The NBA Finals are officially behind us as the Boston Celtics took down the Dallas Mavericks in five games. That means we’re officially onto the NBA Draft and another 2024 NBA Mock Draft! The 1st Round tips off just eight days from this writing, yet still there feels like a whole lot of questions and intrigue surrounding this year’s draft. Let’s try to unpack it all now.
In the NBA Draft Lottery, we saw a major upset. Despite having a long-shot chance at 3%, the Hawks secured the coveted number one pick, leaving the draft wide open for all teams to scramble and adjust their strategies.
While the Hawks were the biggest benefactor, the Pistons yet again are the ones to suffer. After a grueling season with the worst record in the league, they were expecting the top pick to jumpstart their rebuild. But fate (or the lottery balls) had other plans, leaving them with the fifth selection. This significant drop forces them to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate their draft strategy.
How Does the NBA Draft Lottery Work?
Following the conclusion of the season, the NBA uses a lottery system to decide the first 14 picks in the draft order.
Before we look at the draft order, here’s how the NBA Draft Lottery system works:
Also, the NBA shares the footage of the lottery drawing after each draft. You can watch the 2023 procedure here.
Original 2024 NBA Draft Lottery Odds & Order
While we know how the NBA Draft Lottery shook out, it’s fun to take a look at where the odds were and where everyone ended up. Here are what the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery odds for the No. 1 overall pick were via Tankathon.
- Detroit Pistons (14-68): 14% – Actual Pick: 5th
- Washington Wizards: (15-67): 14% – Actual Pick: 2nd
- Charlotte Hornets: (21-61): 13.3% – Actual Pick: 6th
- Portland Trail Blazers: (21-61): 13.2% – Actual Pick: 7th
- San Antonio Spurs (22-60): 10.5% – Actual Pick: 4th
- Toronto Raptors (25-57): 9.0% (Spurs own pick, Top-6 protected) – Actual Pick: 8th
- Memphis Grizzlies (27-55): 7.5% – Actual Pick: 9th
- Utah Jazz (31-51): 6.0% (Thunder own pick, Top-10 protected) – Actual Pick: 10th
- Brooklyn Nets (32-50): 4.5% (Rockets own pick) – Actual Pick: 3rd
- Atlanta Hawks (36-46): 3.0% – Actual Pick: 1st
- Chicago Bulls (39-43): 2.0% – Actual Pick: 11th
- Houston Rockets (41-41): 1.5% (Thunder own pick) Actual Pick – 12th
- Sacramento Kings (46-36): 0.8% – Actual Pick – 13th
- Golden State Warriors (46-36): 0.7% (Blazers own pick, Top-4 protected) Actual Pick: 14th
2024 NBA Mock Draft
1. Atlanta Hawks – F/C Alexandre Sarr – Perth, France – 18 Years Old – 7’1, 218 lbs
Alexandre Sarr has a lot of similar traits to Victor Wembanyama. To be clear, that is not to say he’s anywhere near the prospect Wemby was –he isn’t – but the playing style and physical traits are similar. He’s over 7 feet tall and has the athleticism to do a little bit of everything on the court. Things could change as the weeks go by, but I think he goes No. 1 as of now.
The Hawks have Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela on the books for next year, but Sarr’s skillset is so unique that I don’t think they pass on him. Trading one of the other two big men could make a lot of sense for a Hawks team looking for a new life.
2. Washington Wizards – F Zaccharie Risacher – JL Bourg, France – 18 Years Old – 6’9, 204 lbs
I’ve had Topic in this spot for most mocks I’ve done, but his stock does seem to be slipping slightly due to a knee injury. Long term, he should be unaffected, but it appears to be dropping him on some boards for now. Risacher is a bit of a unicorn and has the type of high ceiling the Wizards should be taking a chance on. He’s a typical three-and-D player that any team would want, and his size and frame combined with that skillset might vault him up to second overall.
3. Houston Rockets – G Reed Sheppard – Kentucky – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 187 lbs
If the Hawks were the biggest winner, the Rockets were probably the second biggest by jumping up six spots to No. 3 overall (via the Nets pick). Houston has one of the most entertaining and talented young cores in the NBA. Sheppard was a lethal three-point shooter at Kentucky, and he has some defensive upside. Drafting a shooter as good as Sheppard and throwing him into the mix with an already young and talented core feels like a really good fit for both parties.
