College basketball season is officially in high gear. Although NBA prospects are more than ever dispersed amongst leagues that aren’t under the NCAA umbrella, there are still plenty of top players to look for.
At this point in the year, many freshmen on this list will receive attention. Freshmen prospects are easier to project on draft boards as scouts love youth, especially when picking in the lottery.
Let’s look at the top 10 NBA prospects competing in college basketball this season.
2024 NBA Draft Top Prospects: College Basketball (NCAA)
1) Isaiah Collier: USC (#1)- Freshman
Isaiah Collier is the consensus top NBA prospect in college basketball right now. The number one overall recruit coming out of the 2023 class, Collier chose to take his talents to USC.
Collier is a big, physical point guard listed at six-foot-five and 210 pounds. This gives him above-average size for the position, even at the NBA level. He’s heralded as a do-it-all guard who can affect the game in various ways. He can score in transition or the half court, be a playmaker for others, and compete at any guard spot defensively.
2) Justin Edwards: Kentucky (#1)- Freshman
Justin Edwards is a six-foot-eight guard capable of playing either wing spot on the floor. Edwards is part of a highly touted freshman class at Kentucky this season. At this point, however, he does project as the top NBA prospect on the current roster.
Edwards is a smooth lefty with high-end athleticism and good shooting ability at all three levels. He combines this base ability with flashes that also show the upside to create for himself. Edwards will want to show this season that he can be a versatile and competitive defender while improving in the playmaking department (both realistic goals given his size and skill). If he can accomplish this, he will make a real push at being a top-five pick.
3) Stephon Castle: UCONN (#5)- Freshman
Stephon Castle is a six-foot-six lead guard who will play for the defending national champions in the UCONN Huskies. Castle is a highly touted NBA prospect because his physical tools allow for flexibility in his positioning. He can be a point guard with elite size or a wing with elite ball-handling ability.
NBA teams will be looking to see if the shooting prowess and self-creation flashes from high school continue to show up in college, but this challenge should be made a lot easier, given Castle is playing on one of the best teams in the country.
This is especially true given that Castle’s marquee big man for the season is also on this list.
4) Tyrese Proctor: Duke (#5)- Sophomore
Tyrese Proctor is a six-foot-five guard looking to have a huge uptick in production during his sophomore season at Duke. Proctor had a solid freshman year where he showed flashes of high-end shooting ability, ball handling, and even some defensive acumen.
Scouts will be looking for Proctor to turn those flashes into consistent production this season and show more of a killer instinct on the floor. Proctor’s draft profile at its floor still seems to be in good shape, however. He’s shown enough to be proven as a high-level pick-and-roll creator on offense. As a top sophomore NBA prospect, he will be looking to make a big splash this season.
5) Donovan Clingan: UCONN (#32)- Sophomore
The seven-foot-two and 265-pound Donovan Clingan is expected to have somewhat of a breakout year with the Huskies. This projected breakout campaign will be attributed to a huge minutes increase from last season. Clingan saw center Adama Sanogo depart to the NBA along with two other former teammates (Jordan Hawkins/Andre Jackson Jr.).
The Huskies are still in good shape, though, with the additions of prospects such as the aforementioned Castle. Clingan will now shine as the new frontcourt centerpiece. With increased minutes, NBA scouts will want to see Clingan maintain the same defensive production and high field goal percentage as last season.
He still projects as a relatively safe prospect to fill the role of front-court anchor for any team.
6) Ja’Kobe Walter: Baylor (#4)- Freshman
The six-foot-five freshman Ja’Kobe Walter currently projects as an off-ball guard at the next level. He’s a top NBA draft prospect with smooth perimeter shooting, great length, and athleticism.
In a draft full of question marks, the mold of Walter should feel like a safe bet for teams. He projects as a high-end 3-and-D player and should appeal to many teams in the lottery. If Walter can back up this archetype with good percentages and a solid season at Baylor this year, he should feel good about hearing his name called very early on draft night.
7) D.J. Wagner: Kentucky (#21)- Freshman
D.J. Wagner is a six-foot-three aggressive point guard who competes on both ends of the floor. Wagner is at his best when using his elite speed and quickness to pressure opposing defenses. He also frequently parlays this style into making plays for others.
In what can be seen as a crowded Kentucky lineup, NBA teams will look at what role fits Wagner best. Is he a point guard that can lead an offense? Does he need the volume shooting attempts he’s accustomed to in order to be effective? Consistencies in his jump shooting will also play a major role in his stock. With a high basketball pedigree and no lack of competitiveness, though, Wagner should be primed for a solid season at Kentucky.
8) Aday Mara: UCLA (#15)- Freshman
Aday Mara is a seven-foot-three, slender big man who will play his freshman season at UCLA. After having a successful FIBA career in Spain, he is looking to cement himself as a legitimate top NBA prospect. Mara has an extremely high feel for the game and combines this with great finishing ability on the block, using various moves. You will see him frequently make ‘no-look’ or behind-the-back passes in the post or from the top of the key. He also combines this offensive polish with a seven-foot-seven wingspan and good timing ability that allows him to block shots and be an effective deterrent around the rim.
The main concern for Mara in the eyes of NBA scouts is his lack of high-end mobility. This is especially worrisome on the perimeter when it comes to the defensive end. Scouts will want to see how Mara defends the pick-and-roll and the perimeter when it comes to players who will almost always be quicker or faster.
9) Elmarko Jackson: Kansas (#13)- Freshman
Elmarko Jackson is a six-foot-three explosive guard who is another blue-chip recruit entering his freshman season with the Kansas Jayhawks. Jackson’s best traits are his elite athleticism and on-ball defense. This archetype does allow him to project as a safe rotational player on the wing at his floor.
To truly unlock his draft potential, however, Jackson will need to show some offensive polish and prove to be a capable threat from the perimeter. Just how much opportunity Jackson gets to work on these things will also be a point of interest. Kansas is projected to have one of the best teams in the country and may have a crowded rotation.
10) Garwey Dual: Providence (#3)- Freshman
Garwey Dual is a sleeper in many draft circles, as the six-foot-five guard is somewhat of a project prospect. However, even with this current view, he has certainly been garnering first-round buzz.
Dual is extremely shifty with the ball in his hands and has a ton of upside when it comes to self-creation. He also boasts a six-foot-ten wingspan that allows him to wreak havoc defensively. He’s adept at playing on and off the ball in passing lanes and gaps.
The project part of Dual’s game mainly lies within his offensive consistency and having a defined role. He’s currently seen as a streaky shooter with no true position. He’s got the ball-handling ability to be a point guard but currently lacks the feel. He has the size and creation to be a shooting guard, but he lacks consistent shooting.
If Dual can show consistency in his freshman season at Providence, expect to see him rocket up draft boards.
