Tiers Of The 10 Best 2024 NBA Draft Prospects

Which top prospects have established themselves as better bets than others?

Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) reaches in on Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) during the Men's NCAA national championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY

Alas, it’s NBA Draft day. Tonight, 30 prospects will hear their name called in round one as organizations welcome these young players to the highest level of hoops. While the 2024 class has often been labeled as “weak” compared to other groups, a number of unique skillsets will enter the league tonight, and many talents will inevitably change the course of their franchises.

In its most simple form, the NBA Draft is a gambling game, so which prospects have earned their rank as better “bets” than others? Where do the gaps between the best prospects lie? A tier ranking of these top prospects can help to answer this question. Amongst the top ten in this class, there are three distinct tiers.

Tier 1 - First Overall Pick Worthy With Star-Impact Potential:

Donovan Clingan, UConn Huskies

Apr 8, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) celebrates defeating the Purdue Boilermakers in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 7'1.75"

Weight: 282.2 lbs

Wingspan: 7'6.75"

Age: 20.3

What earned him this ranking?

With incredible size, flawless technique, impressive mobility, and much more, Clingan’s interior defense is the single most valuable prospect skill in this class. He was an impenetrable force defending the basket for the National Champions this season. A safe bet as a valuable NBA rim protector and post defender, he boasts the loud potential to leverage these abilities into near-league-topping defensive impact.  

Offensively, as a physical screener and huge interior presence, Clingan brings a skill-set suited for a simplified center role. This gives him a clear path to positive offensive contribution, with the upside to further his impact through improvements to his screening, finishing, passing, and offensive rebounding.

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

As the top prospect in this year’s class, Clingan can’t rank any higher. That being said, his offensive profile contrasts his defensive profile with a lack of upside. With inconsistent touch, he struggles to score effectively away from the rim, which is a pivotal obstacle he’d have to clear to unlock more impactful outcomes past the confines of a traditional role. These offensive shortcomings make Clingan less intriguing atop the draft compared to the best prospect in most classes.                

Zach Edey, Purdue Boilermakers

A dejected Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) walks off the court after losing the Men's NCAA national championship game to Connecticut Huskies at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY

Height: 7'3.75"

Weight: 299.0 lbs

Wingspan: 7'10.75"

Age: 22.3

What earned him this ranking?

One of the greatest College Basketball players of all-time, Edey’s unparalleled physical advantages and sharp skill-set make him the highest upside player in this class. If someone in this class is destined to make All-NBA teams, it’s likely the two-time National Player of the Year. 

Edey will enter the NBA as the league’s biggest player, and this will translate to instant impact in a number of ways. For example, he’ll dominate the boards, set physical screens, and protect the rim—he may not have the high-end mobility for much versatility in pick-and-roll coverage, but he’s a huge, huge presence at the basket which is the single most important factor for valuable drop coverage bigs. 

Further, Edey’s most intriguing skill is his dominant interior scoring. This has the potential to shine in a number of ways at the NBA level, not just in the post but also on the roll, off duck-ins to the cup, and via the out-of-structure seals he’s mastered.

If Edey hits a good outcome as an interior scorer, that’s when the star possibilities come into play. 

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

While the top two prospects in this year’s draft are largely interchangeable, and Edey is just as viable of an option with the top pick, he finishes a smidge below Clingan, for he brings less certainty. It’s all but a given that Clingan impacts games defensively while holding his own offensively. While Edey comfortably projects as a valuable contributor on both ends, the pitfalls of his lackluster defensive versatility and older age attach some risk to these projections. 

Tier 2 -  Quality Starter Bets With Some Upside   

Kel'el Ware, Indiana Hoosiers

Mar 15, 2024; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers center Kel'el Ware (1) reacts during the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'11.75"

Weight: 230.0 lbs

Wingspan: 7'4.5"

Age: 20.2

What earned him this ranking?

Frankly, Ware is an extremely talented basketball player, easily one of the most gifted in this class. An incredible athlete at the center position, he finishes plays, protects the rim, and corrals rebounds with his vertical range and quick leaping. Further, his fluid movement skills allow him to defend closer to the level of screens and lend way to sneaky scoring skills waiting to be unlocked. He’s comfortable putting the ball on the floor to attack the rim from the post, middle of the floor, or perimeter, and his advanced craft and stellar touch shine through on a number of these attacks. With his precise footwork and soft touch, he can comfortably navigate to, pivot into, and convert fadeaways, sweeping hooks, and floaters at an impressive clip of 61% from two-point range. What makes this two-point scoring even more intriguing, though, is the physical approach the seven-footer takes in these attacks. A big part of his process as a scorer is to leverage contact and win off of bumps, which comes with quiet potential as he inevitably fills out his slender, but strong, frame. 

