2024 NBA Mock Draft (Version 1.0)

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on June 26th/27th and until then we will do our best to predict where everyone will get selected. Some websites do their mock drafts based on “best player available” but we try to focus on team needs: for example, if a team like Atlanta already has Trae Young at the point then they are probably not selecting a PG with the 1st overall pick. Please see our 1st round predictions below and then tweet us your comments regarding what looks good and what might need a re-pick.

#. TEAM: NAME, POSITION (SCHOOL/YEAR OR COUNTRY)
1. Atlanta: Alexandre Sarr, C (France)
2. Washington: Zaccharie Risacher, SF/PF (France)
3. Houston: Stephon Castle, PG/SG (UConn/FR)
4. San Antonio: Rob Dillingham, PG (Kentucky/FR)
5. Detroit: Matas Buzelis, SF (G-League/FR)
6. Charlotte: Reed Sheppard, PG/SG (Kentucky/FR)
7. Portland: Nikola Topic, PG (Serbia)
8. San Antonio: Donovan Clingan, C (UConn/SO)
9. Memphis: Dalton Knecht, SG/SF (Tennessee/SR)
10. Utah: Cody Williams, SF (Colorado/FR)
11. Chicago: Ronald Holland, SF (G-League/FR)
12. Oklahoma City: Tidjane Salaun, PF (France)
13. Sacramento: Ja’Kobe Walter, SG (Baylor/FR)
14. Portland: Yves Missi, C (Baylor/FR)
15. Miami: Isaiah Collier, PG (USC/FR)
16. Philadelphia: Kyle Filipowski, C (Duke/SO)
17. New Orleans: Tyler Smith, PF (G-League/FR)
18. Orlando: Devin Carter, PG/SG (Providence/JR)
19. Toronto: Jared McCain, PG/SG (Duke/FR)
20. Cleveland: KyShawn George, SF (Miami/FR)
21. New Orleans: Carlton Carrington, PG/SG (Pittsburgh/FR)
22. Phoenix: Terrence Shannon Jr., SG (Illinois/SR)
23. Milwaukee: Jaylon Tyson, SG/SF (California/JR)
24. New York: Johnny Furphy, SG/SF (Kansas/FR)
25. New York: Tyler Kolek, PG (Marquette/SR)
26. Washington: Tristan da Silva, PF (Colorado/SR)
27. Minnesota: Ryan Dunn, SF (Virginia/SO)
28. Denver: Pacome Dadiet, PF (France)
29. Toronto: Kel’el Ware, C (Indiana/SO)
30. Boston: Zach Edey, C (Purdue/SR)

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2024 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Rice F Max Fiedler

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 16th, and the draft will take place on June 26th/27th. We will spend the next several weeks interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Rice F Max Fiedler about being an Academic All-American and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in Florida: what made you choose Rice? I really liked what they had going with their program, and I had a great relationship with all the coaches. It is a world-class institution so I liked that I could play high-level basketball while also getting a great degree.

In January of 2023 you became the 1st D-1 player in a decade to have a 20-PT triple-double while shooting 85 FG%: where does that game (24 PTS/12-14 FG/13 REB/11 AST in a 7-PT OT win at UTSA) rank among the greatest all-around performances of your career? That was a very fun game: getting a road win is always nice for the team. I had a good performance that night and I am glad that things fell our way. We were shaky for the 1st 38 minutes before pulling it out in OT:

Photo credit: kenpom.com

In the 2023 CBI quarterfinals you had 22 PTS/9-12 FG/16 REB in a 2-PT loss to Southern Utah: how close did you come to pulling off the upset after trailing by 14 PTS with under 5:30 to play? We were very close! We were down by 3 at the end before Travis Evee hit a jumper with 15 seconds left to tie it, but then Tevian Jones made a fadeaway jumper with 2 seconds left to win it. That loss stung a lot.

You finished that season #1 in the nation with 73.5 FG%: what is the secret to being a great shooter? Just looking for the right opportunity to score and not forcing it. You must be aggressive and take what the defense gives you.

Last summer your school switched from C-USA to the AAC: any thoughts on conference realignment? For us it was good: the higher level of competition is good for the program, and you must change with the times and be ready to go.

