College Basketball: Eight Sleeper NBA Draft Picks That Are Upperclassmen
The 2024 NBA Draft continues to be a fun one to track. The tiers of players for this year’s draft are robust. The excitement lies in the fact that when draft night comes, the order of the names we hear will have no consensus. This will be a beauty is in the eye of the beholder type of draft. And with every team in the NBA having different needs and outlooks on players, the range of variance for players will be wide.
This year, more than ever, NBA scouting departments will need to trust their eyes. What are your core values, who are you building around, and what needs do you have? And they will need to cast a wide net and narrow down accordingly.
What could make this draft interesting is with the lack of top-end talent, NBA teams could take different approaches with their picks. This draft is heavy with connecting players at all positions. And with that, teams could lean into more of a sure thing. In years past, we have seen the trend toward younger and upside. However, with that attainable upside in question throughout this draft, teams could look toward older players with discernable talent; plug and play skill sets around the current team makeup.
Older players are finding their way in this year’s draft. The assurance of players like Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, Purdue’s Zach Edey, and Kansas’ Kevin McCullar are moving their way into the conversation around the first half of the first round of this draft. Fourth and fifth-year guys are providing a safe appeal.
We are about at the halfway point of the college basketball season. The 2024 NBA Draft is not until June 27, five months away. On Monday, I discussed the top ten NBA Draft prospects in college basketball. On Tuesday, I talked about eight college basketball underclassmen who have used this season to play their way into the NBA Draft conversation. Today, I am discussing eight upperclass players who have entered the conversation of the NBA Draft first round.
For the purposes of this writing, underclassmen are second and third-year college players and upperclassmen are players in their fourth and fifth-years.
READ | Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects in College Basketball | Eight Sleeper NBA Draft Picks That are College Basketball Underclassmen
F Tristan da Silva, Colorado
The Buzz: The 2024 NBA Draft might go down as the draft of connecting pieces. Tristan da Silva is a good across-the-board, great at not one particular thing type of prospect. Listed at 6-foot-9 he has proven to be a good shooter at his size. Da Silva is more of a fluid athlete than an explosive one. He shot 37.9 percent from three over his last three seasons at Colorado. Da Silva moves the ball well and can push the break, under control, off the boards. He will need to add weight, which will help him project as a solid team defender at either forward spot. His rebounding rates have improved each season in college.
F PJ Hall, Clemson
The Buzz: The superpower here for PJ Hall is the shooting. Listed at 6-foot-10, he has regularly been around 78 percent from the feel throw line over the last three seasons. Last year Hall shot 39.8 percent from three. This year, that number has dropped to 32.1 percent, but his volume has gone from 2.5 attempts per game to 4.5. Coming into ACC play, Hall was shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc, which has plummeted in seven league games to 23.5 percent. Hall is an instinctive team defender, really understanding angles and having natural anticipation. He has been in the right place at the right time this season for 2.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. He is a willing area rebounder, not afraid to battle on the glass. The buy-in from NBA teams, however, will have to be the shooting.
C Oso Ighodaro, Marquette
The Buzz: Oso Ighodaro has a unique game, one that might not pop in the box scores, but does when you watch. Listed at 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, Ighodaro is a quick processor, able to make decisions on the move, in the half-court. Marquette has no problem running possessions through Ighodaro and letting him make reads. He is also an interesting defender. While he is not the quickest of foot, he is a good straight-line athlete. He anticipates well and understands help side angles with the ability to open his hips. The shooting will be a question as he has attempted only two threes and is a career 62.1 percent free-throw shooter. Ighodaro has a crafty scoring package 18 feet and in, but the connecting aspects as a processing five-man (if his 6-foot-111 height checks out) are intriguing.
F David Jones, Memphis
The Buzz: David Jones has always had the toughness and the scoring chops. The 6-foot-6 wing forward from the Dominican Republic came to Memphis this offseason averaging 12.6 points through his three college seasons. Where Jones has improved drastically is with his efficiency. Jones is shooting 52.4 percent from two, 37.0 percent from three, and 80.9 percent from the free-throw line. The lefty is also an instinctive team defender (1.7) steals, and a purposeful rebounder (6.8). Jones showed at St. John’s and DePaul that he can score within a secondary role and he is showing at Memphis that he can create opportunities as the alpha.
F Dillon Jones, Weber State
The Buzz: Perhaps one of the most productive players in all of college basketball. Dillon Jones opted to return to school after an eye-opening NBA Draft Combine for the 2023 cycle. This season he is averaging 19.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting an improved 34.8 percent from three. The shooting was a question coming into the season, and Jones has improved there while also shooting 84.6 percent from the free-throw line. Jones can defend multiple positions, he is a quick processor with the ball in his hands, and he has a nose for positive plays. There is also a toughness factor with the 6-foot-6, 235-pound forward. Jones is currently fifth on the Big Sky’s most rebounds since 1951-52 list.
F Kevin McCullar, Kansas
The Buzz: From his first three seasons at Texas Tech, and his last two at Kansas, Kevin McCullar has continued to evolve his game. Now, as a fifth-year senior, McCullar is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound two-way wing. He can use his length and quick twitch to guard up a lineup, on or off the ball. He is also knocking down 36.6 percent of his 4.3 three-point attempts per game. What intrigues the most about McCullar’s game is the processing. He is comfortable with the ball in his hands, making a decision. If the shooting stays consistent, McCullar has grown into a guy who makes everything around him better. And with that, he has continued to make a push toward potential lottery contention on NBA Draft night.
F Jaxson Robinson, BYU
The Buzz: What a late bloom it has been for BYU wing Jaxson Robinson. The 6-foot-7 fourth-year player steadily grew through both his transfers (Texas A&M and Arkansas) to find a home in Provo, Utah. The appeal of Robinson comes with his shooting potential, at his size and length. He is averaging 7.1 threes taken this season, which is 60.1 percent of his overall shot attempts. Before entering Big 12 play, Robinson was shooting 41.4 percent from three. That number has plummeted through six conference games where he is shooting 24.4 percent. Can he get the shooting back on track enough to trust? He is shooting 52.9 percent from two and 90.5 percent from the free-throw line this season.
F Anton Watson, Gonzaga
The Buzz: Anton Watson has steadily waited his turn as he is playing his fifth year at Gonzaga. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward has played 134 games for the Zags, with 77 career starts. As a connecting piece in a go-to role, Watson has had a solid season, averaging 14.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2,6 assists, and 1.6 steals. Watson’s best attribute is the intriguing defensive upside. He has good instincts with his lengthy frame and athleticism. The intrigue has risen this year as he is shooting 44.8 percent from three on 1.6 attempts per game. For content, he was a 25.3 percent three-point shooter coming into the season. If the shooting is real, the defensive versatility brings value.