Joining these talents is his overt potential as a game-breaking stretch five. He converted 43% of his threes this season with an array of impressive makes. Given the breadth and developmental possibilities of his immense talent, Ware is a top prospect in this draft class hiding in plain sight. 

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Throughout his collegiate career, Ware wasn’t always able to extract the most impact from his undeniable talent. While his lapses in decision-making and effort didn’t prevent him from dominating the Big 10, the NBA demands a high bar of execution for even its most exceptional talents. Should Ware have a tough time eliminating these negative plays at the next level, his talents may never get the chance to develop and flourish. This element of risk keeps him just below the top tier of prospects. 

Alexandre Sarr, Perth Wildcats

Mar 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A general view of an official NBA game basketball in the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Charlotte Hornets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'11.75"

Weight: 224.2 lbs

Wingspan: 7'4.25"

Age: 19.2

What earned him this ranking?

Sarr glides across the court, providing stifling shot contests with his fluid strides and quick feet. Given his size and mobility, not only does he easily project as a great NBA defender, but he brings immense potential as both a switch big and roaming help defender. He checks the boxes to thrive in a versatile, ground-covering big man role, which is perhaps the most valuable defensive archetype in the modern NBA.

Offensively, while he currently brings less substance, Sarr has some upside here given his movement skills and shooting mechanics. He flashes impressive sequences playing in space as his frame does a lot of heavy lifting. Most importantly, as he develops as a scorer and passer, his defense will keep him on the court while his size will lend way to a large margin for error. 

His two-way upside makes Sarr’s higher-end outcomes as high than any prospect outside of Edey. 

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Sarr finds himself at an unfortunate crossroads between being a tad too small to truly be a center and a bit too unskilled to be a perimeter player. He lacks touch on finishes, balance on drives, and physicality on interior attacks. On the perimeter, his sub-30% shooting from beyond the arc leaves much to be desired. This complication of offensive role, in tandem with the fact that he’s too small to guard NBA centers, drops Sarr’s floor a bit lower than his big man counterparts atop the draft.

Matas Buzelis, G League Ignite

Feb 16, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Team Detlef forward Matas Buzelis (13) of the G League Ignite dribbles the ball against Team Pau forward Brandon Miller (24) of the Charlotte Hornets during a Rising Stars semifinal game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'8.75"

Weight: 197.0 lbs

Wingspan: 6'10.0"

Age: 19.7

What earned him this ranking?

With good size, functional athleticism, advanced scoring craft, and optimistic shooting indicators, Buzelis is a budding swiss army knife with a growingly advanced scoring package. He has glaring potential to impact the NBA game in a number of ways on both ends of the court; he has many different developmental pathways to impact while his sleek handle, precise footwork, and proficient mid-range shooting demonstrate intriguing upside as a scorer. 

His three-point shooting wasn’t great in the G League, but he shot 43% from beyond the arc as a high school senior and 47% on pull-up 2s for Ignite. He has sound mechanics, and a good chunk of his three-point misses were short due to a lack of strength. These shooting indicators along with his well-rounded skill-set make Buzelis the best non-big bet in this draft class. 

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Even with optimistic shooting indicators, Buzelis’ three-point shot is a question mark as he did shoot just 27% from deep for Ignite; it’s far from a given that he ends up a solid shooter. Additionally, he isn’t the most athletic on-ball defender with subpar strength, he still misses a lot of passes, and his touch is short of great. While he doesn’t have many broad weaknesses, the uncertainty surrounding his shooting projection does keep him below the very top of this class.

Zaccharie Risacher, JL Bourg

Jun 23, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'8.5"

Weight: 194.6 lbs

Wingspan: 6'9.5"

Age: 19.2

What earned him this ranking?

