Starting 5

Starting 5, June 24: NBA Draft Week begins

It’s that point of yr once more … welcome to NBA Draft week.

THE LINEUP 🏀

What’s inside right now’s version?

Draft Week Is Right here: The whole lot you have to know earlier than the two-day occasion begins Wednesday

Consensus Mock Draft: The highest 10 gamers throughout a compilation of on-line mock drafts

Past the Lottery: Three intriguing prospects at the moment projected after the highest 14 picks

Draft Mix Lookback: The standout gamers and measurables from this yr’s mix

Information & Notes: The most recent information with the draft simply two days away

BUT FIRST … ⏰

A rookie showdown within the W …

Reese, Sky Rally Previous Fever: Angel Reese scored 10 of her game-high 25 factors in Chicago’s 18-5 run to shut the sport because the Sky defeated the Fever 88-87 on Sunday.

  • Reese (career-high 25 pts, 16 reb) joined Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles as the one gamers in WNBA historical past to submit eight straight double-doubles – extending her rookie-record streak
  • Caitlin Clark (17 pts, franchise-record 13 ast) grew to become the tenth participant (and first rookie) in WNBA historical past to submit a 17/13 sport

1. NBA DRAFT: NEED TO KNOW

The 2024 NBA Draft offered by State Farm is simply two days away, with the Atlanta Hawks on the clock with the No. 1 total decide.

Names will likely be referred to as, goals will likely be realized and franchises will likely be ceaselessly modified.

At your fingertips is the final word information to all issues Draft. The long run begins now.

When, The place, How To Watch?

  • Spherical 1: Wednesday, June 26, 8 ET | ABC/ESPN (Barclays Middle in Brooklyn, N.Y.)
  • Spherical 2: Thursday, June 27, 4 ET | ESPN (ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York)

Want To Know

  • Expanded Two-Day Format: The NBA Draft has consisted of two rounds since 1989, however that is the primary time in league historical past that the second spherical will likely be held by itself evening
  • Extra Time Between Picks: Groups will proceed to have 5 minutes between picks in Spherical 1 however will now have 4 minutes in Spherical 2 — a rise from the normal two minutes
  • Hawks Maintain No. 1 Choose: The Hawks gained the NBA Draft Lottery regardless of holding simply 3% odds and are adopted by the Wizards, Rockets, Spurs and Pistons to spherical out the highest 5, respectively
  • The Debate For No. 1: Some Drafts include a unanimous No. 1 decide. This yr, it’s much less clear, with gamers like Alex Sarr (France), Zaccharie Risacher (France), Donovan Clingan (UConn) and Reed Sheppard (Kentucky) all within the combine, amongst others
  • Potential Historical past: Final yr’s No. 1 decide, Victor Wembanyama, didn’t play basketball at a U.S. faculty. There has by no means been an occasion of back-to-back years when such a participant was chosen first total within the Draft
  • Full 2024 NBA Draft Order: See which groups maintain every of the 58 picks on this yr’s Draft

2. CONSENSUS MOCK TOP 10: TOMORROW’S POTENTIAL STARS

NBA.com’s Consensus Mock Draft supplies a compilation of the very best mock drafts across the internet.

Faucet in to see Ben Sofa’s estimate of how the Draft might play out by combining a number of mocks to challenge every decide, or maintain studying for a fast look.

1. Alexandre Sarr | Atlanta Hawks

  • Place: F/C | Peak: 7 ft | Age: 19
  • College/Membership: Perth Wildcats (Australia)
  • A defensive standout with athleticism and a 7-4 wingspan. Can provide speedy assist as a rim protector whereas rising into a bigger function offensively

2. Zaccharie Risacher | Washington Wizards

  • Place: G/F | Peak: 6-9 | Age: 19
  • College/Membership: JL Bourg-en-Bresse (France)
  • Contending to go No. 1 total. A prolonged two-way wing with shot-making means and a really feel for the sport

3. Reed Sheppard | Houston Rockets

  • Place: G | Peak: 6-2 | Age: 19 (Freshman)
  • College/Membership: Kentucky
  • A sharpshooting guard who’s well-rounded on each ends. Shot 52.1% from 3 whereas averaging 12.5 factors, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists in his one season at Kentucky

