5 losers from Round 2 of the 2024 NBA Draft
The 2024 NBA Draft has finally ended after being the first draft in history to be a two-day event. Generally, most fans are excited about the first round and tend not to pay much attention to the second. It's understandable, as the cream of the crop is drafted in the first round.
However, fans mustn't forget that the second round of the draft is as important. Star players of the league like Draymond Green and Nikola Jokic were drafted in the second round of their draft season. They went on to become the most successful players in the league with one of them winning the MVP award twice.
There were a lot of good picks in the second round, but some teams didn't make the best decisions that would help them in the long term. So, here's a list of five losers from the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.
Biggest losers from Round 2 of the 2024 NBA draft
#5 Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers had the 35th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft and picked Johnny Furphy as their preferred prospect. It was evident that the Pacers took the best available player from the batch, but Furphy is a long way from becoming a main contributor to the roster anytime soon.
He had great shooting prowess from range, a career 35.2% from downtown, thanks to his excellent form and huge release. However, he struggles off the bounce and could be easily outmatched physically until he puts some more weight on his 91 kg frame.
#4 Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder had the 38th pick in the second round and drafted Ajay Mitchell.
The six-foot-five guard is a great scorer and averaged 19.8 points and 3.1 assists in his time as a junior in Santa Barbara. The OKC front office might have been attracted to Mitchell's scoring prowess.
However, he has had trouble with frequent ankle injuries in the past and needs to make sure to stay healthy if he wants any game time in an already talented and young OKC squad.
#3 Miami Heat
The Miami Heat drafted Pelle Larsson with their 44th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Larsson is a highly offensive player with a great frame combined with an even greater shooting ability. He boasts a strong 39.7% career shooting from downtown and 49.0% field goal shooting. However, the six-foot-six isn't has struggled with passing and needs to fine-tune his skills.
#2 Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies decided to get their hands on Cam Spencer as their 53rd pick in the NBA draft. He wasn't great in the draft combine and failed to impress scouts and general managers.
However, his performances at UConn provide some backing to his name. He could be the guy to hold a young Grizzlies team together and bring some winning culture from his UConn days to his new team.
#1 Toronto Raptors
The Raptors utilized their 57th pick in the 2024 NBA draft and drafted Ulrich Chomche.
He's one of the youngest players in the draft at just 18 and is from the NBA's academy in Africa. Chomche, though, needs a lot of improvement and is not ready for the league yet.
He's still young and needs more experience to play in a big league like the NBA. Moreover, he needs to get more physical and assert dominance in the paint, which is an integral part of playing as a power forward.