2024 NBA Draft: Players, Picks, Rankings, Stats, Simulations

The 2024 NBA Draft begins Wednesday in New York with the Atlanta Hawks having the No. 1 spot on the clock. There will be 58 total picks over two rounds, with the draft being conducted over two days for the first time in its history.

The big questions heading into the draft: Is there a consensus on the top pick? Which teams could shake up the top ten? How will teams like the San Antonio Spurs use their multiple draft picks to build around their stars? Will Bronny James be drafted and during which round?

We give you a one-stop-shop for everything you need to know: times, locations, draft request, top prospects, rankings, mock drafts, stats and more. Read about the draft’s top players and what to expect this week.

Round 1: Wednesdays at 8pm ET (coverage begins at 7:30pm ET on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

Second round: Thursdays at 4pm ET (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The first round will take place on Wednesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, while the second round will take place on Thursday at ESPN’s Seaport District studios in Manhattan.

Some of the invited players who will be on site in New York are: French forward Zachary Reisacher, French forward/center Alex Sarr, UConn center Donovan Clingan, Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, G League Ignite forward Matas Bozlis, UConn guard Stephon Castle, Tennessee. Forward Dalton Knecht, French forward Tegan Salon, G League Ignite forward Ron Holland, Colorado winger Cody Williams, Providence guard Devin Carter, Baylor winger Jacoby Walter.

Two-time Naismith Trophy winner Zach Eddy, who is expected to be a first-round pick, will watch the draft with his friends and family in Purdue.

There will be 58 picks in this year’s draft: 1-30 on the first night and 31-58 on the second night. The Hawks won the lottery for the first time since its inception in 1985, despite having a 3% odds of winning. This will be the Hawks’ fourth time at No. 1, but their first since 1975.

The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers have the most picks with four each. The Spurs have two picks in the top 10 (No. 4, No. 10) and two picks in the second round (No. 35, No. 48). The Trail Blazers have two lottery picks (No. 7, No. 14) and two second-round picks (No. 34, No. 40).

The Brooklyn Nets are the only team without picks. The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns were both forced to forfeit second-round picks for violating rules governing the timing of the free agency discussion. The Sixers still have two options, and the Suns have one.

Top 14 (Lottery Picks):

1. Atlanta Hawks
2. Washington Wizards
3. Houston Rockets (via BKN)
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Charlotte Hornets
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. San Antonio Spurs (via TOR)
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. Utah Jazz
11. Chicago Bulls
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Sacramento Kings
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via GS)

more: Needs of Teams with First Round Picks (ESPN+) | Complete system project

How good is the 2024 draft class?

This class has been widely criticized for its lack of star power at the top for some time, and there’s certainly truth to that with there not being a single player you can point to as eventual All-Star potential, let alone as many players as we’re typically used to. to see. Instead, we find a group of quality players, with several prospects who are projected to be elite defenders expected to be among the top draft picks, and others who have question marks regarding their size, perimeter shooting, or willingness to contribute to make up the rest. From the lottery.

Top picks aside, this is a fairly ordinary draft, not all that unlike the 2023 draft that goes beyond the top three picks in that group. There is great depth throughout the first round and into the second.

The financial implications surrounding new cap and luxury tax rules that will take effect this summer will likely cause quite a few deals.

Historically, the best players in the draft rarely move up in any sort of ranking at the top. NBA executives expect this to be the case more than usual, making this a year in which teams with elite talent evaluators and information gatherers can separate themselves from those who did not pay enough attention during the season and could be easily distracted the previous season. . -Draft process. -Jonathan Givony

How are forecasts arranged?

For a complete list of the top 100 prospects (including strengths and weaknesses), check out the full rankings compiled by ESPN’s draft experts.

At 6-foot-8, French forward Zachary Reisacher ranks No. 1 on ESPN’s list. The 19-year-old is a versatile winger whose ability to shoot on the move, competitiveness, defensive versatility and overall feel for the game have helped him excel in high-level competition in the European Cup and Ligue 1.

Top 10 Prospects on ESPN:

1. Zachary Reichacher | sixth | Bourg (France)
2. Alex Sarr | ff/c | Perth city in Australia)
3. Donovan Clingan | C | Yukon
4. Red Shepard | PG/SG | Kentucky
5. Matas Buzelis | SF/National Front | G periodic ignition
6. Stefon Castle | PG/SG | Yukon
7. Dalton Knecht | sixth | Tennessee
8. Rob Dillingham | p | Kentucky
9. Teejan Salon | F| Cholet (France)
10. Nikola theme | p | Red Star (Adriatic League)

More ESPN+ content: Which NBA players compare to the highest expectations? | Top 30 NBA Prospects Insider Kevin Pelton

Latest mock draft and intel

Click here for the latest mock draft of all 58 picks (ESPN+), based on comprehensive evaluation and information gathered from scouts and front office staff.

