{"id":72523,"date":"2024-04-15T11:11:53","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T15:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=72523"},"modified":"2024-04-15T11:11:53","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T15:11:53","slug":"2024-nba-mock-draft-3-0-post-march-madness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/15\/2024-nba-mock-draft-3-0-post-march-madness\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Post March Madness"},"content":{"rendered":"

NBA mock drafts are always fun to produce because of their volatility and reliance on projection. The 2024 NBA Draft<\/a> class has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride. It\u2019s been almost universally considered one of the\u00a0weaker draft classes<\/a>\u00a0we\u2019ve seen in recent memory. Even still though, there are certainly impact players to be found for fans\u2019 favorite teams.<\/p>\n

With March Madness complete and the NBA regular season one game away from completion, scouts should have a better feel for prospects. A lot can still change over the coming months of course, and this will be true for the draft order of teams as well. This mock is based on the final NBA standings.<\/p>\n

2024 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Post March Madness<\/h2>\n

1) Detroit Pistons: Zaccharie Risacher<\/h3>\n

With the first pick of our NBA mock draft, the Pistons select Zaccharie Risacher<\/a>. Risacher is a six-foot-nine French wing with a lot of upside. Risacher\u2019s stock has been consistently high as of late due to his high percentage three-point shooting.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also shown great value as a secondary playmaker to go along with his \u20183-and-D\u2019 wing archetype. This archetype makes his floor somewhat safe, and there\u2019s still a lot of untapped potential in his athleticism and physical growth. For the Pistons, Risacher fits their biggest need being a wing who can shoot the ball from the perimeter.<\/p>\n

2) Washington Wizards: Alexandre Sarr<\/h3>\n

Alexandre Sarr<\/a>\u00a0is extremely mobile for his size, standing at a lanky seven-foot-one with a seven-foot-five wingspan. He\u2019s already NBA-ready on the defensive end blocking shots and using his length and mobility on the perimeter. This easily projected defensive skill set puts him in number one conversations in a draft class with many uncertainties.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s still a ton of upside for teams to be excited about as well though. This is especially true on the offensive end where he\u2019s flashed intriguing face-up game and perimeter shooting.<\/p>\n

3) Charlotte Hornets: Ron Holland<\/h3>\n

Ron Holland<\/a>\u00a0is a six-foot-eight wing who played with the\u00a0G-league ignite<\/a>. Due to the Ignite\u2019s awful season and inconsistent scoring numbers, many cooled on Holland as a top prospect. While he didn\u2019t have the most consistent performance, Holland still can impact the game on both ends. His NBA-ready size and athleticism at six-foot-eight should translate well to filling different roles for any NBA team.<\/p>\n

This is why the Hornets take him at three in this NBA mock draft given the departure of PJ Washington<\/a>. If the ball handling and shooting can start to better trend upward, he\u2019s one of the few in this class with the possibility of star potential.<\/p>\n

4) Portland Trailblazers: Matas Buzelis<\/h3>\n

The Trailblazers have a stockpile of young talent at the point and shooting guard positions. They also have another pick at 14 allowing them to bet on the upside of Matas Buzelis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scouts and fans alike were frustrated throughout the season with Buzelis’ lack of consistent aggression or big-game performances. His flashes are very bright though, and it can be argued that he has the highest upside in class. Buzelis is a six-foot-ten wing with polished offensive skills. He can shoot it at all three levels and is a fluid athlete in space. He\u2019s also shown some promise as a weakside shot blocker. If he puts it all together, he can become a special player.<\/p>\n

5) San Antonio Spurs: Rob Dillingham<\/h3>\n

This is the perfect fit for Rob Dillingham<\/a>\u00a0to have success early. His size and defense will cause concern this high in the draft, but San Antonio has the infrastructure to cover his weaknesses.<\/p>\n

Dillingham is a twitchy scorer who plays with a lot of flash. The major concern for Dillingham coming into the season was exactly what role he could fill at the next level. Was he a \u2018spark-off-the-bench\u2019 microwave scorer? Can he play true point guard? Dillingham answered these questions by mostly proving he can succeed at whatever role is needed. Once firmly in the rotation at Kentucky, he thrived with just about any lineup on the floor. This consistency and versatility combined with big scoring outings have him in the top five on many NBA draft boards. He\u2019s been able to dish out assists, handle point guard responsibility, or even become an explosive scorer if that\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n

