2024 Draft Prospect Write-Ups: Wing Forwards
TIER 1:
Zaccharie Risacher / JL Bourg (France)
Height/Wingspan: 6’9” / 6’10”* (Unofficial measurement)
Rookie Season Age: 19
Player Type: Catch & Shoot Weapon / Transition Athlete / Toolsy Defensive Project
Game Reminds Me Of: Jerami Grant / Keegan Murray
A smooth athlete with plus positional size, Risacher's production as an 18-year-old in France’s top professional league has been highly impressive. He’s one of a few players firmly in the mix to be the #1 overall selection in the 2024 draft.
Risacher’s lead offensive skill is his shooting ability. He connected on 38.7% of his three-point attempts this season, and he confidently seeks out his jumper both off the catch and the dribble. He has a high release that is only further aided by his height, and he gets his shot off with ease. Risacher makes quick decisions attacking closeouts, rarely letting the ball stick, and he has an impressive first step on his drives. He’s definitely an off-ball player at this point in his career, as he hasn’t yet showcased pick-and-roll craft, or the ability to consistently beat his man in isolation. However, he’s a proficient straight-line driver, and he excels in transition. His handle is good enough to make him a grab-and-go threat, and his speed and timing running the wings for layups and dunks pops on film. He might not be a truly elite athlete by NBA standards, but he finishes well above the rim off one foot.
Defensively, Risacher is advanced from an IQ and off-ball positioning standpoint, and he plays very hard. His competitiveness on-ball is noteworthy, and his combination of size and activity is a problem for smaller players trying to attack him. He can get a bit overly aggressive on the perimeter, which leads to a few too many fouls, and he’s not yet strong enough to play with the low center of gravity he’ll need to be a standout point of attack defender. That lack of strength also shows in his mediocre rebounding numbers (6.2 per 36 minutes), and I would expect him to have some trouble muscling up with bigger wings early in his NBA career. However, on the whole, Risacher’s instincts and work ethic give him a pretty high defensive floor, and I believe he’ll be a solid multi-positional defender, if maybe not a #1 stopper on the wing.
It’s pretty hard to imagine that Risacher won’t be an effective NBA player given his highly sought-after profile as a modern 3&D forward. His ceiling is somewhat capped by his lack of obvious on-ball creation ability, and although that could continue to improve, his All-Star path probably requires his shooting to develop to the point of top-tier quality. Nevertheless, this is the type of player that an organization should feel relatively safe gambling on, because his median outcome should be very high.
Projected NBA Role: Priority Starter
NBA Upside: All-Star
2. Cody Williams / Colorado
Height/Wingspan: 6’7” / 7’1”
Rookie Season Age: 20
Player Type: Slashing Rim Attacker / Multi-Positional Defender
Game Reminds Me Of: Ousmane Dieng / Jaden McDaniels / Jalen Williams
The younger brother of current Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams, Cody is an extremely intriguing player. His 7’1” wingspan makes him an obviously high-ceiling defensive prospect, but he’s got more offensive juice than immediately meets the eye as well.
On a Colorado team that featured multiple ball-dominant upperclassmen, Williams played a supporting role on the offensive end (20.8% usage). However, Williams’ scoring ability as a driver and closeout-attacker made him an efficient second-side offensive player (62.0% true shooting). Because he plays too straight up and his handle is a bit loose, it’s easy to overlook Williams’ skill level at first glance. However, the more I watched, the more I was impressed by the advanced level of his drive game, where he uses his length to be a very effective finisher. Williams also has a very nice feel for his floater game, and his touch from the upper paint area is noteworthy for a player his age. Although he’s not an overwhelming athlete vertically, he has very good contact balance that should only improve as he gets stronger, and I believe he’ll be able to generate more free throw attempts than the typical player of his profile. Williams is also a creative passer with good vision off his drives, and his ability to navigate the lane and set up his big men for easy baskets stood out to me.
One negative for Williams is his complete lack of a pull-up jumper or mid-range game outside of his floaters: He’s purely a two-level scorer at this point. While he made 41.5% of his threes this past season at Colorado, he shoots a set shot that may not ever effectively translate to off-the-dribble shooting. I believe he’ll be a quality catch-and-shoot player who requires the defense's attention when he’s spotting up on the perimeter, but it’s hard to envision the jumper being a weapon that he can deploy when creating his own shot.