We should keep an eye on this pick as a potential trade piece, however. The Rockets appear adamant about returning to the playoffs sooner rather than later.
4. San Antonio Spurs – SF Matas Buzelis – G League – 19 Years Old – 6’11, 195 lbs
If Risacher doesn’t fall to the Spurs, Buzelis would be a very nice option for them. He has a similar skillset and can do a little bit of everything. The length the Spurs would have on the floor between him and Wemby could create a lot of problems for opposing teams. He is versatile on offense, though his ball handling could be more consistent. Defensively, he’s capable of guarding multiple positions. He won’t be a top option offensively early in his career, but his catch-and-shoot ability gives him quite the upside.
Plus, giving Gregg Popovich the chance to develop Buzelis seems like a great fit.
Matas Buzelis spoke with Bleacher Nation earlier this season …
Matas Buzelis’ Rise Began in Chicago, Where “Basketball is Like a Religion”
5. Detroit Pistons – C Donovan Clingan – UConn – 19 Years Old – 7’2, 265 lbs
Clingan seems like a safe pick for the Pistons here that can fortify their frontcourt. When you have nice prospect pieces in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey to develop, going with a top-notch big who can protect the rim feels like a safe pick. He can step in right away and learn on the fly with a young core and give them a piece they don’t really have at the moment.
I know the Pistons still have a former lottery pick big man in Jalen Duren on the roster, but that isn’t a good enough reason to pass on Clingan. There are some whispers of Clingan going earlier in the draft than this spot, but I’m not so convinced he does unless someone trades up.
6. Charlotte Hornets – G Stephon Castle – UConn – 19 Years Old – 6’6, 190 lbs
Castle showed throughout the NCAA Tournament just how good he can be. He’s a matchup nightmare defensively for guards. He has very good ball-handling skills and can finish strong at the rim. While there are some questions about his jumper, there is enough there to instill confidence in his ability to become a reliable threat. There’s a lot to like about Castle as a prospect.
Castle would be able to fit in seamlessly in Charlotte and not be asked to do too much early. He can be a secondary scoring option and play hard-nosed defense. It seems like a very solid fit on paper.
7. Portland Trail Blazers – F Tidjane Salaun – Cholet Basket, France – 18 Years Old – 6’9, 203 lbs
Salaun is going to be one of the younger prospects in the draft. He’s developed the ability to score at all three levels, and at his height that’s an enticing trait for any NBA team. He’s shown the ability to create his own shot as well, which again at his size is a big plus. He has to fill out a bit and defensively he needs to make some strides, but he’s got many of the traits that a lottery team could fall in love with.
Similar to Rishacher, while there’s definitely some development needed there, the ceiling is really high. In a draft that is widely acknowledged as not the greatest class, a team like Portland who has time to be patient should be taking a shot with a high-ceiling player like Salaun.
8. San Antonio Spurs (via TOR) – G Rob Dillingham – Kentucky – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 176 lbs
Dillingham can beat you in so many different ways on offense. He can get to the hoop, finish at the rim, find the open man, and get hot shooting the ball. He’s a versatile guard who showed special flashes at Kentucky but might need some development time in the NBA. He’s not an awful defender, but not particularly noteworthy on that end either. He has a very high ceiling and needs time to develop.
The Spurs can afford him that time and allow him to learn on the job alongside a talented young core. They also need a future guard to pair with Wemby!
9. Memphis Grizzlies – SF Cody Williams – Colorado – 19 Years Old – 6’8, 185 lbs
Brother of OKC’s Jalen Williams, Cody can also do a little bit of everything. Defensively, he can guard just about any position. Offensively, he’s dangerous in transition, a great finisher at the bucket, and a solid catch-and-shoot player.
He’s got a chance to make an immediate impact wherever he ends up. The Grizzlies have a backcourt they really like going forward in Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, and an explosive player on the wing like Williams would be an intriguing piece to add to their core.
10. Utah Jazz – PG Nikola Topic – Red Star, Serbia – 18 Years Old – 6’6, 201 lbs
Thanks to a partially torn ACL, Topic has been falling down draft boards after at one point being considered a potential top 3 pick. is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. He can overpower smaller defenders and blow by bigger bodies. He struggles on the defensive end of the floor, but his offensive upside is fantastic. He can finish in traffic, he’s a great passer, and he’s a dangerous shooter.
