The top of the 2024 NBA Draft will probably belong to international prospects and one-and-done college players. But by the time the first round concludes, several multiyear NCAA stars will have heard their names called.
Players such as Dalton Knecht and Donovan Clingan are poised to serve as success stories for what returning to college for an additional year of development can do for your stock. Both could have become pros after the 2022-23 season. Instead, they opted for another year of seasoning and are now established as potential lottery picks after elevating their games.
A total 11 players who spent at least two seasons in college basketball are represented in the first round of this mock draft. In what's regarded as a relatively weak class, many of them could go down as steals.
Staying in college basketball has never been more appealing for fringe prospects, as rules now allow players to profit off their talents and to transfer freely. Potential first-round picks such as Knecht, Devin Carter, Jaylon Tyson and Kel'el Ware each transferred to places where they could shine, and as a result, they have positioned themselves to be selected during the 2024 NBA Draft, which will be June 26-27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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Our latest NBA mock draft is below.
Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Sarr is an athletic rim protector with upside as a perimeter defender. His 3-point shooting percentages leave something to be desired. But for a young player of his size, he's ahead of the curve offensively in how he's flashed the ability to handle the basketball and create shots.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Risacher brings great size and length to the wing with encouraging fluidity on his outside shot. Like any young international prospect, Risacher will need time to develop the physicality required to thrive in the NBA. In the absence of an obvious headliner from the class, he's as deserving as anyone to be taken with a high lottery pick.
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From
Brooklyn Nets
Round 1 - Pick 3
Connecticut
• 6'6"
/ 210 lbs
Castle is a big, versatile guard capable of facilitating the offense or playing off the ball. He also rated as UConn's No. 2 defender behind only 7-4 Donovan Clingan, according to evanmiya.com. His 3-point shot needs a lot of work, but Castle's significant contributions to college basketball's top squad as a freshman were an encouarging sign of things to come.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Tre Jones has just one year remaining on his contract, and there's a chance he isn't San Antonio's point guard of the future. Enter Topic, who is a big European guard with a nifty handle and natural passing instincts. At just 18, he could develop in tandem with Victor Wembanyama. Whoever drafts him may need to be patient with his 3-point shot.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Tennessee
• 6'5"
/ 212 lbs
The Pistons are picking at No. 5 for the third straight draft and selecting in the top 10 for a fifth consecutive year. Is there really an appetite for some long-term developmental play? Knecht is 23 and continued to elevate his game as he progressed from junior college to Northern Colorado and finally to Tennessee. He averaged 25.5 points on 42.4% 3-point shooting against SEC competition for the Volunteers and is a true three-way scorer who is ready to get buckets in the league as a rookie.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Connecticut
• 7'2"
/ 282 lbs
Charlotte has its point guard of the future in LaMelo Ball and a promising young wing in Brandon Miller, who was the No. 2 pick in last year's draft. If Clingan is still available here, not only is he a steal, but he would also seem to fit nicely in the long-term picture. The behemoth center would immediately elevate the rim protection of a team that ranked 25th in the NBA in blocks per game during the 2023-24 season.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Portland has young guards Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe under contract for years to come. High-dollar front court producers Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton are also on the books at least through 2025-26. The nexus between franchise fit and best available may be Holland. Ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the high school class of 2023, he is loaded with tools and promise. They were evident in spurts during his season with G League Ignite.
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From
Toronto Raptors
Round 1 - Pick 8
Devin Carter
PG
Providence
• 6'2"
/ 193 lbs
Carter's scoring and efficient shooting splits catch the eye first. But there is depth and dimension to his game. He topped the vertical leap charts at the draft combine and won the three quarter sprint. Add the strong testing to the underlying metrics from his time at Providence and it's clear Carter is worthy of a top-10 pick. He rated as one of the best defenders in the Big East, is a great rebounder and can play on or off the ball.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Kentucky
• 6'2"
/ 182 lbs
With Ja Morant on the floor for just nine games, it was a lost season in Memphis. Now, the urgency to win mounts as Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. navigate their primes with big contracts. In this scenario, the Grizzlies might consider trading up to land a multi-year college player such as Knecht, Clingan or Carter. But if not, Sheppard makes sense as a two-way combo guard with a sweet 3-point shot.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Kentucky
• 6'1"
/ 164 lbs
Dillingham's stock took a hit at the combine. There were already concerns about his defense, and those were exacerbated when he measured small. But few players in college basketball proved to be more electric as scorers last season. Dillingham filled it up at a ridiculous clip for Kentucky, and he's got plenty of time to add bulk to his frame and develop in to a more well-rounded player.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
The big wing didn't shoot it great from 3-point range for G League Ignite, but he showed a well-rounded offensive game and defensive tools. He also measured taller than college "bigs" such as Adem Bona, PJ Hall and Coleman Hawkins at the combine. Players with his combination of skill and size are rare.