4. Stephon Fort | San Antonio Spurs

  • Place: G | Peak: 6-6 | Age: 19 (Freshman)
  • College/Membership: Connecticut
  • A prime defender for the nationwide champion Huskies recognized for his versatility and athleticism

5. Matas Buzelis | Detroit Pistons

  • Place: F | Peak: 6-9 | Age: 19
  • College/Membership: G League Ignite
  • A sizeable wing who shines in transition and has proven flashes of capturing contact whereas possessing on-ball defensive potential

6. Donovan Clingan | Charlotte Hornets

  • Place: C | Peak: 7-2 | Age: 20 (Sophomore)
  • College/Membership: Connecticut
  • Additionally within the combine to go No. 1 total. A defensive anchor for the back-to-back NCAA champs who supplies a rim presence on each ends and is a succesful 3-point shooter

7. Robert Dillingham | Portland Path Blazers

  • Place: G | Peak: 6-1 | Age: 19 (Freshman)
  • College/Membership: Kentucky
  • An offensive weapon who excels off the dribble and has no downside creating house. Hit many high-difficulty pictures at Kentucky and went 44.4% from past the arc

8. Dalton Knecht | San Antonio Spurs

  • Place: G/F | Peak: 6-5 | Age: 23 (Fifth 12 months)
  • College/Membership: Tennessee
  • Can rating in a wide range of methods and is a sniper from deep. Performed 5 years of faculty ball and was named the 2024 SEC Participant of The 12 months

9. Ron Holland II | Memphis Grizzlies

  • Place: F | Peak: 6-7 | Age: 18
  • College/Membership: G League Ignite
  • Athletic with a relentless motor. Possesses many bodily instruments and averaged 19.5 factors, 6.7 rebounds and a couple of.9 assists per sport with the Ignite final season

10. Cody Williams | Utah Jazz

  • Place: F | Peak: 6-7 | Age: 19 (Freshman)
  • College/Membership: Colorado
  • A playmaking wing who can shoot, drive and defend a number of positions. Boasts a 7-1 wingspan and is the youthful brother of Thunder wing Jalen Williams

See the remainder of the projected Lottery picks right here.

3. THREE MORE PLAYERS GENERATING BUZZ

After we look past the consensus mock draft of the primary 14 picks, we discover intriguing prospects with various ranges of collegiate expertise and untapped potential.

Zach Edey

When Zach Edey stepped on Purdue’s campus as a freshman, he was a relative unknown. When he left Purdue as a senior, he was solely the sixth two-time nationwide participant of the yr ever.

  • The Record: Oscar Robertson (1958, 1959, 1960), Jerry Lucas (1961, 1962), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1967, 1969), Invoice Walton (1971, 1972, 1973), Ralph Sampson (1981, 1982, 1983) and Edey (2023, 2024)

Edey’s sheer dimension (7-foot-4 top, 7-10 wingspan) and talent to manage the paint on each ends – inside scoring with a gentle contact offensively, rim safety defensively and rebounding on each ends – makes him a compelling prospect for a lot of groups.

Bronny James

  • Place: G | Peak: 6-2 | Age: 19 (Freshman) | College: USC
  • Projection: fifty fifth by B/R’s Wasserman

All people is aware of the identify, however not everyone is aware of the sport of 19-year-old Bronny James.

James appeared in 25 video games for the Trojans, averaging 4.8 pts, 2.8 reb, 2.1 ast and 0.8 stl in simply over 19 minutes per sport.

His defensive quickness and instincts stood out at USC and his capturing impressed a captive viewers eventually month’s NBA Mix. The muse of a 3-and-D NBA participant is there, though his sport could require time to develop.

Kyle Filipowski

  • Place: PF/C | Peak: 6-11 | Age: 20 (Sophomore) | College: Duke
  • Projection: twenty eighth by B/R’s Wasserman

Whereas Edey is a standard in-the-paint middle, Filipowski brings a extra versatile skillset alongside along with his close to 7-foot body.

Projected as a late first spherical decide, Filipowski brings capturing vary (34.8% 3-point capturing), an bettering post-up sport (capturing 51.9% on 104 makes an attempt per Synergy), passing means (18.4% help price) and defensive versatility (1.5 blocks, 1.1 steals per sport) to the desk.