Will Atlanta stay in first place? Hawks general manager Landry Fields said last week that the team was satisfied with retaining the No. 1 pick. Here’s what Givony wrote about Atlanta’s potential decision, which he expects to take Zachary Reisacher to the No. 1 spot:

Zachary Reisacher, as he has for most of the pre-draft cycle, continues to hold out as the No. 1 option after a positive workout with Atlanta. Feedback from those who have seen him in the United States is that he passes better and does a better job of initiating contact and playing through athleticism than would be expected with his lanky frame. Donovan Clingan, another favorite of the Hawks’ coaching staff, remains at No. 1.

Future Wimpy stars at Tottenham: With two top-10 picks, the Spurs are in prime position to build around Rookie of the Year Victor Wimpanyama. Here’s the latest what Givony hears from San Antonio:

The Spurs are telling contending teams they will take the best player available approach with both the No. 4 and No. 8 picks, despite their needs in the backcourt and lack of shooting and playmaking — areas they will need to address in time. time. Taking a patient approach appears to be San Antonio’s strategy right now, as there are plenty of scenarios in which more attractive options become available in the near future.

The return of the old men: The NCAA Championship game pitted two of the most intriguing prospects in recent years, with UConn’s Donovan Clingan (7-foot-3) getting the best of Purdue and counterpart Zach Eddy (7-4) en route to a second straight title. As ESPN draft expert Jeremy Wu explains, both players have been labeled as throwbacks to the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s, but there’s still an allure surrounding the two biggest outliers in the draft.

Where Bronnie James might land: LeBron James’ son is not expected to be selected in the first round, but he could fall in the second round. Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul (who also represents LeBron), told ESPN last week that the 6-2 guard has trained individually for only two teams: the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. Follow ESPN’s evaluation of Bronny’s game after his workouts at the NBA Draft Combine in May.

He plays

Donovan Clingan and Bristol Central High School: a perfect match

Find out why Donovan Clingan chose to stay at Bristol Central High School in his hometown before becoming a two-time NCAA champion at UConn.

Who are your best skilled prospects?

Our experts have compiled an ESPN+ list of the most promising players based on skills and attributes in 20 categories. Below are the notable names that have emerged.

Best pick-and-roll finisher: Zack Eddy | C | Bordeaux

Edey is a dream target for playmaking guards to pair with in the pick-and-roll. He sets wide, bruising screens and is a great marker who rolls through the paint and catches everything thrown his way with his huge, magnetic hands and 7-11 wingspan.

Best football coach: Rob Dillingham | p | Kentucky

Dillingham has a wide range of dribbling moves at his disposal, including jerky crossovers, double crossovers, inside-outside dribbles, behind-the-back dribbles and more.

Best jumper/dunker: Matas Bozlis, SF/PF, G League Ignite

Not many 6-10 players have the audacity to pull windmills in-game like Buzelis did in the G League this season, but that combination of explosiveness and bravado is a big part of his appeal.

More ESPN+ content: The sleeper makes choices in each position

Who are the most prominent international players?

Fourteen internationals were selected first in the draft, the most recent coming last year when Spurs beat Wimpanyama for the top spot. This year might be no different if the Hawks select fellow talented Frenchman Reisacher with the top pick. Here are other noteworthy international prospects:

Alex Sarr | ff/c | Perth city in Australia)
age: 19 | 7-1224 pounds

With a 7-4 wingspan, Sarr’s combination of size, length, mobility, defensive versatility and finishing ability gives him an easy spot he can fill as a big vertical who can protect the rim and slide with guards on the perimeter.

Nikola theme | p | Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
age: 18 | 6-7203 pounds

Topic has great size for a point guard with a great combination of ball handling, change-up speeds off of hesitant moves, creativity at finding teammates on the move and skillful finishing around the basket. It remains to be seen how the partially torn ACL will impact his draft status.

New this year: Predict NBA Draft Day

ESPN analytics’ new NBA Draft Day Predictor is powered by expert mock drafts, ESPN’s top 100 prospect rankings and historical draft results to determine players’ odds across a range of picks. Check out ESPN analytics writer Chris Harden’s analysis on some of the biggest questions in the draft.

Additionally, ESPN has released the 2024 NBA Draft Simulation, allowing you to act as a key decision-maker for your favorite team to make picks in both rounds and make trades. The simulator will be live throughout the draft, providing a minute-by-minute percentage chance of selecting each prospect with each pick.

Try ESPN’s mock draft simulation

ESPN stats and info: 5 things to know about this draft

• This draft would mark the third time in the modern draft era (since 1966) that the top two prospects did not attend college, and the first such time since 2003 — when LeBron James and Darko Milicic were selected with the top two picks.

• If Bronny James is selected, it will be the first time a son has been drafted with his father still being an active NBA player. There have been 51 instances of fathers and sons being selected in the NBA draft in the modern draft era, which includes a pair last year (Jet Howard and Trace Jackson-Davis).

• A Kentucky player has been drafted in the first round in 14 consecutive drafts, the longest such streak in the modern era.

• It will be the final draft in which G League Ignite players will be selected after the team’s shutdown is announced. Since its founding in 2021, G League Ignite has recruited 10 players — more than any other college, country or development program at the time. Duke University had eight programs, followed by three other undergraduate programs with six (Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan).

• UConn could have two players (Donovan Clingan and Stephon Cassel) in the top 10. The last national champion not to receive a lottery pick in the next draft was North Carolina in 2016-17.