Top 5 NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC
The June 26 NBA Draft is about four months away. With conference play coming toward an end in college basketball, it feels like it is as good of a time as any to go through specific conferences and gauge who the top 2024 NBA Draft prospects are lining up to be.
As of February 27, here are the top five NBA Draft prospects in the ACC.
1. C Kyle Filipowski, Duke
The Buzz: Kyle Filipowski carried first-round buzz after his freshman season at Duke. A season that saw him win ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP. He instead opted to have double-hip surgery and return to Duke. Filipowski has improved his scoring totals, efficiency, assist totals, and blocked shots this season. All-in-all, Filipowski has been the player that the second-best team in the league has played through. While he will need to continue working on his finishing around the basket, his passing and processing with the ball have really popped. The fact he is shooting 36.3 percent from three through January and February does not hurt.
2. F Kyshawn George, Miami
The Buzz: Kyshawn George is an upside play. He checks a lot of the physical tool boxes the NBA looks for in a player. He also has a lot of the in-game tools to build on. The drawback is that George is not a ready-made player. As a late-bloomer, he has grown four or so inches and added 40-plus pounds over the past couple of years, leaving his game a little raw when it comes to the speed of the game and the live processing. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds, George is shooting 41.3 percent from three on 4.3 attempts per game. The wing has started Miami’s last 15 games where he is averaging 10.2 points and dishing 3.0 assists per game. He has continued to get better through the season. Given his tools, he is a player a team could take a swing at sooner rather than later.
3. F Ryan Dunn, Virginia
The Buzz: Ryan Dunn is a player who already has fans in NBA scouting departments, but also has his detractors. Currently, Dunn might be the best perimeter defender in college basketball and this NBA Draft class. His length, twitchy athleticism, and anticipation have him averaging 3.8 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. The 6-foot-7 forward has had six games this season with four or more blocks and eleven games with multiple steals. The divide with him is questioning, how will Dunn score at the NBA level? He is an instinctive off-ball cutter and can play some as a roll man. However, in ACC play, he is shooting 22.2 percent from three and 40.7 percent from the free-throw line. He has also shown an inconsistent handle to get himself open. On the season, Dunn is shooting 56.5 percent from the field, so he plays within himself, limiting to 6.5 shots per game, mostly straight-line drives and in transition.
4. G Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
The Buzz: Hunter Sallis was a McDonald’s All-American coming into Gonzaga, but could never quite find his footing in Spokane. All that changed at Wake Forest this season as he is playing with a type of confidence we have not seen from him in college. Through 16 ACC games, Sallis is averaging 19.2 points and shot 48.2 percent from three. He has been comfortable on the ball, creating his own advantages, or off the ball, spreading the floor in catch-and-shoot situations. Sallis has good positional size for a combo guard. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, and he is a solidly explosive athlete. Sallis’ efficiency numbers and his counting stats have continued to improve throughout the season. He is someone who could continue rising with a good finish from the Decons.
5. G Jared McCain, Duke
The Buzz: Jared McCain came to Duke with a winning pedigree. He won a California State Open Division Championship at Corona (CA) Centennial, he won a gold medal with USA Basketball, and he won a Peach Jam championship with the Team Why Not program. While having questions about his game, the McDonald’s All-American has always produced on the biggest stages. This season, he is averaging 14.5 points and shooting 37.5 percent from three for the Blue Devils during ACC play. Listed at 6-foot-3, McCain has settled into more of a scoring role than a lead guard role at Duke. With that size, he is also an average athlete with an average wing span. Given his shooting prowess, McCain gives a lot of effort at the point-of-attack and he has proven to be an instinctive rebounder as well. While his margins are narrow, McCain brings a toughness that opens eyes.
ACC players with eligibility remaining and NBA Draft decisions to make
F Harrison Ingram (UNC), F PJ Hall (Clemson), G Judah Mintz (Syracuse), G Tyrese Proctor (Duke), G Carlton Carrington (Pittsburgh), G Wooga Poplar (Miami), F Norchad Omier (Miami), G Jamier Watkins (Florida State), F Baba Miller (Florida State), G Reece Beekman (Virginia)
Possible NBA Draft picks out of eligibility
F Blake Hinson (Pittsburgh)