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Beginning in 2024, the NBA Draft moved to a two-night format, with the second round separated from the first. While that schedule could shift the second night viewing into a "diehards-only" mode, it does provide for an extended time period of evaluation when it comes to the players who were not chosen within the first 30 picks.
As with any draft, talented players remain on the board after the first 30 picks, and the list of high-level NBA contributors selected in the second round is quite lengthy. That includes Nikola Jokić, Jalen Brunson, Ivica Zubac, Isaiah Hartenstein, Daniel Gafford, Nic Claxton, Mitchell Robinson, Dillon Brooks, Herb Jones, Andrew Nembhard, Ayo Dosunmu, Bruce Brown, Georges Niang, Malcolm Brogdon, Norman Powell, Jerami Grant, Jordan Clarkson, Tre Jones, and many more.
In this space, we'll highlight five players worthy of early consideration in the second round, with the Minnesota Timberwolves currently controlling the board with the No. 31 overall pick.
Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joseph's
Fleming improved every season at St. Joseph's, making his way into first round consideration after a junior year in which he averaged 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Then, Fleming turned heads by measuring at taller than 6-foot-8 without shoes and with a crazy 7-foot-5 wingspan. He is a very physically gifted player and a strong athlete, and Fleming was clearly the best player at St. Joseph's, which stretched him in a positive direction.
Fleming profiles as a potentially versatile defender with his strength and size, and he finished very well inside the arc to go along with a 39 percent 3-point shooting clip. Skeptics might point to Fleming being mostly a play finisher on offense, but in the second round, that is more than okay.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
Kalkbrenner was a five-year standout at Creighton, earning numerous accolades and improving his numbers each and every season. That crested with a lights-out senior campaign in which he produced 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 65.3 percent from the field. He is one of the best rim protectors in the entire class, measuring in at 7-foot-1 without shoes and with a substantial 9-foot-4 standing reach. Kalkbrenner profiles as mostly a drop coverage defender given that he isn't a special athlete, but he is fluid and able to be a force at the rim, even against downhill athletes.
On offense, Kalkbrenner may not be a huge highlight player, but he had absurdly efficient finishing stats this season at Creighton. There is also the hope that he might be able to shoot 3-pointers at the NBA level. Overall, Kalkbrenner fits into a tidy box, and while the upside may not be off the charts, he is appealing as a backup center bet.
Adou Theiro, F, Arkansas
Thiero is a big-time athlete at the wing position. It would be very fair to say that he checks all of the athletic boxes that teams look for, and he also checked in with a seven-foot wingspan at the combine.
Unsurprisingly, Thiero's current calling card is his defense, where he uses that athleticism and strength to his advantage to produce havoc and also frustrate opponents. Thiero could be one of the better perimeter defenders if things come together. On offense, it's more of an open question in that he isn't a plus shooter by any means, and he wasn't terribly efficient inside the arc at the college level.
Noah Penda, F, France
Penda is a bit older (20 years old) than some of the other international prospects in this draft, but the French wing is very appealing as a high-end role player.
He has a near, 7-foot wingspan at more than 240 pounds, and Penda doesn't need the ball to succeed. He's a strong defender on and off the ball. He is a very effective passer. He communicates well. Penda's shooting improved this season, even if it is still a question mark, and every team in the league could use the fully formed skill set he could put together in the next few years.
Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford
Raynaud was one of the most productive players in the country during his senior season at Stanford. The 7-foot big man averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, carrying a massive workload for the Cardinal. He also was letting 3-pointers fly at a sky-high clip, taking more than five per game, and his perimeter appeal at his size is perhaps his most inviting NBA trait.
Raynaud is not the most athletic or explosive player, but he does make up for that with skill, and that includes effective finishing and passing. Skeptics are worried about his defense, particularly as a full-time center, but in the 30s, it would be a very appropriate gamble to see if he can figure that out.