You are a 3-time conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and last month you were named an Academic All-American: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom, and what the heck is mathematical economic analysis?! It is economics with more of an emphasis on data analysis/statistics. You need good time-management and always keep the main things the main things.

Your parents Tristan/Sandy rowed at Miami, your uncle Brian Bollinger played for the 49ers, your cousin Brooke Bollinger played soccer at Florida State, and your cousin Ben Bollinger played football at Air Force: who is the best athlete in the family? We have some good athletes. I will say myself…but I am sure that everyone else would disagree!

Last month you played at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: which of your fellow seniors impressed you the most (Sean East III/Aaron Estrada/DJ Horne/other)? It was a great event/experience. There are a lot of good players out there so everyone just went out and did their thing.

You are the only player in NCAA history with career stats of 1000+ PTS/1000+ REB/500+ AST/100+ STL/100+ BLK: what makes your skill set so unique, and do you think that anyone will ever match your numbers? I pride myself on being a versatile player who can score/rebound/get others involved. I had good teammates along the way who made things easier on my end. I am sure that someone will match my accolades 1 day and I will congratulate them when they do.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would be a great honor: there are a lot of good players around the world, and I just want to make my mark. If not, it is not the end-all-be-all: I am just focused on finding a good situation where I can help teams win.

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2024 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Mississippi State F DJ Jeffries

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 16th, and the draft will take place on June 26th/27th. We will spend the next several weeks interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Mississippi State F DJ Jeffries about winning an NIT title and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

In the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic you scored 7 PTS in a 7-PT win: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Anthony Edwards/Trayce Jackson-Davis/Tyrese Maxey/other)? Ant-Man played great, as did Tre Mann/Maxey/so many others.

You grew up in Mississippi and originally committed to Kentucky before deciding to attend Memphis: what was it like to be recruited by John Calipari, and why did you de-commit? Calipari is 1 of the greatest coaches of all-time so even as a 17-year-old kid I knew that it was an honor to be recruited by him. However, Memphis was more convenient for me so I decided to stay home and go there.

You started 13 games as a freshman and averaged 10.8 PPG before missing the rest of the season with a torn left PCL: how bad was your injury, and how were you able to get back onto the court? It was bad: I did not need surgery, but I was sidelined for 3-4 months, and then COVID hit around the same time. I just worked out a lot to get my knee healthy and get back onto the court. I felt that I was ready physically, but it was an adjustment mentally because it was always in the back of my mind.

In the 2021 NIT title game you had 15 PTS/5 BLK in win over Mississippi State: what did it mean to you to win a title? Even though it was not the NCAA tourney it was still great to win a title and give the school a banner to hang up in the arena. Some people do not view the NIT as anything special, but it was a great feeling to be a part of history.

That spring you decided to transfer: why did you choose Mississippi State, and was it weird to join a team who you had just defeated for a championship? It was not “weird” to me…but I can see why people might consider it a bit of an odd move. I had a lot of distractions at the time and Starkville is just a couple of hours from where I grew up. I was able to get away from home and that helped me grow/mature as a man and focus on basketball.

In the 2023 NCAA tourney you had a 1-PT loss to Pitt and in the 2024 NCAA tourney you lost to Michigan State: what is the biggest difference between the regular season and the postseason? The regular season is a feeling-out process where you can win a couple of games or lose a couple of games. In the postseason you need to focus on the little things because any 1 of them can affect the game. You have to play hard for 40 minutes because everyone is fighting for their own goal to win a title: you have to be focused and do whatever it takes to win.

The SEC will be getting 2 new members this fall in Oklahoma/Texas: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is a big deal. Those are 2 great programs so I think they will make the SEC an even better conference. It is also big for the NCAA to expand the size of the best leagues: I think the fans will be excited to see so many teams that are great at so many different sports (basketball/football/etc.).

In your 9 career games with 5+ AST your teams went 9-0: do you think it is just a coincidence or do you think that your team is unbeatable when you pass the ball more? The numbers do not lie! I guess when I am a playmaker it is good for the team. I try to look out for everyone else so when everyone eats it makes me feel better about spreading the wealth. If my team wins the game then I do not care if I go scoreless.

