2024 NBA Draft: Potential Breakout Candidates For Next Year’s Draft
Part of scouting is predicting the future of the NBA, but why not dive into potential future sophomore stars and 2025 draft candidates.
Every year, we see a sophomore go much higher in the draft after returning for their second year of college. Last year Kobe Bufkin went No. 15, in 2022 Jaden Ivey went No. 5 and in 2021 Franz Wagner went No. 8.
This year, you have guys like Kyle Filipowski, Donovan Clingan and Ryan Dunn who are looking to be the first sophomores drafted. Let’s dive into some current underrated freshmen that could be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft:
Johnny Furphy | Kansas
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Johnny Furphy is someone that has the potential to be drafted in the 2024 NBA Draft if he elects to put his name into the draft. With much improved production over the last month he has really made a name for himself on a very good Kansas team. Furphy is a 6-foot-9 guard that brings a ton of versatility to an NBA team. He’s an elite shooter that excels as a shooter off the catch.
The talented freshman can really defend and possesses legit defensive versatility. Furphy has very good athleticism as he’s able to showcase that in the open floor. The Australian native has an extremely high basketball IQ and a great feel for the game as it pops on both ends of the floor when you watch him play. If he returns to Kansas for his sophomore year, scouts hope to see more on-ball opportunities for the 6-foot-9 guard.
KJ Lewis | Arizona
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KJ Lewis is a freshman guard that has come off the bench every single game for a very good Arizona roster.
The 6-foot-4 guard is playing behind two senior guard’s in Caleb Love and Pelle Larsson who have made their name known in college basketball so Lewis is just waiting for his moment to shine which very well could come next season. The tough guard has a Marcus Smart-like game as he’s already looking like an NBA level perimeter defender with his toughness, high defensive IQ and defensive versatility.
Offensively he’s a good passer that could very well serve as a secondary playmaker. What scouts love about Lewis is that he can impact winning without having plays drawn up for him. If Lewis was to return to Arizona for his sophomore season then scouts would love to see an improved 3-point jumper with a higher volume from behind the arc. Getting more minutes and on-ball opportunities could help him showcase his shooting more.
Garwey Dual | Providence
Garwey Dual is a 6-foot-5 guard that arguably has the highest ceiling amongst all five of these freshmen prospects listed. Dual is a two-way playmaking guard that brings a ton of value to a solid Providence squad. Defensively he’s super tenacious and one of the best defensive playmaking guards amongst all freshmen in college basketball. He has quick and active hands that allows him to get steals, blocks and deflections.
Dual has the potential to be an elite guard defender if he continues to get better. Offensively he’s at his best as a playmaker as he has shown good court vision with some flashiness to his game. The big concern is his poor scoring and shooting ability as he’s barely shooting over 30% from the floor and just 27% from behind the arc. If he returns to Providence next year, he will have to be much more productive on the offensive end, particularly as a scorer.
Kyshawn George | Miami
Kyshawn George is a 6-foot-8 guard that had a very slow start to the season for Miami, but the last couple of months have been used for the Switzerland native. George is a high level shooter that has an extremely soft touch, deep range and possesses a ton of shot versatility. His elite shooting ability combined with his versatile passing ability and positional size has made scouts absolutely drool over him.
Over 70% of his shot attempts come from behind the arc which shows how confident the skilled guard is when it comes to shooting the ball. George is playing next to four upperclassmen guards which has limited the on-ball opportunities for the talented freshman. If George elects to return for his sophomore season then scouts would love to see more on-ball opportunities for George to showcase more of his playmaking chops and half-court creation.
Carey Booth | Notre Dame
Carey Booth is a 6-foot-10 freshman big man that plays for Notre Dame. The young big man is actually the son of Calvin Booth. Calvin was a second round pick that played ten seasons in the NBA and is currently the general manager of the Denver Nuggets which could be something to monitor moving forward. Now back to the son, Booth is a mobile big man that has a good shooting stroke from the outside.
The skilled big man can serve a three-and-D big man. He has the ability to protect the rim and step out on the perimeter and defend in space. He’s mostly just a spot-up shooter, but Booth has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor when it’s needed. If Booth elects to return for his sophomore season then scouts would like to see more consistency from him on both ends of the floor while also having a bigger offensive role.
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