Although I’m probably higher on his offense than consensus, defense is still the side of the ball that makes Williams a priority prospect. He has the potential to be an elite on-ball stopper, as he plays very hard, fights through screens extremely well for a player his size, and swallows up ball handlers with his length. He should be an immediate asset defending multiple positions, and he’ll only get better as he gets stronger and more experienced. Williams is definitely more impactful on-ball than off at the moment, as his lack of rebounding (3.8 reb. per 36 min.) is concerning and he doesn’t have amazing awareness as a help defender. However, he should improve in those areas as he gets more high-level reps, and his on-ball prowess gives him the baseline of a potential impact defender.
Projected NBA Role: Priority Starter
NBA Upside: Fringe All-Star
TIER 2:
3. Dalton Knecht / Tennessee
Height/Wingspan: 6’6” / 6’9”
Rookie Season Age: 23
Player Type: Movement Shooter / Shot Creator
Game Reminds Me Of: Bogdan Bogdanovic / Mike Miller / Michael Porter Jr.
Knecht had a long journey to the national spotlight, starting his career with two years in junior college, and then another two at Northern Colorado, before transferring to Tennessee for his final season. Once he finally got his chance at high-major college basketball, Knecht took full advantage, earning consensus 1st-team All-American honors as one of the premier shooters and scorers in the country.
Knecht is a very confident offensive player, with deep shooting range off both the catch and the dribble. He’s an excellent off-ball mover, both to free himself up from beyond the arc and as a cutter to the rim. He’s adept at using off-ball screens, with a great understanding of how to leverage the defense’s aggression against them. Knecht has the ability to create on the ball as well, as he’s an explosive leaper (39-inch max vertical jump) who plays above the rim. He’s not particularly shifty laterally with the ball in his hands, but he attacks closeouts well in straight lines, and he uses ball screens effectively to get going downhill. He plays with good balance once he gets into the paint, and has a variety of ways to score over the defense even if his initial drive gets cut off. He’s also adept at generating contact (6.7 FTA per 36 min.), and strong enough to finish through size and physicality. Knecht has demonstrated some passing vision out of pick and roll, but there’s no question that he’s looking to score first, second and third. That’s not to say he’s a selfish player: He sees the floor pretty well, and I think he’ll be more willing to be a ball mover with more talent around him in the NBA. However, he’s not the type of lead offensive engine who I would anticipate dicing teams up via the pass.
Knecht has all the physical tools to be at least adequate defensively, but he needs to play harder, and dedicate more mental energy and focus to that side of the ball. Knecht got away with some bad habits at the college level because he’s intelligent, but there are definitely times on his film when he completely loses track of his man, or gets blown by as a result of poor effort. However, Knecht has a mean streak that he always brings to the offensive end, and when he engages that defensively, he can definitely hold his own. I don’t think he profiles as a plus defender, but he should be able to guard his position well enough to avoid being an obvious target.
Knecht’s film from his senior season at Tennessee is better than any other player in this position group, but he’s also going to turn 24 shortly after the end of his rookie season, which makes his upside difficult to project. His shooting ability gives him a certain floor, but I also believe he’s a good enough athlete for his on-ball creation ability to port over, at least to some extent. Assuming that’s true, there’s no reason to believe that Knecht won’t be a clear value-additive piece on the offensive end in the NBA.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Starter
NBA Upside: Fringe All-Star
4. Ron Holland / G-League Ignite (USA)
Height/Wingspan: 6’7” / 6’10”
Rookie Season Age: 19
Player Type: Slashing Rim Attacker / On-Ball Initiator
Game Reminds Me Of: R.J. Barrett / Caris LeVert
The #2 overall recruit in the high school class of 2023, Holland was once considered one of the favorites to be the #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. While his stock has dipped a bit since then following an up-and-down season for G-League Ignite, Holland’s mix of size, on-ball ability and athleticism makes him a high-upside prospect.
One of the first things that stands out on Holland’s tape is his physicality, which was particularly impressive given that he spent this past season playing at the pro level at just 18 years old. Holland bullies smaller defenders at the rim, and he seeks out contact on his drives, although he hasn’t quite mastered the craft of foul-drawing at this point in his career. He’s also a high-level leaper off one foot, and he has the potential to be an on-ball weapon in transition.