Taking part in two seasons at Duke, Filipowski brings 72 video games of collegiate expertise to assist quicken the transition to the professionals as a stretch huge.

4. IMPRESSIONS AND STATS FROM THE DRAFT COMBINE

Final month, draft prospects convened in Chicago for the annual NBA Draft Mix – a wide range of velocity and agility drills, measurements, interviews and scrimmages – to assist bolster their draft inventory.

Luke Akinsola broke down the eight gamers that stood out with sturdy showings within the Windy Metropolis.

  • Baylor Schierman (Creighton): The 6-foot-7 guard was 11-for-18 by way of two video games and averaged 13 factors, all of which have been high quality seems to be
  • Nikola Djurisic (Serbia): The 6-foot-8 participant is extremely efficient off the decide and roll as each a passer and a scorer from all three ranges. Djurisic scored 16 factors in 20 minutes in his closing scrimmage
  • Boogie Ellis (USC): Ellis impressed with 11 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 18 minutes throughout Tuesday’s scrimmage. The 6-foot guard is explosive off the bounce and may get to the rim constantly
  • KJ Simpson (Colorado): Simpson, just like Ellis, performs greater than his dimension. The 6-footer averaged 13.5 factors, showcasing his knack for ending above greater defenders and rebounded capably

  • Oso Ighodaro (Marquette): At 6-foot-9 with a robust body, he can defend a number of positions and rebound. The 21-year-old confirmed his means to set stable screens and swap onto smaller gamers
  • Coleman Hawkins (Illinois): A quintessential pick-and-pop ahead at 6-foot-10, Hawkins displayed sturdy offensive abilities and completed with 17 factors (on 6-for-7 capturing) in his closing scrimmage
  • Adem Bona (UCLA): Bona’s athleticism and imposing physique stood out. The 21-year-old Nigerian manned the dunker spot successfully, ending on the rim and defending the basket on protection
  • Jamal Shead (Houston): He measured simply 6 ft tall on the Mix, however Shead stood tall all week. Utilizing his stout body and scrappy demeanor, Shead averaged 14 factors and 5 assists

5. HOW THE HAWKS LANDED THE TOP PICK & WHAT IT MEANS

The Fundamentals: Draft Order, Format and Lottery Refresher.

  • Lottery Format: The groups eligible for the Draft Lottery have been the 14 groups that missed the 2024 Playoffs. After drawings have been carried out for the primary 4 picks, the remaining lottery groups decide in inverse order of their regular-season file (Nos. 5-14)
  • Following Picks: The Draft choices for the rest of the primary spherical (Nos. 15-30) and your complete second spherical (Nos. 30-58) are decided by reverse order of regular-season file
  • Whole Picks: This yr, there are 58 picks within the Draft as an alternative of the same old 60, because the 76ers and Suns each forfeited second-round picks for violating league guidelines
  • Most Picks: Portland and San Antonio have essentially the most picks on this yr’s Draft, with 4 apiece, adopted by 5 groups (IND, MEM, NYK, UTA, WAS) with three picks every
  • Fewest Picks: Brooklyn, the hosts of Spherical 1, has the fewest picks this yr with zero

The No. 1 Choose: What It Means For Atlanta & Different Developments.

  • The Hawks’ Historic Odds: Solely 4 groups have gained the Lottery with slimmer odds than Atlanta’s this yr (3%), with the most important longshot being Orlando at 1.52% in 1993
  • Lottery Favorites: Washington (No. 2 decide) and Detroit (No. 5) had the very best probabilities to land this yr’s prime decide at 14% every
  • Atlanta’s Second First: If the Hawks make the decide, it will be simply their second No. 1 total choice within the frequent draft period (since 1966), with their first in 1975 after they took David Thompson
  • No. 1 School Leaders: Within the frequent draft period, Duke has essentially the most first total picks with 4, adopted by Kentucky with three
  • Freshman (And French) Phenoms: A university freshman was the No. 1 total decide within the Draft for 13 consecutive years from 2010-22 earlier than the Spurs took Victor Wembanyama of France with the highest decide final yr
  • Worldwide Love: Together with Wemby, fourteen worldwide gamers have been chosen first total within the NBA Draft

Return tomorrow for an extra breakdown of the paths of the highest NBA Draft prospects.