With March Madness underway, many NBA fans are getting a chance to see some of the most coveted 2024 prospects on the national stage. The NBA Draft is still a few months away, but it will be interesting to see how the March Madness tournament changes the mock drafts on the internet. Will a college basketball star overtake Australian center Alex Sarr as the front-runner for No. 1 overall?
Granted, the order of the NBA Draft is not set and won't last long given the draft lottery results, but there is still a lot of intrigue as to who will be in the top five. Many teams can go in different directions with their selections, and with the sheer amount of talent available, there aren't that many bad options.
Here are the latest predictions for the 2024 NBA Draft.
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NBA Mock Draft: Top 5 Picks and Predictions
Overall 1st place:
USA Today: Detroit Pistons – Zachary Lizacher, JL Boulle (France)
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”[Risacher] He has the scoring ability, size, length, quickness and athleticism that teams look for in today's NBA. He has a quick release in catch-and-shoot situations, can start off the dribble, and can run well on the court. ”
Bleacher Report: Washington Wizards – Alexandre Sarr, Perth (Australia)Sports news: Washington Wizards – Alexandre Sarr, Perth (Australia)
2nd place overall:
USA Today: Washington Wizards – Alexandre Sarr, Perth (Australia)
“A strong defender, a shot blocker who plays strong on both ends. Good arm, uses his body well, doesn't have the prettiest shot, but he makes shots.”
Bleacher Report: Detroit Pistons – Rob Dillingham, KentuckySports news: Detroit Pistons – Zachary Lizacher, JL Boulle (France)
Overall 3rd place:
USA Today: San Antonio Spurs – Nikola Topic, KK Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
“A strong passer. He's not flashy, but he can see the court and make the right pass.”
Bleacher Report: San Antonio Spurs – Reid Shepard, KentuckySports news: San Antonio Spurs – Nikola Topic, KK Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
4th place overall:
USA Today: Charlotte Hornets – Cody Williams, Colorado
“He gets to the rim with ease and finishes with power despite being listed at 6-8, 190 pounds. Has 3-point range and his mid-range game is solid at the college level. ”
Bleacher Report: Charlotte Hornets – Zachary Lizacher, JL Boulle (France)Sports news: Charlotte Hornets – Kentucky Reid Shepard
5th place overall:
USA Today: Portland Trail Blazers – Matas Bouzelis, G League Ignite
“Excellent jumping ability, amazing dunks, soft shooting touch, and contact play.”
Bleacher Report: Portland Trail Blazers – Cody Williams, ColoradoSports news: Portland Trail Blazers – Ron Holland, G League Ignite
Who is the consensus No. 1 overall pick?
Some people may say it won't happen this year. Most experts agree that Australia's Perth's Alex Sarr will be the frontrunner, but that is not yet confirmed.
Other potential first overall options include French forward Zachary Lizacher, Serbian guard Nikola Topic, Colorado's Cody Williams and Kentucky's Rob Dillingham.
Many people believe that no American college basketball player has a chance of finishing in the top three. The last time this happened was in 2001, when each of the first four picks (Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, and Eddie Curry) were drafted into the NBA Draft without attending college in the United States. entered in. Just last season, two of the top three picks, Victor Wenbenyama (1st overall) and Scoot Henderson (3rd overall), were drafted outside of the American college system.
Where will Purdue's Zach Eady go?
Arguably the biggest star of the March Madness tournament, Purdue's Zach Eady is a divisive player. However, his controversial style of play can't take away the fact that he will very likely be back-to-back college basketball player of the year after this season is all said and done.
That said, many experts believe the 7-foot-4 center won't be taken until late in the first round in this year's draft. USA Today's Jeff Gilgit and Scooby Axon said they believe Eady will fall to the Washington Wizards with the 26th overall pick. Washington is in dire need of a center, but given the potential for a top-three pick, there's a good chance they could solve that need by drafting Sarr instead.
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