2024 NBA Draft: Three Under The Radar Prospects
The 2024 NBA Draft has been labeled as a weaker draft by the vast majority of scouts and analysts. But even back drafts that were considered weak in 2013 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and 2020 (Tyrese Haliburton) produced top-tier talent. Regardless of how the draft looks right now, there will be a star to come out of that draft class. Let’s dive into three under the radar prospects for this year’s upcoming rookie class.
Carlton Carrington | Pittsburgh
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Carlton Carrington is a unique prospect that stands at 6-foot-5. His shooting ability really pops as he shoots nearly 40% from behind the arc on six attempts per game while also having a nice in-between game. Carrington is very perimeter oriented as a scorer but has been efficient scoring the ball to this point.
His vision and playmaking ability is quite impressive as he’s one of the top passing freshman in all of college basketball. He has the ability to find the open teammate and make good decisions with the ball. The freshman star has been quite low on mock drafts, but Carrington deserves some lottery consideration.
Reed Sheppard | Kentucky
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Reed Sheppard has been the best player on both ends of the floor for the Kentucky Wildcats this season. The 6-foot-3 lead guard is off to a ridiculous start from behind the arc to start the season as he’s shooting a ridiculous 63.3% from 3-point land. In three of the last five games Sheppard has scored 20 or more points for the Wildcats.
Defensively he has been ridiculous at the point of attack and has racked up a ton of steals this season as he’s averaging three steals per game. Sheppard has a clear role in the NBA as a 3-and-D lead guard with some playmaking ability. The Kentucky freshman has been mocked in the second round but deserves some lottery consideration.
Payton Sandfort | Iowa
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Payton Sandfort has taken on a bigger role for Iowa with Kris Murray’s departure. Iowa for three straight seasons have relied on a big time scorer to help lead them to victories and he is that guy this season. Despite his efficiency and splits not being ideal, his ability to shoot the ball at 6-foot-7 is elite. He possesses a ton of shot versatility as he can shoot off the dribble, catch and movement.
Although he is a high level shooter, he’s more than just a shooter. He has the ability to finish at the rim and find the open teammate while being a competitor on the defensive end. Sandfort isn’t on any mock drafts but deserves real draft consideration.
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