NEWSLETTER
The NBA Playoffs are just about to begin, so it sure feels like a perfect time to look at another 2024 NBA Mock Draft! With the non-playoff teams essentially set and the Lottery odds falling into place, let’s run through another 1st Round preview.
How Does the NBA Draft Lottery Work
Following the conclusion of the season, the NBA uses a lottery system to decide the first 14 picks in the draft order.
Before we look at the draft order, here’s how the NBA Draft Lottery system works:
Also, the NBA shares the footage of the lottery drawing after each draft. You can watch the 2023 procedure here.
Current 2024 NBA Draft Lottery Odds
Although these odds will change daily, as of this writing these are the current 2024 NBA Draft Lottery odds for the No. 1 overall pick via Tankathon.
- Detroit Pistons (14-68): 14%
- Washington Wizards: (15-67): 14%
- Portland Trail Blazers: (21-61): 13.3%
- Charlotte Hornets: (21-61): 13.2%
- San Antonio Spurs (22-60): 10.5%
- Toronto Raptors (25-57): 9.0% (Spurs own pick, Top-6 protected)
- Memphis Grizzlies (27-55): 7.5%
- Utah Jazz (31-51): 6.0% (Thunder own pick, Top-10 protected)
- Brooklyn Nets (32-50): 4.5% (Rockets own pick)
- Atlanta Hawks (36-46): 3.0%
- Chicago Bulls (39-43): 2.0%
- Houston Rockets (41-41): 1.5% (Thunder own pick)
- Sacramento Kings (46-36): 0.8%
- Golden State Warriors (46-36): 0.7%% (Blazers own pick, Top-4 protected)
2024 NBA Mock Draft
1. Detroit Pistons – F/C Alexandre Sarr – Perth, France – 18 Years Old – 7’1, 218 lbs
Sarr has a lot of similar traits to Victor Wembanyama. To be clear, that is not to say he’s anywhere near the prospect Wemby was – he isn’t – but the playing style and physical traits are similar. He’s over 7 feet tall and has the athleticism to do a little bit of everything on the court.
2. Washington Wizards – PG Nikola Topic – Red Star, Serbia – 18 Years Old – 6’6, 201 lbs
Topic is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. He can overpower smaller defenders and blow by bigger bodies. He struggles on the defensive end of the floor, but his offensive upside is fantastic. He can finish in traffic, he’s a great passer, and he’s a dangerous shooter. He feels like a lock to go somewhere within the top 5.
3. Portland Trail Blazers – SF Zaccharie Risacher – JL Bourg, France – 18 Years Old – 6’9, 204 lbs
Risacher is one of the more polarizing players in the draft. Some projections have him going as high as first overall. He can be a lethal shooter from the wing and is your typical three-and-D player that every NBA team covets.
4. Charlotte Hornets – G Reed Sheppard – Kentucky – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 187 lbs
Sheppard shot an amazing 52.6 percent from three-point range last year at Kentucky. With LaMelo Ball in the fold, Charlotte doesn’t necessarily need a lead guard. But adding a high-upside sharpshooter who can also bring something to the floor defensively never hurts!
5. San Antonio Spurs – SF Matas Buzelis – G League – 19 Years Old – 6’11, 195 lbs
He suffered an ankle injury that kept him off the floor early in the season, but after coming back and getting comfortable, Buzelis showed why he’s likely to be a lottery pick. He is versatile on offense, though his ball handling needs some work. Defensively, he’s capable of guarding multiple positions. He won’t be a top option offensively early in his career, but his catch-and-shoot ability gives him quite the high ceiling.
6. Toronto Raptors – G Stephon Castle – UConn – 19 Years Old – 6’6, 190 lbs
Castle showed throughout the NCAA Tournament just how good he can be. He’s a matchup nightmare defensively for guards. He has very good ball-handling skills and can finish strong at the rim. While there are some questions about his jumper, there is enough there to instill confidence in his ability to become a reliable threat. Overall, there is A LOT to like with Castle as a two-way player, and he could end up going even higher than this on draft night.
7. Memphis Grizzlies – SF Cody Williams – Colorado – 19 Years Old – 6’8, 185 lbs
Brother of OKC’s Jalen Williams, Cody can also do a little bit of everything. Defensively, he can guard just about any position. Offensively, he’s dangerous in transition, a great finisher at the bucket, and a very good catch-and-shoot player. He’s got a chance to make an immediate impact wherever he ends up.
8. Utah Jazz – G Rob Dillingham – Kentucky – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 176 lbs
Dillingham can beat you in so many different ways offensively. He can get to the hoop, finish at the rim, find the open man, and get hot shooting the ball. He’s a versatile guard who showed special flashes at Kentucky but might need some development time in the NBA. He’s not an awful defender, but not particularly noteworthy on that end either.
