Top 5 college basketball players who could get drafted in round 1 of 2024 NBA Draft ft. Zach Edey
The NBA Draft and college basketball excellence don't always go together. The NBA largely picks on potential, while many collegiate stars have already hit their performance ceiling. But even in 2024, college excellence doesn't have to go unrewarded. Here are our top five college players who should be chosen in round one of the NBA Draft.
Top 5 college basketball players who could get drafted in Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Draft
5. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Kentucky's Reed Sheppard has only played one season of college basketball. His excellence in that season drove him from a peripheral NBA Draft prospect into a near-certain top-10 selection. The SEC Rookie of the Year, the 6-foot-3 guard scored 12.5 points, with 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. He led the SEC in steals (82) and shot 52% from 3-point range.
Sheppard projects as an NBA point guard. Even coming off the bench, he was fifth in the SEC in assists. He can create his own shot, though, and showed impressive maturity at the defensive end of the floor. Sheppard's athleticism was a surprise to many and it makes him a likely future NBA star.
4. Mark Sears, Alabama
On the other hand, many will think Alabama's Mark Sears, after four seasons in college, has hit his ceiling. A two-year Ohio player who transferred to Alabama, Sears scored 2,149 points, grabbed 561 rebounds, and had 470 assists in his college career. He was a 39% college 3-point shooter.
The issue with Sears is largely physical. He's just 6-foot-1 and it's fair to wonder if he can create his own shot at the next level. He's also something of a tweener as a guard rather than a pure point guard type. Sears was a phenomenal college player, and his aggressiveness and wing-scoring skills could still land him in round 1 of the NBA Draft.
3. Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Knecht is a walking billboard for the transfer portal. A Northern Colorado guard didn't make an NBA Draft ripple. But after he transferred to Tennessee and lit up the SEC, Knecht is very much an NBA Draft prospect. The SEC Player of the Year could well be a top-10 pick in the Draft.
The 6-foot-6 Knecht scored 21.7 ppg during his year in Knoxville. Knecht hit 93 3-point shots, connecting at a 40% clip. He also grabbed 4.9 rebounds per game. Knecht's perimeter shooting was expected, but his athleticism might not have been. After a year of dominating SEC basketball, there aren't many skeptics left regarding Knecht.
2. Donovan Clingan, UConn
Two traits that are impossible to teach are height and clutch experience. Clingan brings both to the NBA. His raw numbers aren't eye-popping, but his two national titles in two seasons are hard to argue. So is his growth as a player and his future potential. Clingan is an almost certain top-10 pick.
The 7-foot-2 center averaged 13.0 ppg and 7.4 rpg for the Huskies. He also blocked 86 shots, which was second in the Big East and fifth in the NCAA. Clingan has the perfect combination of performance and potential. There's reason to project him into an even better NBA player than he was a college player.
1. Zach Edey, Purdue
Lest the ability of college basketball to help in a player's development be in doubt, Edey makes a good case for it. The 7-foot-4 Canadian began college basketball as an awkward, gawky project. He finished it as a two-time Naismith Award Winner and likely first-round Draft pick.
Edey scored 2,516 points, grabbed 1,321 rebounds, and blocked 232 shots. Edey connected on 62% of his shots and was a 71% free throw shooter in college. He took Purdue to the national title game. He's also played his way into a middle to lower first-round Draft choice.
Which college star are you excited to see in the NBA? Let us hear your thoughts below in the comments section!