5 strongest No. 1 pick candidates in 2024 NBA Draft class entering season

3. Isaiah Collier, USC

A lot of folks will tune into USC games for Bronny James — and yes, James is a first-round prospect, perhaps even a lottery prospect. But, he is not the best guard in USC's backcourt. That label will belong to Isaiah Collier, the 6-foot-4 freshman who could launch his No. 1 pick campaign with a balanced and prolific campaign for the Trojans.

Collier doesn't possess outlier size or even speed for his position, but he is built strong. He can bulldoze taller players for finishes at the rim or use his shoulders to carve out space in isolation. Collier will need to prove his jumper to NBA scouts, but he's extremely crafty off the bounce with a deep bag of tricks finishing at the rim. That's enough to serve as the foundation of an elite NBA creator.

He is a true point guard in a class short on bonafide point guards. Collier operates with extreme poise and masterful body control. He doesn't have the most consistent 3-point shot, but he hits plenty of funky floaters and in-between shots. He does a great job of manipulating his defender coming around screens, deploying stop-start handles before finding the angle and exploding for the finish.

Collier makes every pass in the book. His vision working out of pick-and-rolls should translate immediately to the next level. He's great at locating the rolling big or drilling the weak-side shooter with a skip pass. His playmaking creativity and strong finishing should be enough for scouts to overlook jump shot concerns, so long as he gives them enough reason for long-term optimism on that front.