As a tall, rangy, sharpshooting wing who knows how to play his role and excels at guarding the ball, Risacher brings a skill-set fit for an inherently valuable NBA archetype on both ends of the floor. Regardless of shortcomings elsewhere, he’ll bring a baseline of offensive impact through his off-ball scoring, finishing plays proficiently from three and through shrewd cuts to the basket. He excelled in this role while playing for JL Bourg. Defensively, he used his length to contain a range of difficult on-ball matchups as well as to shrink the floor and crash the glass when not guarding the ball. On both sides of the court, the Frenchman projects as an NBA contributor in the near future.

Risacher’s foundational traits of shooting, size, fluidity, and experience will not only get him on the floor soon, but also give him ample room to expand his impact within his coveted archetype. Offensively, given his tantalizing flashes of no-dip threes, movement jumpers, and contested pull-up makes, he has substantive potential as someone who can use his height and versatility to hunt looks from deep. Additionally, given his frame, he doesn’t need to add all that much more strength to impose his physicality on the game via screening, driving, and finishing at the rim. His fluid movement skills, long strides, and instances of handling creativity in the open court also provide a somewhat intriguing base as a handler. 

Defensively, his lateral movement impresses when he slides his feet, and he has the length and flexibility to stay connected and contest the shots of handlers. Risacher boasts plausible outcomes as a versatile on-ball stopper and lengthy point-of-attack defender whose size can be a factor on the interior.

Risacher’s two-way skill-set is in high demand in the modern NBA, and the potential impact he can provide within his projected archetype makes him a top-half of the lottery prospect.

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Risacher flashes skills which could fuel on-ball creation in the future, but he’s still unable to provide any, even in short spurts. He’s not comfortable handling in traffic, often crumbling when met with contact. He doesn’t yet diagnose defenses well as a passer, and his rim attacks are typically weak. His future as an NBA advantage creator appears bleak, which caps his upside as a perimeter player. 

Now, Risacher doesn’t need to create advantages to be a valuable offensive player in the NBA. However, these deficiencies also hamper his potency in a more complimentary, off-ball role when forced to finish plays with downhill attacks. It’s tough to value a perimeter prospect in the top tier of the draft with such gaps in his ball skills, especially with some doubts surrounding just how elite his best skills are. His inconsistencies from three and defensively don’t help to overcome these shortcomings; he’s good, but currently not elite in these facets of the game.

Atop the draft, there are better options than Risacher. 

Tier 3 - Flawed Upside Swings & Older Starter Bets

Ron Holland, G League Ignite

Mar 28, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American West forward Ron Holland (1) in action during the first half against the McDonald's All American East at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'6.5"

Weight: 196.8 lbs

Wingspan: 6'10.75"

Age: 18.9

What earned him this ranking?

Holland’s marquee trait is his blazing speed. He uses this speed to relentlessly attack the rim, especially in the open floor, where he projects to bring value running the ‘break. In the half-court, the young wing’s physical tools make him one of the most intriguing upside swings in the class; he possesses rare traits as a slasher and flashes as a passer which could make him a legitimate NBA advantage creator with development in surrounding skills. As a shooter, his 73% free throw shooting, pull-up fluidity, and willingness to attempt a variety of jumpers serve as positive indicators for his shooting development.

Further, Holland weaponizes his athleticism on the defensive end, where his impressive ground-coverage and motor allow him to rack up steals, blocks, and rebounds. These abilities give him a floor of defensive impact while his frame and physical tools give him plausible upside to also become a valuable on-ball defender with improvements to his strength and technique. His defensive profile adds to his intriguing upside, for there’s a chance he develops into a valuable two-way wing who impacts games on the margins. Holland’s high-end outcomes make him a worthwhile gamble to the right team in the back half of the top ten.

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

While his positive flashes display tantalizing upside, there are a bevy of obstacles he’ll have to clear before he can even begin to fulfill his potential on either end. His speed shined on many drives, but as a whole, his loose handle, underwhelming strength, and poor touch led way to poor half-court finishing numbers(53 FG%) and high turnover rates in the G League. Further, he lacks counters on his attacks, struggling to make shots off-the-dribble in any capacity—he posted a 32 TS% on pull-up jumpers for Ignite. He’s ways away from adding valuable half-court creation at the NBA level; he may just have too many roadblocks in his way to ever materialize in this department. 

Holland also doesn’t yet have much of a complementary skill-set to add impact when not handling the ball. He doesn’t finish plays efficiently from anywhere on the floor, particularly from beyond the arc, where his 27% catch-and-shooting may be catastrophic. 

