freeman
40. Portland Trail Blazers: G Nikola Djurisic
41. Philadelphia 76ers: C N'Faly Dante
43. Miami Heat: C Adem Bona
44. Houston Rockets: G/F Keshad Johnson
45. Sacramento Kings: G Jamal Shead
46. Los Angeles Clippers: G/F Harrison Ingram
47. Orlando Magic: G/F Jaylen Wells
48. San Antonio Spurs: G Jalen Bridges
49. Indiana Pacers: C Ulrich Chomche
50. Indiana Pacers: G Trentyn Flowers
51. Washington Wizards: F Oso Ighodaro
52. Golden State Warriors: F Jonathan Mogbo
53. Detroit Pistons: G KJ Simpson
54. Boston Celtics: G Pelle Larsson
55. Los Angeles Lakers: G Bronny James
Bronny looking like his dad in the open court drills 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Kk5I6C6QwE
— Krysten Peek (@krystenpeek) May 14, 2024
56. Denver Nuggets: G Ajay Mitchell
57. Memphis Grizzlies: G Juan Nunez
58. Dallas Mavericks: G Cam Spencer
Copyright Notice:
Datavictory copyrights this specification. No part of this specification may be reproduced in any form or means, without the prior written consent of Datavictory.
Link:
