We have talked and written advert nauseum in regards to the high of the 2024 NBA draft class — Reed Sheppard’s standing as the very best shooter, Donovan Clingan’s shot-blocking, Alex Sarr’s defensive versatility and Zaccharie Risacher’s 3-and-D prowess.
However what in regards to the much less apparent draft prospects, unheralded second spherical or undrafted gamers who would possibly sooner or later affect an NBA Finals sequence — very similar to Boston Celtics gamers Derrick White (No. 29 decide in 2017) and Sam Hauser (undrafted in 2021) and Dallas Mavericks ahead Derrick Jones Jr. (undrafted in 2016) did this previous season?
What follows shouldn’t be a listing of the very best gamers within the 2024 class and even the elite at every place, however relatively a gaggle of sleepers, by place, who we expect might exceed expectations for the place they could be drafted. We’re ignoring the plain and ruling out any participant who’s at present projected to go within the first spherical based mostly on our most up-to-date mock draft.
The six gamers chosen all have first-round grades on my private board, which differs barely from ESPN’s Prime 100 Huge Board as a result of these rankings account for a way prospects are perceived across the NBA.
Spherical 1 begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ and the ESPN App.
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