The narrative around the 2024 NBA Draft was uncommonly negative. It was hailed as a weak class, devoid of obvious star talent at the top. That has mostly proven true, as the Rookie of the Year race is far less explosive than we're used to. There's no Victor Wembanyama in this rookie class. There isn't even a Ben Simmons or an Anthony Edwards.
We shouldn't get carried away with the bad vibes, though. There will be several productive long-term pieces who emerge from the 2024 draft. It may take a bit longer than normal for the best of the best to properly break through, but it's not hard to find an impressive rookie these days. There are multiple key rotation cogs on contenders (see: Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, Quinten Post) and several rooks putting up numbers on bad teams (see: Stephon Castle, Alex Sarr, Kyle Filipowski).
It is far too early for definitive perspectives on the 2024 rookies, but as we enter the stretch run of an entertaining NBA season, let's go back through the most recent draft and ponder what teams might make of a do-over.
2024 NBA Re-Draft: Jared McCain surges to No. 1, Reed Sheppard holds strong despite limited action
Jared McCain's season ended prematurely due to a torn meniscus, but he's the only rookie to consistently showcase the tools and traits of a future star. At 19 years old, he was immediately productive for a Sixers team with postseason aspirations. His shooting, playmaking feel, and ball-handling craft are mighty impressive. There are defensive concerns next to Trae Young, but the Hawks need the upside.
Washington has no reason to second guess its selection of Alex Sarr. There have been growing pains, of course, but there just aren't too many 7-footers with Sarr's movement skills. He covers absurd amounts of space on defense and showcases enough shooting and face-up skill to develop into a dynamic offensive hub in the frontcourt.
Reed Sheppard's playing time has been sparse in Houston, but there's a clear path to long-term utility. He has impressed in limited NBA reps and dominated the G League. He's a knockdown shooter with impressive feel, looking the part of Fred VanVleet's successor in the Rockets backcourt. His skill set is a perfect match for Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, Houston's foundational pieces.
Not to keep going chalk, but Stephon Castle has been somewhat undeniable for the Spurs this season. He's the running favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and he figures to take firm control of that race as San Antonio leans into the tank down the stretch. Castle is a gritty defender with a ton of winning intangibles; plus, he's scoring proficiently (if not quite efficiently) on drives and displaying growth as a playmaker.
Keep the faith, Detroit fans. It has been a bumpy rookie season for Ron Holland, as expected. He was the No. 1 prospect here at FanSided, though, and there's no reason to fade him this early. Holland is already an impactful wing defender who flashes enough driving and transition scoring to earn faith as a long-term complement to Cade Cunningham's heliocentric playmaking.
Zaccharie Risacher has been excellent since the All-Star break. He's coming into his own as a rangy wing defender and an efficient off-ball scorer, hitting 3s and producing on straight-line drives. He's not overly advanced as a creator or passer, but Risacher is a solid decision-maker who has all the hallmarks of an impactful role player. Charlotte needs somebody like him on the wing.
The Blazers are probably counting down the days until Donovan Clingan can take over for Deandre Ayton in the frontcourt. He has been an incredible shot-blocking presence, as expected, even in limited minutes. Clingan clogs up the paint on defense and finishes effectively as a roll man and lob threat on offense.
Minnesota's decision to trade up and take Rob Dillingham with the No. 8 pick was a proper shock on draft night. It hasn't led to much consistent production (or playing time) as a rookie, but he's a jittery shot-making guard with legitimate pick-and-roll chops — exactly what the Wolves need next to Anthony Edwards in the backcourt long term.
Zach Edey has a strong, if mostly unsupported case for Rookie of the Year honors. He was a polarizing prospect, but the dominant post scoring has transitioned well to the NBA. Memphis doesn't feed him in the post like Purdue, but Edey sets thundering screens and finishes everything within arm's reach of the rim. Plus, he's shooting 3s now.
Kyle Filipowski was always much closer to a lottery talent than a second-round pick. He tumbled to Utah at No. 32 for strange off-court reasons, but he has been the Jazz's best rookie by a comfortable margin of late. A 7-footer shooting 3s at a 38.5 percent clip and creating proficiently on face-up drives, Flip has all the skills front offices covet in a "modern big."
Chicago has put more on Matas Buzelis' plate in recent weeks. He was a stinker in the dunk contest, but his NBA future is bright. Every NBA team wants a 6-foot-9 wing who can splash 3s and relentlessly attack the rim on drives. Buzelis needs to boost his efficiency by a lot, but his archetype naturally carries plenty of upside.
Nikola Topic has been out of sight and out of mind as he recovers from a torn ACL, but there's no reason to think OKC changes its course of action here. There are well-documented parallels between Topic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That is a lofty bar, of course, but Topic's unique ball-handling cadence and penchant for paint touches is a perfect match for the Thunder system.
Isaiah Collier was the No. 2 prospect on the FanSided big board. It has been a wonky season in Utah, but Collier is already one of the most proficient playmaking rookies in recent memory, averaging 6.2 assists to 2.9 turnovers in just 24.7 minutes. He needs to get far more efficient as a scorer, but Collier's ability to penetrate and set the table gives him a solid foundation to build upon.
Jaylen Wells might finish second in Rookie of the Year voting. He has been a starter for a contending Grizzlies team, defending all over the positional spectrum and drilling 36.7 percent of his 3s. Every team needs a wing in Wells' mold. There's a good chance re-drafting him this low looks silly down the road. His floor is among the highest in the class.