Holland’s shooting ability is a major concern, as he connected on just 24.0% of his 3.7 3FG per 36 minutes in the G-League. Beyond the statistics, his release is low and his mechanics are inconsistent, and Holland also looks tentative letting it fly. Defenses dared him to take jumpers by going under ball screens, and he wasn’t able to make them pay with any level of consistency. Additionally, while Holland has passing chops out of pick and roll and off his drives, he also has a tendency to hold on to the ball and bring the offense to a grinding halt. He makes life more difficult on himself by failing to make quick drive/pass decisions, allowing the defense to load up to him.
Holland’s defense is very much a mixed bag. On one hand, he has the potential to be an absolute menace on the ball, as his quick hands and impressive physical profile led to him averaging 2.6 steals per 36 minutes. However, he has a tendency to gamble and lose positioning too easily, and his lack of awareness off the ball was obvious on film. He may be the type of wing defender who shines in some noteworthy on-ball matchups, but struggles to consistently provide positive value overall.
My concern with Holland is that even if he hits his top-end outcome, he’ll be more of a floor raiser than a seamless fit on a top-level team, due to his weaknesses away from the ball on both ends of the court. There’s still inherent value to being even a moderately efficient shot creator, but if he fails to reach that level, the bottom could fall out on him faster than some of the other players who will be picked around him.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Starter
NBA Upside: Fringe All-Star
TIER 3:
5. Matas Buzelis / G-League Ignite (USA)
Height/Wingspan: 6’10” / 6’10”
Rookie Season Age: 20
Player Type: Versatile Defender / Supplementary Rim Protector / Athletic Finisher
Game Reminds Me Of: Deni Avdija / Andrei Kirilenko
Like Holland, Buzelis was considered one of the top high schoolers in the class of 2023 before he decided to forego college and spend the ‘23-24 season with G-League Ignite. Buzelis has an unorthodox profile, but there are definitely some intriguing aspects to his game.
Buzelis is an above-average athlete, especially for a player of his height. He can elevate above the rim for some huge finishes, and he’s pretty fast in straight lines. He has a solid handle and decent footwork as a driver, which allows him to be effective attacking closeouts. However, he struggles to create lateral separation off the bounce, and he plays very straight up. As a result, I don’t think he projects to be an on-ball creator, but he’s a willing ball-mover and he sees the floor adequately as a driver and in transition.
Especially because he projects to play almost entirely off-ball, Buzelis’ shooting is a concern. He canned 26.1% of his triples this past season, and attempted just 3.9 per 36 minutes. He has a high release, but it’s very mechanical and slow: You can almost see Buzelis thinking through each step of his form as he works into his shot. I think he should develop into a capable catch-and-shoot guy from the corners, but he’s probably not going to be somebody who the defense is particularly worried about from beyond the arc, particularly above the break.
Working in Buzelis’ favor is that he profiles defensively as a player who could excel at the power forward position, which mitigates his shooting weaknesses, at least to some extent. Buzelis’ secondary rim protection ability popped on film: He has great timing as a help defender, and he gets off the floor very quickly, which allows him to contest more shots on-ball than you might expect. I worry that his relatively small wingspan (6’10”) limits his ability to truly thrive defensively in the NBA, but between his movement skills and 38-inch vertical leap, I think he’ll be a plus in some form or fashion.
Projected NBA Role: High-End Reserve
NBA Upside: Priority Starter
6. Justin Edwards / Kentucky
Height/Wingspan: 6’7” / 6’10”
Rookie Season Age: 21
Player Type: Low-Usage 3&D Glue Guy
Game Reminds Me Of: Kelly Oubre / Robert Covington
Edwards had an underwhelming statistical season at Kentucky after coming in as the #3 overall recruit in the high school class of 2023, which I think might be part of the reason why he’s much lower on consensus draft boards than he is for me. Expecting Edwards to be a star will probably leave you disappointed, but I believe he profiles as the type of support piece that every NBA team desperately needs.
