The Best Names Still On The Board Ahead Of Round Two
With round one complete, take a look at the best prospects still available ahead of the second round
1- Juan Nunez
Juan Nunez is my favourite prospect in the 2024 class. I currently have him ranked fourth overall on my board.
Nunez is undoubtedly one of the best passers in the world, at any level. He sees the game like no other prospect in recent memory. His IQ is unmatched. He is able to split defenses apart, and find guys in their spots when even they didn’t know they were open.
He is one of the best guards when it comes to attacking the rim, too. He uses his rare core strength to body his way through the defense and score through contact. He has also shown the ability to score by way of floaters and runners.
The major question mark with Nunez is his jumpshot. While he is yet to display a consistent pull-up and spot-up game, he has flashed the ability to shoot of the catch, which is a promising sign towards his development.
2- Kyle Filipowski
He’s 6’11, yet doesn’t play a lick of defense by NBA standards, can’t score efficiently at the rim, and is an overrated floor spacer. Filipowski has the physical tools to have a great career in the league, his skills just need to develop to match that. I can see why NBA teams are feeling stingy about awarding him a first round picks guaranteed contract.
Despite this, there are positives to his game that will draw interest from NBA front offices. He can handle the ball at a high level considering his size. He has the ability to both see and make good passes out of the post. While I did say he was an overrated floor spacer, he has undoubtedly shown flashes from beyond the arc and may develop into a good shooter one day.
3- JaeDon LeDee
it’s largely LeDee's versatility that has lead to his success this past college season. He has the ability to bully and conquer smaller opponents around the basket, but he is also capable of scoring from the mid-to-high-post, courtesy of his face-up and pull-up prowess.
Furthermore, his ball-handling abilities enable him to efficiently attack from the outside, frequently drawing fouls and resulting in trips to the free throw line. At 23 years old and one of the oldest prospects in the draft, I would assume any team that selects him to be closer to contending than not. He is NBA rotation-ready right now.
4- Justin Edwards
Justin Edwards is a slick lefty with the frame and skillet of an NBA wing. Because of this, and especially because of his ability to play on the perimeter, there's no doubt he has what it takes to be selected as the number one choice in the NBA Draft of 2024. Given how crucial scoring wings and positional size have become in the modern NBA, at least one player of his mould gets selected early in the draft each year.
Edwards can create opportunities with the ball in his hands in addition to his demonstrated effectiveness off the ball. One of the main reasons he is adaptable and ought to work in almost any lineup going ahead is because of this. A player of his size rarely has the capacity to produce for himself as well as Edwards does. He has excellent speed and fluidity when changing directions when moving with the ball.
Edwards can score on his own and create mismatches, and he projects to be a decent knockdown shooter as well. He has the ability to stop on a dime and loves to pull up in the midrange to shoot over his opponent. It will be fascinating to watch if he changes the base of his jumper to something more square at Kentucky or if he sticks with the offset feet, which are placed left closer to the hoop than right.
5- Johnny Furphy
In today’s NBA, having the right size and shooting ability is highly prized. Furphy possesses both the height and release point necessary to shoot over defenders. What sets him apart is his exceptional shooting mechanics and a jumper that promises great success in the future.
But Furphy isn’t just a shooter, he’s also skilled at handling the ball.
This versatility allows him to do more than just stand and shoot; he can dribble and find his way to the perfect spots on the court. Whether it’s a midrange shot or a shot from beyond the arc, Furphy has the talent to shoot accurately while on the move. Overall, his ball-handling skills are remarkably smooth for a player of his size, and he knows how to make the most of his length on the court.