Your cousins Chandler/Dedric/KJ Lawson have all played college or pro basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? I would have to say myself, of course, but all those guys are unbelievable athletes. They set the foundation and I look up to them. We have built a bond over time and I am proud of each and every 1 of them.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean the world to me. Since I was a kid I have dreamed about getting to the NBA despite going through some adversity. Even if the draft does not work out, I know that God has a plan for me, be it the G-League or overseas. I will just hope for the best and if I get the opportunity then I will give it my all.

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2024 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa State F Tre King

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 16th, and the draft will take place on June 26th/27th. We will spend the next several weeks interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Iowa State F Tre King about winning the Big 12 tourney and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in Kentucky: why did you begin your college career at Eastern Kentucky? My head coach at Hargrave Military Academy was AW Hamilton. After he was named coach at Eastern Kentucky, I realized that the chance to play for him was a no-brainer.

You started 18 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I tried to be a sponge because we had a lot of older guys on the roster: I got to do a lot of observing about what I needed to do for the team to win. When my # was called I just went in and made the most of that opportunity, and before I knew it I was starting the back-half of that season.

You were a 2-time all-OVC player: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It felt good, but in the moment I was just focused on winning. It is 1 of the smallest leagues in the country and we had been having a bit of a dry spell, so my goal was to make the OVC tourney and then win it. It was nice to see all my hard work during the summer pay off: I was very grateful.

You decided to transfer after your junior year: what made you choose Iowa State? I felt that I had accomplished everything I possibly could, but also felt that I was capable of a lot more. I wanted to see how I measured up against the top talent in the country and the Big 12 is the best conference in the nation. Iowa State has a lot of history/tradition, and Hilton Coliseum is without a doubt the best arena in the country! I built a great relationship with Coach TJ. During my career at Eastern Kentucky I had to play a lot down low since I was 1 of the tallest guys on the team, and I felt that I was “put in a box”. Coach TJ saw that I was capable of a lot more and I am glad that he fully believed in me. I am very family-oriented as well and pride myself on the people I am around.

Last year you shot 51 FG%/81 FT%: what is the secret to being a great shooter? Basketball is about rhythm, and not just on offense. You just have to put the work in so that you can shoot with confidence. If you do not believe that you can make the shot, then you probably will not make it.

Take me through the 2024 postseason:
In the Big 12 tourney you won 3 games in 3 days to clinch the title: where does that magical run rank among the highlights of your career? It is up there: probably #2. Due to the way that the bracket was organized, we got the chance to face everybody that we had previously lost to in back-to-back-to-back games: Coach TJ called it the revenge tour! Iowa State is only 2½ hours from Kansas City, so the title game featured a sea of red and gold in the crowd: it felt like a home game.

You won a pair of games before a 3-PT loss to Illinois: what is the key to winning games in March? Just putting it all together. You never want to peak too early but rather hit your stride in March. There is a lot of adversity by the end of the season: injuries, people mentally checked out if they did not get enough playing time during the season, etc. The only group of people that matters is your teammates so you need to have camaraderie. It is called “March Madness” for a reason, where anything can happen, so you want to avoid going down in infamy.

Your father played basketball at Drake: who is the best athlete in the family? I think me! It is cool to hear stories about him: I remember seeing his jersey around the house when I was growing up. We almost ended up playing Drake in the 2nd round…but they lost to Washington State by 5 PTS.

You played at the 4-spot in college: do you think that you can make the adjustment to playing at the 3-spot in the pros? I was a physical guy/finisher at EKU in the low-post. At Iowa State we had a lot of great perimeter players, but you cannot just always take jump shots: Coach told me to take the role of finisher. Given my height/weight I know that I can play on the perimeter, but there are a lot of differences from playing down low so I need to move a lot more, practice my ballhandling, etc. I am definitely capable of doing it so I am focusing on my perimeter play and am excited for the challenge of changing positions. I pride myself on having a high basketball IQ so I am not worried about it at all.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean everything! Every kid growing up has the dream of hearing their name called, putting on the team’s hat, shaking the Commissioner’s hand, etc. It would mean a lot to me and my family, but if I do not get drafted then I will just keep working. If I get the opportunity to play in the NBA, then I will be there for a while.