6) Toronto Raptors: Reed Sheppard<\/h3>\n

The long-term future for the Raptors is still somewhat uncertain. With that in mind, the Raptors select Reed Sheppard<\/a> here at six for this NBA mock draft. Sheppard is a solid bet to be a long-time NBA contributor.<\/p>\n

Sheppard was another surprise to draft boards and wasn\u2019t expected to be one of the top prospects above other teammates at Kentucky. He\u2019s only six-foot-three and doesn\u2019t possess elite athleticism, but he\u2019s shown that he can be a lethal shooter<\/a>\u00a0and high-IQ passer. He also has shown he\u2019s an extremely adept team defender averaging a ridiculous 2.5 steals per game. Sheppard established himself as a top player on a loaded Kentucky team when not many expected him to. There\u2019s more than enough reason to believe he\u2019ll accomplish the same thing for an NBA team when finding a role.<\/p>\n

7) Memphis Grizzlies: Stephon Castle<\/h3>\n

Stephon Castle<\/a> really helped himself in postseason play having won the national championship. Castle’s a tall lead guard at six-foot-six. His physical tools allow him to be either a point guard with good size or a wing with good ball-handling ability. Castle has also shown he can compete on the defensive end of the floor. His defensive excellence in the postseason fits the gritty Memphis playstyle perfectly. He was consistently tasked with shutting down the opposition\u2019s best guard or wing. If he can figure the jump shot out, he could become a steal or move higher on NBA draft boards.<\/p>\n

8) Utah Jazz: Nikola Topic<\/h3>\n

Nikola Topic<\/a>\u00a0is a Serbian six-foot-six point guard who can run the show and is currently\u00a0playing internationally<\/a>. Topic could allow rookie standout Keyonte George<\/a> to play off-ball. He would also be an excellent pick-and-roll partner for Walker Kessler<\/a> and John Collins<\/a>. Topic sustained a knee injury in early January and has yet to return to play, causing him to slide. He\u2019s not an explosive athlete, but his craft and playmaking ability more than make up for it. Topic can be the jumbo-sized point guard that is becoming a trend in the NBA.<\/p>\n

9) Houston Rockets (Via Nets): Cody Williams<\/h3>\n

Cody Williams<\/a>\u00a0rose to number one pick conversations before a rough backend of the season leveled out his stock. He\u2019s a six-foot-eight slender wing in his freshman season at Colorado this year. Williams is the younger brother of starting rising star\u00a0Jalen Williams<\/a> of the\u00a0Oklahoma City Thunder. He\u2019s a smooth and fluid athlete who looks to have a very polished all-around game for his age. Scouts were disappointed by his affinity for mediocre performances however as he never exploded or took over a game. Young wings with production and upside like Williams are usually always at the top of the draft though.<\/p>\n

10) Atlanta Hawks: Donovan Clingan<\/h3>\n

This NBA mock draft sees the Hawks draft Clint Capela<\/a> insurance at number 10, and an excellent pick-and-roll partner for Trae Young<\/a>. Donovan Clingan<\/a>\u00a0is a seven-foot-two big man in his\u00a0sophomore season\u00a0with the\u00a0Huskies. Clingan won his second national championship this season and was dominant throughout the tournament. Clingan has a clear projected role as a frontcourt anchor on the defensive and offensive side of the ball. He has great shot-blocking ability and is a good play-finisher on the interior. There are questions about his overall fit in the modern NBA, but there\u2019s reason to believe he can be elite in set roles.<\/p>\n

11) Chicago Bulls: Ja’Kobe Walter<\/h3>\n

With\u00a0Zach Lavine<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0DeMar DeRozan\u2019s<\/a> future uncertain, the Bulls select Ja\u2019Kobe Walter<\/a> out of Baylor. It\u2019s an easy buy-in process when analyzing Walter’s skillset. He\u2019s long, athletic, and can shoot the three-ball at a high clip. He can also use this length and athleticism to be effective on the defensive end. This 3-and-D archetype makes Walter one of the safer bets in this draft. Or does it?<\/p>\n