Edwards has very fluid left-handed shot mechanics, and he aggressively hunts his shot off the catch. You’d like to see him cut some of the mid-range pull-up jumpers out of his game, but that should be drilled into his head at the NBA level. At the same time, he’s not terribly inefficient off the dribble, and it’s still a useful skill to be able to attack a closeout or come off a handoff and score without getting all the way to the rim. Edwards has basically zero on-ball reps on his college film, and while part of that is due to how many ball-dominant guards were on Kentucky’s roster, I don’t expect Edwards to ever be a pick-and-roll initiator or isolation playmaker. However, he’s a good off-ball mover and cutter, and he requires defensive attention when he’s spotting up because of his shooting.
Edwards’ athletic testing at the combine is the part of his profile that gives me the most pause: His 32.5-inch max vertical leap and 12.07 lane agility time are both extremely poor. However, when I watch him on film, he appears to be a better athlete than the numbers would indicate. The lateral movement is a little slow, but he competes on the ball and his screen navigation was promising. Edwards also showcased good help instincts, and he’s active and disruptive in passing lanes. His lack of rebounding (5.7 reb. per 36 min.) might limit his ability to play the four, but I think he’ll be able to defend most shooting guards and small forwards, as well as some perimeter-oriented power forwards.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Starter
NBA Upside: Priority Starter
7. Johnny Furphy / Kansas
Height/Wingspan: 6’8” / 6’8”
Rookie Season Age: 20
Player Type: Catch & Shoot Weapon / Versatile Defender
Game Reminds Me Of: Simone Fontecchio / Nicolas Batum / Dean Wade
Furphy had a slow start to his freshman year at Kansas, but he worked his way into the Jayhawks’ starting lineup in mid-January, and his production skyrocketed down the stretch of the season. As a result, he’s been steadily rising up draft boards after starting as a relative unknown at this time last year.
Furphy has consistent shot mechanics with a fluid, high release that project well to the next level. He hasn’t quite progressed to being a true movement-shooting weapon, but I expect Furphy to be an above-average catch-and-shoot threat at the small forward position. Some of his best offensive film comes in transition, where he has a nice feel for running the wings and allowing his straight-line speed to get him easy buckets at the rim. Furphy didn’t show much of any on-ball ability at the college level, and I wouldn’t project him to be a primary or even secondary shot creator. While he’s not a playmaker, he is a good connective ball-mover, and he largely makes the right reads on the perimeter.
Defensively, Furphy’s neutral wingspan and lack of elite athleticism are limiting factors. However, he moves his feet better than you might expect, which allows him to at least be competitive on the ball. He’s generally in the right spots as a help defender as well, although again, the physical tools are probably going to prevent him from being highly impactful as a supplementary rim protector. Furphy is an above-average rebounder (7.3 reb. per 36 min.) and an excellent outlet passer, both of which represent his overall feel for the game.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Starter
8. Tristan da Silva / Colorado
Height/Wingspan: 6’9” / 6’10”
Rookie Season Age: 23
Player Type: Movement Scorer / Catch & Shoot Weapon
Game Reminds Me Of: Kyle Kuzma / Santi Aldama / Danilo Gallinari
A German native, da Silva emerged over his final two seasons at Colorado as one of the top shooters and scorers in the country. He’s an older prospect, but there’s a polish to his offensive game that should be appealing to teams looking for a more ready-made player in this draft.
da Silva was highly productive from beyond the arc last season (39.7% 3FG), and he has both clean shot mechanics and range that extends well beyond the college three-point line. However, the part of his offensive game that impressed me the most was how well he moves off the ball. His understanding of how to leverage his defender when running off screens was excellent, and his timing as a cutter was almost as good. While he has some on-ball creation ability, his knack for creating easy buckets for himself by doing his work before the catch showcases an advanced understanding of how to score. da Silva also uses head fakes and footwork to his advantage, and he was highly effective from the post and mid-post when matched up with a smaller defender. While he can attack closeouts in straight lines, he’s not a lateral space creator off the bounce. He did some work as a pick-and-roll ball handler at Colorado, and does a decent job of snaking ball screens and working to a mid-range jumper, but his handle looked a little loose to me, particularly in the open floor. da Silva’s not going to be a primary playmaker as an on-ball initiator, but he’s a willing connective ball-mover, and a very good post entry passer.