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2024 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Stanford G Michael Jones

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 16th, and the draft will take place on June 26th/27th. We will spend the next several weeks interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel commences our coverage by chatting with Stanford G Michael Jones about being a great 3-PT shooter and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in Minnesota: why did you decide to begin your college career at Davidson? It was the 1st/only visit I took. I felt a great connection with the guys/coaches/school and it was perfect for me.

In the 2022 NCAA tourney you scored 8 PTS in a 1-PT loss to Michigan State: how close did you come to pulling off the upset? That is 1 that I wish we could have back: we had a lead in the 2nd half but they made a run at the end. We were very close: I thought we had a decent chance to make a good run that year.

Why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Stanford (becoming the school’s 1st transfer player since 2009)? It was a multitude of things that led to me transferring: the chance to go to grad school, see new horizons, etc. It was a good decision and Stanford stood out to me in terms of the academics.

You scored a career-high 31 PTS in your Stanford debut against Pacific, which is the highest-scoring debut ever by a Stanford player: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I felt good that night. We were missing some guys (including Spencer Jones) but I was able to get going early and maintain that throughout the game. I also got to the FT line a lot (10-12).

You are 6’5” but have a 7-foot wingspan: how much of an advantage is your length on the court? It is a very big advantage. I can be active on defense, use different passing angles, and shoot over defenders.

You are a career 39.4% 3-PT shooter: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? There is not any secret: it is just about getting reps in the offseason and during the season. You need to take good shots and have the confidence to make them.

You are a 2-time Academic All-American: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? College students have an immense amount of time on their hands. Extra-curriculars cut into that time, but I try to allocate it well so that I can do what is needed to succeed in class.

Your school will be joining the ACC this summer: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is going to be weird seeing teams like Cal/Stanford in the ACC. There are good and bad parts: travel will be tough but it will lead to some better competition with top-tier opponents every week.

Coach Kyle Smith was named 2024 conference COY at Washington State: how do you think he will do as the new Cardinal coach (replacing your former coach Jerod Haase)? I have talked to Coach Smith a couple of times and seen him in the gym with the guys. I think they will do a great job next year and hopefully be successful.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? Being drafted would be a life-defining moment…but it is not do-or-die. I have faith that my basketball career will continue so I am just looking forward to it.

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Storming the Court: HoopsHD interviews Paul Kelly about the Christopher Ledlum/Jordan Dingle Lawsuit

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Jon Teitel

Last Friday the law firm Jackson Lewis filed a complaint for injunctive relief in the Supreme Court of the State of New York against the NCAA due to its denial of waiver for an extra year of eligibility for 2 St. John’s basketball players (Christopher Ledlum/Jordan Dingle). The 2 former Ivy League players had their entire 2020-2021 seasons canceled due to the conference’s concerns around COVID. While the NCAA has granted 1 more year of eligibility for student-athletes who played in 2020-21, it did not give this opportunity to players who sat out that year. The complaint alleges that the NCAA has violated multiple state statutes in New York and restricted these players’ ability to receive NIL money and prepare to play at the next level (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D5QqGMlO9oR70p64J1zh6Oq2WJ9sv2Sq/view). Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel interviewed Paul Kelly, chairman of the Jackson Lewis Collegiate and Professional Sports Industry Group, about the lawsuit.

Why did you file this lawsuit? This lawsuit is challenging the NCAA’s decision not to extend to these two grad students, who previously attended Ivy League institutions (Ledlum at Harvard and Dingle at Penn), the same one-year restoration of eligibility due to COVID that was granted to athletes in other Division I conferences.

It sounds like the 2 players are being penalized even though they did not do anything wrong? These two student-athletes were unable, through no fault of their own, to play basketball during their sophomore season since the Ivy League cancelled all winter sports during the 2020-21 academic year. They were forced to sit and watch while other D-I conferences continued with all or part of their winter seasons, despite COVID. To add insult to injury, the student-athletes who had a chance to participate in athletics during the COVID year received and extra year of eligibility, while student-athletes from conferences that shut down their seasons were not afforded similar treatment. This decision by the NCAA is unreasonable and highly unfair to student-athletes from the Ivy League, and other similarly situated conferences that elected not to play during COVID.

What would you like the court to do? Chris Ledlum and Jordan Dingle should not be denied a fifth year of eligibility, and they have a strong desire to play for St. John’s University where each is each presently attending graduate school.

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