Walter shot at lower percentages in the back half of the season and had some underwhelming performances on defense. He isn\u2019t the strongest in the self-creation department, so his stock is solely based on that 3-and-D role. He will need to re-confirm particular worries regarding his defense and consistent shooting in the draft process. However, he’s\u00a0much younger than other prospects available at this spot so he gets the nod.<\/p>\n

12) Oklahoma City Thunder (Via Rockets): Kyle Filipowski<\/h3>\n

The Thunder seem to be bought into having every position be able to space the floor. They also prefer prospects who do multiple things well. Kyle Filipowski<\/a> is a seven-foot big man with good perimeter skills. In his sophomore season at Duke\u00a0Filipowski showed much better percentages and overall play. His shooting touch and fundamentals for his size certainly all pass the eye test. He also showed better foot speed on defense and some positive playmaking this season. Filipowski will hope to be a steal for the Thunder at 12.<\/p>\n

13) Sacramento Kings: Dalton Knecht<\/h3>\n

The Kings would be thrilled to see Dalton Knecht<\/a> fall into their laps at 13. Knecht put up big-game performances seemingly every night as he took the college world by storm. He’s a six-foot-six wing who\u2019s a great perimeter shooter and also goes for big dunks when given a runway. His movement shooting ability sprinkled in with highlight dunks is very similar to a later-career Terrence Ross<\/a>. Knecht has also shown value as a cutter making him a good off-ball role player. Role players will be valued in this draft, and his overall ability is very similar to former King Bogdan Bogdanovic<\/a>. Currently, Knecht isn\u2019t the best lateral mover on defense, but there\u2019s reason to believe he will be serviceable. Knecht was one of the most exciting prospects to watch this season also winning SEC Player of the Year.<\/p>\n

14) Portland Trailblazers (Via Warriors): Tidjane Salaun<\/h3>\n

For this NBA mock draft, the Trailblazers double up on high-upside wings in taking Tidjane Salaun<\/a>. At first glance, teams will be reminded a lot of\u00a0Michael Porter\u2019s<\/a> athletic profile. Salaun is a lanky six-foot-ten wing who has shown a clean shooting strike combined with solid athleticism. Shooting the three-ball at the high percentages made Salaun\u2019s draft range very wide. He\u2019s still a project pick in most eyes but he flashed enough to suggest he may be further along in his development than previously believed.<\/p>\n

15) Miami Heat: Isaiah Collier<\/h3>\n

The Heat take Isaiah Collier<\/a> as the best available on the board at this point. Collier is a prospect some have soured on, but it\u2019s not quite the time to bail on him as a top prospect. Collier is a big and physical point guard listed at six-foot-five and 210 pounds. He uses size as well as solid athleticism when finishing at the rim, and he can be a floor general on offense. Collier will need to show better perimeter shooting and become less turnover-prone to stabilize his stock on NBA draft mocks and boards. His bulldog mentality makes him an ideal fit for Heat culture.<\/p>\n

16) Orlando Magic: Jared McCain<\/h3>\n

The Magic should value three-point shooting wherever they end up picking in the draft. Jared McCain<\/a>\u00a0has had an excellent freshman season for Duke. He\u2019s had several big performances and has been a consistent performer throughout the year. What\u2019s really contributed to McCain\u2019s rise however is his three-point shooting combined with solid perimeter defense. He shot 41.4 percent from deep on just under six attempts per game. McCain\u2019s ability as a \u20183-and-D\u2019 connector guard draws comparisons to\u00a0Donte DiVincenzo<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0De\u2019Anthony Melton<\/a>. Both are a little taller or have more length than McCain, but the roles and playstyles are very similar.<\/p>\n