The defensive side of the ball is where things get a bit dicey for da Silva. He plays hard, and he’s smart, but I have major concerns about his strength and physicality, particularly given that he’s already 23 years old. He actually moves his feet decently well in isolation, but he’s going to struggle at the point of attack because of that lack of strength, and his inability to consistently work through ball screens. There’s a good chance his best NBA position ends up being the four, but he’s also not a great rebounder, which amplifies his imperfect defensive fit.
Projected NBA Role: High-End Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Starter
TIER 4:
9. Pacome Dadiet / Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Height/Wingspan: 6’8” / 6’9” * (Unofficial measurement)
Rookie Season Age: 19
Player Type: Catch & Shoot Threat / Toolsy Upside Defender
Game Reminds Me Of: James Jones / Otto Porter Jr.
A French native who spent this past season playing in Germany, Dadiet might not be ready to make an impact in the NBA right away. However, his long-term profile should be highly intriguing to a number of teams.
Dadiet is a confident and aggressive three-point shooter, attempting 5.5 threes per 36 minutes for Ratiopharm Ulm. He hunts his jumper off the dribble and gets very good elevation, and his repeatable form off the catch flashes some possible movement-shooting upside in his future. Although he’s not an explosive athlete, Dadiet is a good cutter and off-ball mover for a young player, which allows him to collect some easy baskets around the rim and in transition. Most of Dadiet’s limited shot creation reps from this past season resulted in contested mid-rangers: He doesn’t create much separation off the dribble, and he doesn’t profile to me as an on-ball contributor at the next level.
Defensively, Dadiet bothers ball handlers with length and size, and he moves his feet well enough to hold his own against threes and fours. He’s very active off the ball, which sometimes results in him overextending himself as a help defender, but that can be improved with more experience at the pro level. I would expect his steal and block rates to improve as he gets a better understanding of high-level team defense, because the energy and engagement away from the ball is there for Dadiet.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Reserve
NBA Upside: Priority Starter
10. Kyshawn George / Miami
Height/Wingspan: 6’8” / 6’10”
Rookie Season Age: 21
Player Type: Catch & Shoot Weapon / Secondary Shot Creator
Game Reminds Me Of: Jordan Nwora / Kyle Anderson
You might be wondering how a player could possibly be reminiscent of both Jordan Nwora and Kyle Anderson, so let me explain. George has the explosive and versatile shooting ability of Nwora, but his extremely slow yet surprisingly effective on-ball pace can only be compared to Anderson. It’s an unorthodox offensive style, but it grew on me the more film I watched of him.
George’s production from beyond the arc as a freshman at Miami was very impressive, as he connected on 40.8% of his 6.6 three-point attempts per 36 minutes. George has a fluid release and very deep range both off the catch and the dribble, although like everything else in his game, his release is both slow and a bit low. He’s not an explosive athlete nor particularly quick, but he does have some on-ball ability because he’s got a plus handle, and he uses body positioning very well on the drive. He’s also a heady passer who sees the floor well with his height and ability to consistently play under control. I don’t think he’ll be able to consistently get to the basket due to his athletic limitations, but if he becomes a dynamic shooter off the dribble, he could be a sneakily effective pick-and-roll initiator.
George’s height and length are both assets on the defensive end, and his advanced feel for the game allows him to be positioned correctly off the ball more often than not. However, he’s slow laterally, and he struggles to make up ground once he gets beat off the dribble. He could be the type of defender who uses his size and wingspan to corral ball handlers effectively (like Anderson), but that requires a lot of nuance. More likely, George is going to be a liability on the perimeter and not quite strong enough to hang on the interior, at least early in his career.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Starter
11. Kevin McCullar / Kansas
Height/Wingspan: 6’6” / 6’9”
Rookie Season Age: 23
Player Type: Versatile Perimeter Defender / Secondary Shot Creator
Game Reminds Me Of: Jaime Jaquez / Justin Jackson
If you’ve watched any college basketball over the last five years, you’re probably familiar with McCullar, who starred at Texas Tech for three seasons before transferring to Kansas for his last two. He excelled in his super senior season, leading the Jayhawks in scoring while earning 1st-team All-Big 12 honors.