9. Houston Rockets (via BKN) – SF/PF Ron Holland – G League – 18 Years Old – 6’8, 200 lbs
Holland has some incredible athleticism and all the physical traits you could want in an NBA Draft lottery pick. He can contribute defensively right away, but offensively he likely will need a little bit of time to grow and develop. If he can maximize his potential on the offensive end, he’ll be a very dangerous player.
10. Atlanta Hawks – SG Ja’Kobe Walter – Baylor – 19 Years Old – 6’5, 180 lbs
Walter is a high-level shotmaker and has the ability to be a dangerous threat offensively. Inconsistency plagued him at Baylor at times, but that’s an issue a lot of teenagers in college battle through at times. He’s got a very high ceiling and could be a really nice fit with a Hawks roster that might undergo a few changes this offseason.
11. Chicago Bulls – F Dalton Knecht – Tennessee – 22 Years Old – 6’6, 213 lbs
Knecht had a fantastic season with Tennessee and took the Vols farther than they’ve been able to go in the NCAA Tournament in recent history. He proved he can score in different ways, but his biggest asset is his shot-making. He shot just a tick under 40 percent from three on the year and nearly carried the Vols by Purdue in the Elite Eight with a 37-point performance. If Zach LaVine is headed elsewhere for Chicago, Knecht could make a lot of sense in Chicago.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via HOU) – C Donovan Clingan – UConn – 19 Years Old – 7’2, 265 lbs
Cling Kong is coming off an amazing NCAA Tournament run and was impressive guarding Zach Edey in the National Championship game. Clingan is a monster defensively, and he’s shown enough ability to finish around the rim offensively. He’ll likely never be a massive threat on the offensive end, but he can play with the best of the NBA’s bigs defensively and can make an immediate impact on that end. In a league dominated by players like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, high-end rim protection is becoming a necessity.
He could be the perfect last piece of the puzzle for a young and thriving OKC team.
13. Sacramento Kings – C Kyle Filipowski – Duke – 20 Years Old – 7’0, 248 lbs
Unlike Clingan, Filipowski is more of a modern-day center. He’s versatile offensively, can shoot the three, and also led Duke in rebounding last season. His size and offensive skill will likely be too tempting for one of the lottery teams to pass up on.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via GSW) – G Isaiah Collier – USC – 19 Years Old – 6’4, 205 lbs
Collier can do just about everything. He’s a two-way player that impacts both ends of the floor. He’s dangerous driving with the basketball and can get to the bucket in a hurry. His shooting from three can use some consistency, but his ability on both ends of the floor guard gives him a pretty high floor it would seem.
15. Miami Heat: G Terrence Shannon Jr – Illinois – 23 Years Old – 6’6, 220 lbs
16. Orlando Magic: F Tidjane Salaun – Cholet Basket, France – 18 Years Old – 6’9, 203 lbs
17. Toronto Raptors (via Pacers): G Jared McCain – Duke – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 197 lbs
18. New Orleans Pelicans: (via Lakers): C Yves Missi – Baylor – 19 Years Old – 6’10, 235 lbs
19. Philadelphia 76ers: F Ryan Dunn – Virginia – 21 Years Old – 6’8, 216 lbs
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: PG Devin Carter – Providence – 21 Years Old – 6’3, 195 lbs
21. New Orleans Pelicans (via Bucks): F Tyler Smith – G League – 19 Years Old – 6’11, 224 lbs
22. Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans): F Bobi Klintman – Cairns, Sweden – 20 Years Old – 6’10, 225 lbs
23. Phoenix Suns: C Kel’el Ware – Indiana – 20 Years Old – 7’0, 223 lbs
24. New York Knicks (via Mavericks): G Kevin McCullar – Kansas – 22 Years Old – 6’6, 210 lbs
25. New York Knicks: DaRon Holmes II – Dayton – 21 Years Old – 6’10, 221 lbs
26. Washington Wizards (via Clippers): G Hunter Sallis – Wake Forest – 21 Years Old – 6’5, 185 lbs
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: PG Tyler Kolek – Marquette – 23 Years Old – 6’3, 195 lbs
28. Denver Nuggets: F Oso Ighodaro – Marquette – 21 Years Old – 6’9, 225 lbs
29. Utah Jazz (via Thunder): G Johnny Furphy – Kansas – 19 Years Old – 6’9, 202 lbs
30. Boston Celtics: C Zach Edey – Purdue – 22 years Old – 7’4, 300 lbs