17) Toronto Raptors (Via Pacers): Yves Missi<\/h3>\n

Yves Missi<\/a>\u00a0has quickly ascended many draft boards in his freshman season at Baylor. He\u2019s a seven-foot big man who\u2019s a fluid mover and provides an instant defensive impact. He will hope to fill the coveted big man role in today\u2019s game that\u2019s a shot blocker and pick-and-roll play finisher. His game is eerily similar to\u00a0Clint Capela<\/a>\u00a0who\u2019s made a living getting rebounds, catching lobs, and blocking shots.<\/p>\n

18) Los Angeles Lakers: Devin Carter<\/h3>\n

This pick is projected to the Lakers due to rumors that the Pelicans will defer the 2o24 pick in favor of the Lakers’ 2025 selection. With that in mind, the Lakers select Devin Carter<\/a> out of Providence. Carter will hope to be a taller version of Pelican\u2019s fiery defensive point guard Jose Alvarado<\/a>. While Carter may not be the fastest or most athletic, he makes up for it with physicality and energy. Carter stands at six-foot-three and tries to keep constant pressure as an on-ball defender.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also adept as a team defender chasing through screens for steals. He was seen as streaky on offense, but he\u2019s had big scoring outings that may give teams confidence. Carter won\u2019t be asked to run the show as much as he does at Providence, and a defined role could lead to a very productive rotation player.<\/p>\n

19) Philadelphia 76ers: Kel’el Ware<\/h3>\n

The 76ers select Kel\u2019el Ware<\/a> to play alongside or behind Joel Embiid<\/a>. Ware was a sophomore transfer playing at Indiana this season. Standing at seven-foot-one and containing elite athleticism for his size, Ware shines on the defensive end blocking shots as well as a lob-dunk finisher. He will hope to fill the Dereck Lively<\/a>\u00a0role in this NBA draft class. While there are questions about his motor, he does clearly possess NBA traits.<\/p>\n

20) Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyler Smith<\/h3>\n

Tyler Smith<\/a> is a smooth lefty forward at six-foot-ten with good mobility. He moves like an NBA wing and has a smooth release on his shooting stroke. Smith still needs to show that he possesses an elite trait or gain a defined role to rise up draft boards. His plus shooting and mobility at the forward position will give the Cavaliers lineup versatility.<\/p>\n

21) Phoenix Suns: Bobi Klintman<\/h3>\n

Bobi Klintman<\/a> left Wake Forest after this past season in favor of the NBL in Australia. At six-foot-nine, Klintman has an intriguing skillset as a combo forward with a clean shooting stroke. He\u2019s shown enough with his live ball handle to intrigue scouts as well. Klintman is a prospect who could rise up draft boards following good showings in private workouts or the combine. For this NBA mock draft, the Suns fall in love with his versatility and upside.<\/p>\n

22) New Orleans Pelicans (Via Bucks): Zach Edey<\/h3>\n

Zach Edey finally comes off the board. Edey’s archetype as a big with no perimeter game and limited mobility usually doesn\u2019t bode well for an illustrious NBA career. He\u2019s a seven-foot-four giant though whose sheer production has placed him on NBA draft boards. He averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game as a senior. This included a 37-point performance in the national championship game against UConn. If he can prove his shot blocking and length are enough to make up for a lack of mobility, an NBA team will be very intrigued.<\/p>\n

23) Milwaukee Bucks (Via Pelicans): Kyshawn George<\/h3>\n

With no guarantees in the backend of the first round, the Bucks select Kyshawn George<\/a> for this NBA mock draft. George has been a late riser to NBA draft boards mostly due to upside and a coveted archetype. George is a six-foot-eight jumbo guard who\u2019s shown playmaking upside combined with great shooting ability. He shot the ball at 40.8 percent from three on just over four attempts per game. Someone with playmaking and shooting ability at six-foot-eight always makes scouts excited. George came onto draft boards late however as he had to find his place on a talented Miami team. His role and playing time fluctuated throughout the season, but he began to find his rhythm in conference play. Similar to Furphy, George could return to school to secure higher draft positioning next year.<\/p>\n