Miami has experienced tremendous success with two-big lineups featuring both Kel'el Ware and Bam Adebayo. Ware still has some kinks to iron out on both ends, but springboard athletes with his 3-point shooting touch and shot-blocking instincts tend to stick in the NBA.
Ajay Mitchell has earned rotation minutes for the West's No. 1 seed, an impressive feat. He's the perfect OKC guard — a prolific slasher who gets into the teeth of the defense and scores in bunches around the rim. That skill set would translate nicely to Philly, though, where he's a potential long-term backcourt mate for Tyrese Maxey.
Yves Missi has quietly ranked among the most productive and impactful rookies out of the gate. He's an explosive lob threat and rim protector with further upside tied to his impressive coordination on driving finishes. Los Angeles needs frontcourt help in the worst of ways after the Luka Doncic trade.
Bub Carrington, one of the youngest players in the NBA, has experienced a wide-open runway in Washington. His pull-up shooting and pick-and-roll playmaking are bankable traits; a point guard with his feel at such a young age is hard to come by. He doesn't get to the rim, but positional size and shot-making talent should lead Carrington to a long career.
Kyshawn George took a nontraditional route to the NBA, but he has impressed thoroughly as a rookie buried on the lowly Wizards. George still doesn't generate many paint touches as a ball-handler, but his versatile defense and promising 3-point shooting provide a solid floor. He's all over the place for Washington; he'd be getting a lot more love on a better team.
Justin Edwards began his freshman campaign at Kentucky as a popular candidate for No. 1 overall prospect. He ended up going undrafted before signing a two-way deal in his native Philadelphia. Lo and behold, Edwards has quickly worked his way up the chain of command for the Sixers. He's a sturdy 3-and-D wing who'd be earning minutes for most contenders.
Terrence Shannon Jr. has come on strong lately for the Timberwolves. He's an older rookie, but the bursty drives and impressive shot-making flourishes are hard to ignore. Shannon can live in the paint and create offense from scratch, giving him one of the highest ceilings in this range of the re-draft.
Devin Carter has struggled offensively out of the gate, but he's such a dogged perimeter defender that it's difficult to knock him too far. The 3s will start falling eventually and he's capable of impacting the game in other ways. Denver needs a connective guard with Carter's IQ and energizing mentality.
It has been an extremely underwhelming rookie campaign for Cody Williams, but he was always going to face a steep NBA learning curve. The strength deficit is concerning, so Williams needs to bulk up. If he can add some muscle, though, there's still plenty of upside tied to Williams' slick drives and high playmaking IQ.
DaRon Holmes' rookie season ended before it began with a torn Achilles, but he's still worth a first-round investment. The Knicks would benefit from Holmes' shot-blocking and 3-point shooting in the frontcourt. He's the sort of hard-nosed defender Tom Thibodeau can get behind.
Ryan Dunn's defensive playmaking was off the charts early in the season. His role has since subsided a bit in Phoenix, but he's still an elite wing stopper with enough of a 3-point shot to maintain offensive credibility in the NBA. Again, as far as guys Thibs can get behind, few rookies fit the bill better than Dunn.
Jaylon Tyson has looked excellent in sparse minutes for a deep, competitive Cavs team. He's a 6-foot-6 wing who consistently gets into the teeth of the defense with crafty handles and stop-start drives. He'd flourish in OKC's drive-and-kick ecosystem.
He has only appeared in 13 games to date, but Cam Spencer looks the part of a rotation cog in Memphis. A spunky shooter and connective playmaker who contributed in a major way to UConn's 2024 title run, Spencer has all the intangibles a team could hope for. He's going to bury timely shots, make smart choices, and defend his tail off.
The track record for older specialists in the first round is awfully shaky, but Dalton Knecht has been a productive bench flamethrower for the Lakers this season. He's more than just a shooter, too, with the athleticism to attack closeouts and score on high-flying finishes around the rim. The defense is a concern and he's not much of a playmaker, but Knecht has plug-and-play utility for a wannabe contender like Phoenix.
Quinten Post has quietly emerged as a key rotation cog for the resurgent Warriors. He's not much of a rim deterrent on defense, but a 7-footer hitting 41.5 percent of his 3s is bound to carry water in today's NBA. Post can set wide screens, space the floor, and finish with power around the basket. He has a long role-playing career ahead of him.
Oso Ighodaro has emerged as a dependable frontcourt option for a Suns team otherwise starved at the center position. He's not much of a defensive anchor, but Ighodaro is a unique and malleable offensive piece, comfortable ducking into the teeth of the defense and firing a variety of passes from the elbow. His touch on floaters and other rim finishes is worthy of further development. He'd love to learn from Al Horford.
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NBA news roundup:
- Phoenix is expected to ask for three first-round picks and a young player in Kevin Durant trade talks this offseason, per Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic. That's a lot for a 36-year-old star in the final year of his contract, but it's also Kevin Durant. There is a certain LeBronian quality to KD's skill set. It feels like he can play forever if he wants to.
- Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has been named ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year after a dominant regular season. Now comes a shot at March Madness history for the talented 18-year-old, who remains the obvious No. 1 pick next June.
- Nikola Jokic edges out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in The RingerMVP poll. This feels like the tightest race for the NBA's top award in quite some time. SGA remains the odds-on favorite, but it's hard to ignore what Jokic — already a three-time winner — continues to do in Denver, even as OKC stacks win upon win.