Names to Know for the 2024 NBA Draft… So Nice We Did it Twice

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5-star forward Justin Edwards wil be headed to the 2024 NBA Draft
(Michael Clubb, Lexington Herald-Leader)

We gave you five good names to know for the 2024 NBA draft and now you’re going to get another batch! Here’s another five players to know that will likely end up in the lottery next year. Much like the last group of players, these guys are all mixed up in where they’re coming from and that will make for some exciting prospect watching.

Here is that list of prospects for you to know next year.

2024 NBA Draft Prospects

Justin Edwards (Kentucky)

The 6-foot-7 forward is the No. 3 ranked recruit in the country and Coach Cal landed his star of this class. He’s a long-armed and explosive athlete who is smooth in the mid-range. He can get to a dribble pull-up in that area whenever he wants. However, he will have to work on his handling as he can be loose with it at times with those long arms of his. Having said that, he usually gets to the spot he wants with his dribble so it has worked out for him so far.

He should be a feature in Calipari’s offense this season and assuming the Wildcats get back on track, he will likely be a huge reason why. He will need to put on some weight when he gets to the league, but he has the frame and body to do so.

Isaiah Collier (USC)

The 6-foot-3 point guard out of Georgia was the top-ranked recruit in the country this past cycle. It’s easy to see why as he can very clearly lead and carry an offense with his athleticism, ability to get to the rim, and intelligence. He finds open teammates easily and many times gets them open with his drives to the rim or with just the threat of his offense.

He has great balance and finishes fairly well through traffic. What stands out the most about his game is his elite ability to navigate the pick-and-roll. He has a vision that many guards at his age don’t possess and he plays with excellent pace. He doesn’t let others speed him up and that should show up quite well at USC.

Ron Holland (G-League)

The 6-foot-8 forward was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in this past recruiting cycle and it’s easy to see why. He has an NBA-ready body, is supremely athletic, and has the length you love to see in a prototypical wing. He has excellent body control, open-court athleticism, and speed. His versatility and never-ending motor will be calling cards at the next level as he heads to the G-League.

While Holland can handle the ball fairly well at his size, he will have to become a more consistent shot-maker to truly elevate his game to the next level. He has good touch around the rim so this should hopefully translate when he works on his shooting. And he should have plenty of opportunities to do so with the ball in his hands often as he plays for Ignite.

Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana)

The former Duke commit and current Hoosier stands at 6-foot-8 and should have a chance to get his name solidly into the lottery for the NBA Draft. He has a solid post-game when he’s got smaller players on him as well as a nice turnaround jumper out of that spot. He will have to show that he’s not as mechanical in his movements at Indiana. But he is a solid athlete and knows how to play above the rim.

Mgbako comes in as a nice shooter with great form already. He should be able to use that in exploiting defenses who close out too hard on him. He will get the opportunity to prove he can make some straight-line drives and finish at the rim at the very least.

Cody Williams (Colorado)

Another long forward on this list, Cody Williams stands at 6-foot-8 and was a top-10 recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle. He has some NBA pedigree already as his brother is OKC’s Jalen Williams. So he knows what it takes to get to the next level and he’s already starting out at a Power 5 school so he is much more likely to get noticed (especially after the Colorado realignment news). His play will do plenty of that for him too as he is a bit ahead of his brother at the same stage.

The younger Williams is a smooth, fluid athlete. However, he lacks a consistent jump shot and will have to get stronger to finish through contact. His length will let him finish around defenders for now, but that will become a problem down the road as NBA defenders are going to be too big for that. He should have the chance to put together all of his tools and play a significant role in Boulder before the 2024 NBA Draft.

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