24) New York Knicks: Tristan Da Silva<\/h3>\n

Tristan Da Silva<\/a>\u00a0is a combo forward who plays the game the right way and does a lot of things well. At six-foot-nine, he shot 39.5 percent from the perimeter and is a solid team defender. Scouts\u2019 main concern with Silva will be his athletic limitations. He might be a tweener with no true position, but he\u2019s proved he can affect the game in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n

25) New York Knicks (Via Dallas): Johnny Furphy<\/h3>\n

It’s never a bad idea to add more shooting to a roster, and the Knicks could use it. Johnny Furphy<\/a>\u00a0is a freshman sharpshooting wing at Kansas, standing at six-foot-nine. Scouts do have questions about Furphy\u2019s athleticism and ability to compete on the defensive end. There also doesn\u2019t seem to be much upside in shot creation, but Furphy has shown decent playmaking as a connecting distributor. Furphy has earned his way into a starting key contributor as a freshman on a good Kansas team. Six-foot-nine wings who can really shoot the ball are always worth looking at in the back of the first round. Furphy will feel out the pre-draft process as he will have a decision to make on whether or not to return to school.<\/p>\n

26) Washington Wizards (Via Clippers): Pelle Larson<\/h3>\n

Pelle Larsson<\/a>\u00a0fits what you like to see in complimentary role players at the next level. He can shoot the three ball, is a willing defender, and has good athleticism at six-foot-six. He also played this \u20183-and-D\u2019 role at Arizona willingly. This means there won\u2019t be much upside or creation for scouts to evaluate, however. On the right team though, he could be the\u00a0Christian Braun<\/a>\u00a0of this draft class.<\/p>\n

27) Denver Nuggets: Ryan Dunn<\/h3>\n

The Nuggets get incredible value in this NBA mock draft by taking Ryan Dunn.<\/a> Dunn is one of the more special defensive prospects<\/a> we\u2019ve seen in a long time. He clearly projects to have a specific role at the next level as a defensive ace for any team. Dunn\u2019s a six-foot-eight forward with elite mobility and athleticism. The problem is his offensive game is virtually nonexistent in every area, which keeps him outside the lottery on NBA draft boards. If he proves he can become competent offensively, he will be a steal.<\/p>\n

28) Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin McCullar<\/h3>\n

Kevin McCullar<\/a>\u00a0was a superb defender for the highly-ranked Kansas Jayhawks squad. At six-foot-six, he has the size and defensive instincts to match up with a lot of guards and wings in the NBA. He\u2019s also flashed some ability to be a kind of point forward this season, having multiple triple-doubles under his belt. He\u2019s a fifth-year college player, so he will be very old for a rookie. He still may be able to contribute immediately though if given a defined role.<\/p>\n

29) Utah Jazz (Via Thunder): Jaylon Tyson<\/h3>\n

Jaylon Tyson<\/a>\u00a0had a breakout year after transferring to California this year. He nearly averaged 20 points per game and shot the three-ball at 36 percent on 4.5 attempts. This explosion has placed him on NBA draft boards after struggling to find success in college. At six-foot-seven, he has NBA traits on the wing. While he may play in a \u20183-and-D\u2019 type of role early in his career, he has the creation ability to provide playmaking.<\/p>\n

30) Boston Celtics: Oso Ighodaro<\/h3>\n

The Celtics draft big man depth with Oso Ighodaro<\/a> here. Ighodaro is yet another player who will hope to fill a clear role at the next level. He\u2019s a six-foot-ten big with good athleticism and can defend multiple positions. He\u2019s not going to try and take jump shots but has flashed a really good floater around the rim. He\u2019ll be a good pick-and-roll partner for any guard on a team that drafts him. In a draft that has so many question marks, players like Ighodaro have an advantage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NBA mock drafts are always fun to produce because of their volatility and reliance on projection. The 2024 NBA Draft class has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride. It\u2019s been almost universally considered one of the\u00a0weaker draft classes\u00a0we\u2019ve seen in recent memory. Even still though, there are certainly impact players to be found for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4972,"featured_media":73415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[556,1608,62],"tags":[1566,3116,1080],"class_list":["post-72523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba-draft","category-basketball","category-nba","tag-draft-profile","tag-nba-draft-prospect","tag-nba-mock-draft"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4972"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}