NBA Draft: G-League team Ignite lands top 2024 prospects Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland
While the 2023 NBA Draft has captured everyone's attention, the G-League Ignite team has already shifted its focus to the upcoming 2023-24 season. Reports suggest that the Ignite team has successfully secured the commitments of two promising prospects for the 2024 NBA draft.
Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland, both highly regarded players, have chosen to join the Ignite team instead of entering the collegiate system next year. Notably, both Buzelis and Holland have made a strong impression during their high school careers and are projected to be top picks in the 2024 draft.
Standing at an impressive six-foot-ten, Matas Buzelis is an oversized guard with exceptional skills, leading many to project him as a top-4 draft selection next year. On the other hand, Holland, a six-foot-eight forward known for his three-level scoring ability and solid defensive IQ, is also considered a potential lottery pick.
The G-League Ignite team has recently enjoyed tremendous success, with players like Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green being selected early in the lottery. As a result, the Ignite team has emerged as a legitimate and attractive alternative to college basketball. With rising star Scoot Henderson expected to make a similar transition from Ignite to the NBA, a clear pathway for young talent to enter the professional ranks has been established.
This success is likely to continue attracting some of the most promising young players in the years to come, ultimately raising the level of competition in the G-League itself.
Chris Livingston remaining in NBA Draft
According to a May 31 report by The Athletic's Shams Charania, Kentucky Wildcats product, Chris Livingston will be remaining in the upcoming draft and ending his collegiate career.
Kentucky freshman Chris Livingston is staying in the 2023 NBA Draft in June, his agent Brandon Cavanaugh of Klutch Sports Group tells @TheAthletic @Stadium. Livingston, a 6-foot-6 guard, has had a strong showing in pre-draft process.
Livingston is another one-and-done prospect coming out of division one basketball and will be hoping to find himself being called early in the first round as he looks to push forward with his NBA career. Currently, Livingston is represented by Klutch Sports, the same agency that represents LeBron James and Anthony Davis, among multiple other NBA stars.
Livingston has shown potential to make an impact at the professional level. During his time with the Wildcats, he averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game, shooting 42.9% from the field and 30.5% from beyond the arc.
Despite ESPN's latest mock draft not projecting Livingston to be selected, there remains a chance that his strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine could elevate his status among teams and ultimately lead to his selection on draft night. However, another option for Livingston is to reconsider and return to Kentucky for another season, potentially bolstering his draft stock and securing a guaranteed contract with an NBA team.
Zach Edey to return to college
In other news, Zach Edey has made the decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft process and will be returning to the Purdue Boilermakers for his fourth consecutive year.
"Despite his college production and accolades, Edey wasn't projected to be selected in the first round of next month's NBA draft," ESPN's Jeff Borzell reported. "He's ranked No. 47 in ESPN's 2023 NBA draft rankings, slotting in as the No. 4 center."
Edey, a traditional seven-foot-four center, was not projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, he still holds potential as the fourth-ranked center according to ESPN's draft rankings. His decision to continue his collegiate career allows him to further showcase his skills while also pursuing avenues to profit from his name and likeness. It remains to be seen whether Edey can enhance his draft stock as he gears up for the 2024 draft cycle.