McCullar’s best offensive skill is his well-roundedness. He’s not a dynamic athlete or driver, but he has good footwork, he’s strong, and he’s an above-average passer. While he was overburdened as a lead shot creator at Kansas, he should be able to handle the occasional on-ball rep in the pros due to his foul-drawing and moderately efficient three-level scoring prowess, and his ability to grab-and-go should be an asset in transition. The three-point shot is probably what will ultimately determine McCullar’s NBA ceiling. I believe he’ll be more effective as a shooter once he’s no longer asked to take as many difficult attempts off the dribble as he was at Kansas. On the other hand, his shot is mechanical and somewhat awkward-looking, and for his college career, McCullar shot just 30.9% from three on nearly 400 total attempts.
On the defensive end, McCullar uses his sturdy frame and plus wingspan very well, and he competes extremely hard. He’s not an exceptional lateral athlete, but he makes up for it with instincts and timing: I think he’ll be an on-ball asset against most perimeter players, save for maybe the quickest guards. McCullar is also disruptive in passing lanes and posted impressive steal totals in all five of his college seasons. He’s probably a little too small to be super impactful at the rim, but I have no doubt about his ability to pick up an NBA defense and execute his assignments right from day 1 in the pros.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Starter
12. Dillon Jones / Weber St.
Height/Wingspan: 6’5” / 6’11”
Rookie Season Age: 23
Player Type: On-Ball Playmaker / Versatile Perimeter Defender
Game Reminds Me Of: Dillon Brooks / Jae’Sean Tate / Josh Hart
Jones has been an exceptionally productive college player over the past four years, albeit at a mid-major school in Weber St. The ‘23-24 Big Sky Conference Player of the Year, Jones led his team in points, rebounds and assists per game in each of the past two seasons.
Jones has a very tight handle for a wing, and a sturdy frame that he understands how to use to his advantage. He plays below the rim, but he can finish with both hands, and he uses his plus wingspan to protect himself from shot blockers with a host of reverse and up-and-under moves. He doesn’t create a tremendous amount of lateral separation, but he uses his body to knock defenders off-balance and power through them, both to score from the field and to draw fouls. While his style has been very effective for him at the college level, I worry that he’ll struggle to be the same physical scoring force in the NBA that he was in the Big Sky. Jones is fairly confident hunting with his mid-range jumper off the dribble, but his hesitancy increases from beyond the arc, particularly off the catch. He’s a career 32.0% three-point shooter, and while that might improve with a cleaner shot diet, I’m skeptical of his ability to be anything beyond merely adequate as a catch-and-shoot player in the NBA.
Jones has some impressive assists on his film, and he can definitely create shots for his teammates out of both pick-and-roll and isolation. However, he likes to pound the ball, and most of his playmaking creation comes out of his own initiation, rather than quick decisions as a ball mover. Because I believe he’ll be far less effective as an on-ball scorer in the NBA than he was in college, I’m not sure his passing ability will have the chance to be on full display at the next level.
I’d probably have Jones graded lower based purely on his offensive outlook, but his defensive potential keeps him amongst this tier. He utilizes his impressive combination of length and strength very well on the ball, and when he gets his body into the ball handler, he becomes a true problem at the point of attack. He finished his college career with 208 steals in 119 total games played, and I think that level of defensive playmaking will translate. He’s not quite as impressive as an off-ball help defender, but Jones is an elite defensive rebounder, averaging at least 9.8 rebounds per game in each of his three seasons as a starter in college.
Projected NBA Role: Quality Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Starter
TIER 5:
13. Nikola Đjurišić / KK Mega Basket (Serbia)
Height/Wingspan: 6’8” / 6’8”
Rookie Season Age: 20
Player Type: Slashing Playmaker
Game Reminds Me Of: Keldon Johnson / Leandro Bolmaro
Đjurišić is an aggressive, slashing wing who posted impressive counting statistics this past season in Serbia. He’s a bit of a loose cannon on the court, but he’s also highly talented and has some real upside if he can streamline his game as he gets more experienced.
