2024 NBA mock draft: Tennessee's Dalton Knecht surges, Spurs grab help for Victory Wembanyama (2024)

Atlanta's in need of frontcourt help and there are a few elite-level options that could assist in that regard this cycle. Alex Sarr is projected by most to be the Hawks' pick at No. 1, but that's set in stone just yet.Sarr averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 24 games for Perth of the National Basketball League in Australia last season and stands 7-foot-1, 225 pounds. He is a naturally-gifted, looming presence and right now, is further along offensively than he is at the other end of the floor.

Per CatsPause, ReedSheppard joinedJohn Wall(2010) andAnthony Davis(2012) asJohn Calipari's third USBWA National Freshman of the Year at Kentucky after averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals in 28.9 minutes per game while shooting 53.6% from the floor, 52.1% from 3 and 83.1% from the free throw line off the bench. He was also named National Freshman of the Year by the NABC, CBS Sports, ESPN, and Dick Vitale in addition to being voted SEC Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-SEC by both the Associated Press and league coaches.

Zaccharie Risacher recently received an exclusive invite to the NBA Draft's green room, which is often a solid indicationa prospect willbe picked in the lottery. The French-born prospect is the prototypical NBA small forward with proven scoring ability, athleticism and quickness in the frontcourt. He's a catch-and-shoot player primarily, but has shown an off-the-dribble skill set as well. Reading between the lines, it would not surprise any NBA Draft analyst if the Hawks takeRisacher instead of Sarr in the top spot.

PairingDonovan Clingan with Victor Wembanyama doesn't seem fair, does it? Earlier this spring, 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein wrote that Purdue's Zach Edey might be the better college player, but Clingan is undoubtedly the more NBA-ready player at center this cycle.

"The case for Clingan begins with his defensive dominance. Scouts are impressed by just the number of shots he blocks," Finkelstein penned in a previous NBA Draft notebook. "They're also intrigued by the number of shots he alters and prevents just with his presence. UConn's win overIllinois was a prime example of the way he can totally change the game on that end of the floor. In the NBA, he projects as a similar monster in drop coverage. But, he'll need to go to a team that that defends ball-screens in ways that compliment him."

Going inside the top 5 could be a bit on the risky side, but the upside is clear with Matas Buzelis. He's coming off an up-and-down season within the G-League and hasn't turned 20 yet. Buzelis is still super raw, but has a knack for creating his own shot and when he gets hot, his confidence tends to soar. With Detroit, Buzelis would have a chance to develop in a friendly offensive scheme and won't be playing with nearly as much pressure as he would with other teams inside the top 10.

Stephon Castle is a one-and-done player with the Huskies and helped Dan Hurley win another national championship this season. Would he be a fit in Charlotte? Perhaps, especially if LaMelo Ball and his frustrating injury history continues to riddle the franchise. Availability is everything and right now, the Hornets don't have a reliable point guard in that respect.A 6-foot-6 guard from Covington, Ga., Castle averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game and seemed to play his best down the stretch.

Per GoVols247, the SEC Player of the Yearconcluded his lone season as a Volunteer with 780 points, the second-most in a single campaign in program history. Dalton Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 45.8% from the floor, 39.7% beyond the arc and 77.2% at the stripe. His scoring average put him eighth nationally, including third among Power Six players and first in the SEC. In SEC play alone, Knecht averaged 25.5 points during SEC play, which is the second-best in the league over the last 22 seasons. It was the highest scoring average of any Division 1 player this season and the best mark of any Power Six player in league play since 2019-20.

Right now, the concern forNikola Topic is his injury situation. The Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade prospect suffered a non-contact injury in May, this coming a few months after he missed a lengthy period of time with a previous knee injury. You have to think NBA teams have worked behind the scenes to get a better feel for the Serbian star's medical history and current evaluations heading into his rookie season. The Spurs have two selections in the top 8, so they could take a gamble here.

The Big East's Player of the Year this season, Devin Carter averaged just shy of 20 points per game and really gets after it at the defensive end of the floor.His father, Anthony Carter, played enjoyed a NBA career that stretched more than a decade into his current position as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. This projection obviously has a family tie to this selection with an opportunity for Carter to play under his dad.

Per CBS Sports, Ron Holland joined G-League Ignite late in the recruiting cycle after requesting a release from his National Letter of Intent after signing withTexas. The former top-ranked recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle via247Sports out of Duncanville (Texas) averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists this past season for Ignite. Holland said this spring the idea of the 2024 NBA Draft class being "weak" has admittedly bothered him a bit. He disagrees with the notion, by the way.

11.Isaiah Collier, PG, USC (Chicago Bulls)

12. Cody Williams, SG, Colorado (Oklahoma City Thunder)

13.Rob Dillingham, PG, Kentucky (Sacramento Kings)

14.Tidjane Salaun, SF, France (Blazers)

15.Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke (Miami Heat)

Via USCFootball.com, Collier, the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the 2024 class, averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game last season for a USC team that went 15-18. Collier played in 27 games missing six due to a hand injury he suffered in the middle of conference play. Collier's best games came at the end of USC's season when he scored 31 points in an 82-75 road win over Washington on March 2. Prior to breaking his hand, Collier scored 26 points in a 93-79 home win over Stanford. In USC's two games against Washington State, an NCAA tournament team this season, Collier averaged 22 points and 3.5 rebounds.

16.Tristan da Silva, SF, Colorado (Philadelphia 76ers)

17.Jared McCain, PG, Duke (Los Angeles Lakers)

18.Ja'Kobe Walter, SG, Baylor (Orlando Magic)

19.Johnny Furphy, SG, Kansas (Toronto Raptors)

20.Carlton Carrington, PG, Pitt (Cleveland Cavaliers)

McCain was a one-and-done at Duke this season under Jon Scheyer. He played in 36 games for the Blue Devils, starting every contest and averaging 31.6 minutes per game while posting 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per night. He shot 46.2% from the field, 41.4% from the perimeter, and 88.5% from the free-throw line. Coming into college as a top 15 overall player, the 6-foot-3 guard had a number of signature performances this season including a 35-point outburst against Florida State, which included eight 3-pointers.

21.Yves Missi, C, Baylor (New Orleans Pelicans)

22.Tyler Kolek, PG, Marquette (Phoenix Suns)

23.Kevin McCullar Jr., SG, Kansas (Milwaukee Bucks)

24.Zach Edey, C, Purdue (New York Knicks)

25.Justin Edwards, SF, Kentucky (Knicks)

A multi-time Big Ten Player of the Year, Edey was nearly unstoppable at the college level under Purdue coach Matt Painter. Coming off a statistically-noteworthy junior campaign, Edey saved his best for last, averaging 25.2 points per game as a senior with 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in the paint.His field goal percentage of 62.3 was one of the highest marks nationally.

26.Tyler Smith, PF, G-League Ignite (Wizards)

27.Bobi Klintman, SF, Sweden (Minnesota Timberwolves)

28.DaRon Holmes II, SF, Dayton (Denver Nuggets)

29. Ryan Dunn, SF, Virginia (Jazz)

30.Kel'el Ware, C, Indiana (Boston Celtics)

Noted by Wahoos247,Dunn's defense made him stand out this year after finishing the season averaging 8.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in 27 minutes per game this season. He's a former walk-on and started his career as a baseball player. He was recently tabbed as one of the most athletic defenders this cycle by ESPN.