He would be a really nice piece to pair with Lauri Markkanen, but if he slips here it will come down to what the Jazz want in this pick and next season. Do they want to try and get back in the playoff race ASAP, or can they be patient and wait for Topic to heal? With where they’re at, embracing that latter and being patient with Topic’s high ceiling would seem like a smart move.
11. Chicago Bulls – Ron Holland – G League – 18 Years Old – 6’8, 200 lbs
Holland would be a little bit of a project, but the traits are there and would be very tempting for the Bulls if he falls here. He’s a solid ball handler who can get to and score at the rim. He’s also a menace defensively. Holland might be raw and would certainly come with some growing pains, but the Bulls are in a place where they should be looking to embrace those growing pains if it means picking a player with a higher ceiling, and Holland’s ceiling is quite high if he maxes out his potential.
Chicago has also been a team mentioned in trade rumors, so we’ll keep an eye on them obviously in the coming days.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Dalton Knecht – Tennessee – 22 Years Old – 6’6, 213 lbs
Knecht had a fantastic season with Tennessee and took the Vols farther than they’ve been able to go in the NCAA Tournament in recent history. He proved he can score in different ways, but his biggest asset is his shot-making. Knecht shot just a tick under 40 percent from three on the year and nearly carried the Vols by Purdue in the Elite Eight with a 37-point performance.
Making him a second-unit player on this Thunder team that has a really good young core feels like a perfect way to ease Knecht into the NBA and maximize his productivity early on without asking him to do too much.
13. Sacramento Kings – C Zach Edey – Purdue – 22 years Old – 7’4, 300 lbs
Edey is a name that a few months ago was projected to be an end of the first round pick, but since the season ended and he’s gone through workouts he’s been rising up draft boards. He already worked out for Sacramento, and in the offseason he’s shown an ability to shoot that is impressing teams. Given the unpredictability of this draft, going with a player who dominated college basketball and could pair with an already All-NBA big man in Domantas Sabonis could be intriguing to Sacramento.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via GSW) – PG Devin Carter – Providence – 21 Years Old – 6’3, 195 lbs
After going with a high-ceiling player like Salaun earlier, grabbing Carter here makes sense. He can be a solid running mate for Scoot Henderson and provide some defensive prowess to the backcourt that Portland could use. He averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals in his junior season, so he has the potential to bring a bit of an all-around skillset to whoever drafts him.
15. Miami Heat: Jared McCain – Duke – 19 Years Old – 6’3, 197 lbs
16. Philadelphia 76ers: G Carlton Carrington – Pittsburgh – 18 Years Old – 6’5, 190 lbs
17. Los Angeles Lakers: C Kel’el Ware – Indiana – 20 Years Old – 7’0, 223 lbs
18. Orlando Magic: PG Tyler Kolek – Marquette – 23 Years Old – 6’3, 195 lbs
19. Toronto Raptors (via Pacers): SG Ja’Kobe Walter – Baylor – 19 Years Old – 6’5, 180 lbs
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: F Tristan da Silva – Colorado – 22 Years Old – 6’9, 229 lbs
21. New Orleans Pelicans (via Bucks): C Yves Missi – Baylor – 19 Years Old – 6’10, 235 lbs
22. Phoenix Suns: G Isaiah Collier – USC – 19 Years Old – 6’4, 205 lbs
23. Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans): C Kyle Filipowski – Duke – 20 Years Old – 7’0, 230 lbs
24. New York Knicks (via Mavericks): G Terrence Shannon Jr – Illinois – 23 Years Old – 6’6, 220 lbs
25. New York Knicks: F DaRon Holmes II – Dayton – 21 Years Old – 6’10, 221 lbs
26. Washington Wizards (via Clippers): F Bobi Klintman – Cairns, Sweden – 20 Years Old – 6’10, 225 lbs
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: G KJ Simpson – Colorado – 21 Years Old – 6’0, 187 lbs
28. Denver Nuggets: G Johnny Furphy – Kansas – 19 Years Old – 6’9, 202 lbs
29. Utah Jazz (via Thunder): F Ryan Dunn – Virginia – 6’6, 214 lbs
30. Boston Celtics: G Kyshawn George – Miami – 20 Years Old – 6’8, 205 lbs