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From
Houston Rockets
Round 1 - Pick 12
Colorado
• 6'7"
/ 178 lbs
Williams' offensive efficiency was excellent for a freshman as he converted 58.8% of his 2-pointers and 41.5% of his 3-pointers. His defense didn't pop, but he's got the physical tools and talent needed to develop into a proficient two-way wing. This would be a particularly meaningful destination for Williams as his older brother, Jalen Williams, is a blossoming star for OKC.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Colorado
• 6'8"
/ 217 lbs
Da Silva may be able to offer early help to a Sacramento team that is in compete-now mode. The 23-year old earned all-conference honors as a junior and senior at Colorado while showing his two-way chops. The sharpshooting forward hit 9-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc during the Buffaloes' three NCAA Tournament games as scouts payed close attention.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
USC
• 6'3"
/ 205 lbs
The Trail Blazers aren't exactly hurting for promising young guards. But if Collier is around at No. 14, it may be tough to pass on a player with his upside. After missing roughly a month with a hand injury, Collier returned to average 17.6 points, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals on 47.2% shooting over USC's final 11 games. Included were plenty of glimpses of why he finished the 2023 recruiting cycle as the No. 1 overall player in the 247Sports Composite.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Jared McCain
PG
Duke
• 6'2"
/ 203 lbs
McCain is a relentless worker who can play either guard spot, and he rebounds well for his size. McCain's defense isn't yet a strength, but his offensive upside makes up for it. He hit 16 of 32 attempts from beyond the arc in Duke's four NCAA Tournament games, and his personality seems like a natural fit with the Heat culture.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Duke
• 6'11"
/ 230 lbs
Filipowski improved his 3-point shooting as a sophomore at Duke and blocked 54 shots while spending more time at the five than he did as a freshman. In Philadelphia, he could play alongside Joel Embiid as the four. Or, he could play some minutes as the backup five.
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From
Los Angeles Lakers
Round 1 - Pick 17
Salaun is demonstrating encouraging potential as a 3-point shooter overseas, suggesting his floor would be as a rotational 3-and-D wing. If the flashes he's shown as an attacker and finisher translate to the next level, then he could be a dynamic NBA playmaker.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Baylor
• 6'4"
/ 198 lbs
Walter wasn't the world's most efficient offensive player in his lone season of college basketball. But he showed all the tools which made him a five-star prospect. He's athletic and rangy suggest with loads of long-term upside. If Walter falls to this range, he could go down as one of the steals of the 2024 draft.
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From
Indiana Pacers
Round 1 - Pick 19
Kansas
• 6'8"
/ 189 lbs
Furphy blossomed into a key player for Kansas as his freshman season progressed. He needs a couple years in an NBA strength training program before he's ready to withstand rigors of the league. But he's got a sweet jumper and a chance at developing into an NBA starter.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Dayton
• 6'9"
/ 236 lbs
Holmes is an athletic big man with a ton of variety in his game on both ends. He swats shots at the rim but can also move his feet to stay in front of smaller players. Offensively, he can score from the block or pull you out to the 3-point line with a sweet jumper. He can also put it on the deck and attack the closeout. Holmes is one of the most underrated players in this class.
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From
Milwaukee Bucks
Round 1 - Pick 21
Jaylon Tyson
SF
California
• 6'6"
/ 218 lbs
Tyson is a two-way wing who delivered as the No. 1 offensive option for Cal in 2023-24. Perhaps the elite-level upside isn't there. But with a proven body of work in three seasons of college basketball and good size, he may able to proficiently fill a rotation role early in his pro career.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Purdue
• 7'4"
/ 299 lbs
Deciphering exactly how Edey will fit in the NBA will take some creativity. But he's an immensely gifted post scorer, and this would be a relatively low-pressure situation. If he can play some minutes as a backup big early for Phoenix, then great. But even if he proves too much of a defensive liability in the long run, there's no shame in taking a swing on the two-time Naismith winner.
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From
New Orleans Pelicans
Round 1 - Pick 23
Pittsburgh
• 6'5"
/ 190 lbs
Carrington flew under the radar as a freshman on a Pitt team that missed the NCAA Tournament. But he made an impression on scouts with his late-season surge. He was a former top-100 prospect, and he was smart to enter the draft pool while his stock was high in a relatively weak class. He's the type of long-term play that could look like a steal four years from now.
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From
Dallas Mavericks
Round 1 - Pick 24
Baylor
• 6'11"
/ 229 lbs
Missi is a lanky, athletic big man with great upside as a defender and lob threat. He's still learning the game, and 3-pointers aren't even close to being a part of his arsenal. But if he can hone a push shot/floater, he could find a home in an NBA rotation as a defense-first center.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Miami (Fla.)
• 6'8"
/ 205 lbs
Miami unearthed a gem in signing George, who came from Switzerland as an unheralded prospect. He developed into a key part of the Hurricanes' rotation as the season progressed, with his 3-point shooting becoming an impressive asset. He also ranked as Miami's top defender, per evanmiya.com, which makes him an appealing two-way wing prospect.
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From
Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1 - Pick 26
Ryan Dunn
SF
Virginia
• 6'6"
/ 214 lbs
Dunn stood out as one of college basketball's top defenders in the 2023-24. Though his perimeter shot needs loads of refinement, Dunn can finish at the rim. His defense may appears good enough to make up for the holes in his offensive game and could earn him a long-term home in the league.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Sweden
• 6'9"
/ 212 lbs
Klintman spent the 2023-24 season playing in Australia after a promising season at Wake Forest. He could carve out a career in the league as a big wing if he continues to develop defensively.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Indiana
• 7'0"
/ 230 lbs
Transferring from Oregon to Indiana gave Ware the chance to shine as he made a significant sophomore leap. He shot it well from beyond the arc for the Hoosiers while demonstrating chops as a rebounder and shot blocker. Only Clingan and Edey measured with a greater standing reach at the NBA Draft combine.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Kentucky
• Fr
• 6'6"
/ 209 lbs
Edwards is a project, but there's a reason he was a five-star prospect and McDonald's All-American. The left-handed wing owns a sweet shooting stroke that grew more consistent as the 2023-24 season progressed. If the game slows down for him, he could still develop into a version of the dynamic wing that he was expected to be coming out of high school.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Tyler Kolek
PG
Marquette
• 6'1"
/ 197 lbs
Kolek is a crafty ball-handler and elite distributor who commands the action by getting to his spots and finding teammates in rhythm. There will be concerns about his defense, but he's got the intangibles and savvy to profile as a lite version of Jalen Brunson in the league.
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