Đjurišić is an on-ball attacker with solid burst in a straight line. He has a good handle for a player his size, and his court vision leads to some impressive passing, although he is definitely turnover-prone. He draws a lot of contact (6.2 free throw attempts per 36 minutes), and he’s at his best as a scorer in transition or when he gets all the way to the rim. He gets good elevation on his mid-ranger and he’s an aggressive shooter off the dribble, but his efficiency as a jump shooter has been poor so far. While his shot is a bit of a line drive, I don’t think his shooting mechanics are broken by any means. If he can play on balance with more consistency and improve his shot selection, I think he’ll be better from beyond the arc than he was with Mega this past season (30.5% shooting on 4.4 3PA per 36 minutes).
On the defensive end, Đjurišić is a good lateral athlete who can keep the ball handler in front of him in isolation. He’s also pretty strong and fairly physical for a young wing: I don’t expect him to get embarrassed by NBA size and quickness. At the same time, his neutral wingspan is a bit of a concern, and his off-ball awareness wasn’t spectacular. I don’t foresee Đjurišić being a liability at the three, but I doubt he’s going to have a ton of positional versatility or be an impact help defender.
Projected NBA Role: Rotational Reserve
NBA Upside: Quality Reserve
14. Baylor Scheierman / Creighton
Height/Wingspan: 6’7” / 6’8”
Rookie Season Age: 24
Player Type: Movement Shooter / High-IQ Distributor
Game Reminds Me Of: Joe Ingles / Georges Niang / Sam Hauser
Scheierman is one of the best pure shooters in the class, connecting on nearly 38% of his 8 3PA per game this past season at Creighton. He has a quick, high release that he needs very little time and space to get off, and he has range that extends well outside of the college three. He is comfortable coming off screens and handoffs and firing on the move, and while it’s not his strength, he will get them up off the dribble as well. He’s also a value additive passer, particularly via post entry feeds and accurate outlets of his defensive rebounds that help spark transition breaks. He utilizes strength and footwork to score off his drives, but he’s not a vertical athlete who can play above the rim. Despite his limitations as a leaper, Scheierman is pretty fast in a straight line, which allows him to be an effective lane-runner in transition.
In addition to his age (24 in his rookie season), defense is probably the major limiting factor for Scheierman’s upside. His strength is an asset, as is his IQ and awareness, and he’s an excellent defensive rebounder. However, he’s going to struggle with quickness and athleticism on the perimeter, and I think he’ll be targeted in isolation. His rebounding might allow him to slide down and play the four with regularity, but he offers nothing as a supplementary rim protector (0.1 blocks per 36 minutes). Scheierman’s clearest path to a consistent NBA role probably relies on him being such an asset on the offensive end that a team is willing to work around his defensive flaws.
Projected NBA Role: Rotational Reserve
NBA Upside: High-End Reserve
15. Trentyn Flowers / Adelaide 36ers (Australia/New Zealand)
Height/Wingspan: 6’7” / 6’8”
Rookie Season Age: 19
Player Type: Transition Athlete / 3&D Project
Game Reminds Me Of: K.J. Martin / Derrick Jones Jr.
The #18 overall recruit in the high school class of 2023, Flowers spent this past season in Australia, where he saw inconsistent playing time. In spite of his uninspiring production, he remains intriguing due to the flashes of athleticism and upside that pop on his film.
Flowers is a big-time vertical athlete (42-inch max vertical leap) who plays well above the rim. He had a few very impressive moments as a transition finisher, and he generally runs the floor well and plays with plus energy. He was an aggressive shooter off the catch in the half-court, and he was moderately efficient from beyond the arc (35.7% 3FG). He gets good elevation on his jumper and has a high release, but his shot can be a bit of a line drive, which leads to some wonky misses. He has a loose handle as a driver, and his rim attacks were generally a bit of an adventure. I don’t think Flowers has on-ball potential, but if he can channel his athleticism and learn how to time cuts and charges to the rim for offensive rebounders, he could be a menace around the rim.
Flowers plays hard on the defensive end, but he’s very raw. He overextends himself and commits far too many fouls on the ball, and he can lose track of his position quite easily when he’s off the ball. He also plays too straight up, which leads to wasted steps and a tendency to get beat off the dribble more frequently than his movement skills dictate that he should. However, he’s a good enough athlete that his plus motor is a solid baseline for an organization to work with, and there’s a real possibility that some seasoning and experience is all he needs to be an multi-positional asset.
Projected NBA Role: G-League/2-Way
NBA Upside: Quality Reserve