Defensively, he struggles to contain the ball, often taking bad angles and getting mixed up with his footwork. He also doesn’t have the strength to power through screens nor resist strong contact when defending drives. Holland will have to leap these hurdles to bring noteworthy NBA value on defense.

It’s possible that Holland improves upon his many deficiencies, and rides his dominant skills to status as a top guy from this class. However, this development is an uphill battle that a team will have to gamble on; he’ll likely have to make multiple drastic, difficult leaps to even return top-ten value. On the low end of his spectrum of outcomes, there’s a chance Holland encounters difficulty finding footing in the league. The ginormous risk attached to his rewarding high-end outcomes makes Holland a tough sell towards the very top of the draft, but one worth buying towards the end of the top ten.

Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois Fighting Illini

Mar 30, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) reacts against the Connecticut Huskies in the finals of the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'5.75"

Weight: 219.4 lbs

Wingspan: 6'8.75"

Age: 23.9

What earned him this ranking?

Shannon Jr. will enter the NBA as one of the league’s very fastest players; with true wing size, he’s the single best athlete in this draft class. This athleticism showed through in his collegiate dominance, particularly via his ability to repeatedly bullet to the rim for punishing finishes across all play-types en route to 23 PPG on 62 TS%.

Shannon Jr.’s transition dominance projects into significant NBA value as does his proficiency in spot-up scenarios. This season, through impressive marks of 36% on 11.2 attempts per 100 possessions from deep, he established himself as a positive shooter who will force closeouts at the NBA level. In a league where complementary players are increasingly tasked with second-side creation duties, the Chicago native will contribute offensively in the half-court by leaving recovering defenders in the dust. Given just how dynamic of a slasher he is, his off-the-catch driving will be extra potent playing alongside a star creator.  

It’s also worth mentioning that Shannon Jr. converted 80% of his 10(!!) free throws per game this season, and he’s made constant strides as a shooter throughout his college career.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Shannon Jr. may not operate much as a pick-and-roll ball handler nor isolation creator in the league, but the ball skills he demonstrated in these scenarios, such as pull-up jumpers and skip passes, are relevant value adds even in his likely more complimentary role. 

On the other side of the ball, Shannon Jr. exhibited his physical tools with heavy point-of-attack responsibilities. With incredible lateral ground coverage, significant strength, vertical explosiveness, and highly coveted length, Shannon Jr. has plausible potential to bring significant value in this area. His defensive impact wasn’t always through the roof this season given his large offensive responsibility, but great defensive impact could certainly be in the cards with a smaller offensive role in the NBA.

Overall, Shannon Jr. is currently one of the best players in this draft class and a top-ten prospect moving forward, with a unique skill-set meant for modern NBA impact.

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Shannon Jr. will be 24 years old at the time of his NBA debut, and without a spectacular handle nor shot-making ability, his upside is capped a bit more than his younger counterparts ranked in the top half of the lottery.  

Devin Carter, Providence Friars

Mar 15, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; Providence Friars guard Devin Carter (22) brings the ball up court against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'2.25"

Weight: 193.0 lbs

Wingspan: 6'8.75"

Age: 22.3

What earned him this ranking?

A powerful athlete, Carter manifests his strength, explosiveness, and motor defensively first and foremost. His point-of-attack defense is one of the most intriguing prospect skills in this class, for he has the lateral speed to cut off ball handlers combined with the strength to shrug off screens and the length to stay connected when guarding the ball. Additionally, he averaged an incredible 8.7 rebounds per game, demonstrating the impact he makes on the margins.

Offensively, Carter is a strong downhill threat who can create advantages in the pick-and-roll and nail pull-up threes. He showcases his athletic tools on drives to the rim, and his burst and strength give him upside as a quality secondary handler in the league. 

Carter brings a complimentary, two-way skill-set to the NBA unlike most players his height. He plays bigger than 6-foot-2 and has enough off-the-dribble capabilities to be a good starter bet in the back half of the lottery.

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

Combine his older age with the fact that Carter is on the fringes of wing size, and his developmental margin for error is smaller than prospects ranked above him. At 6’2” he isn’t yet a spectacular handler nor shot-maker, and there will always be questions regarding just how impactful a player his height can be defensively. 

Kyle Filipowski, Duke Blue Devils

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) reacts in the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6'10.75"

Weight: 229.8 lbs

Wingspan: 6'10.5"

Age: 20.6

What earned him this ranking?

A well-rounded big man, Filiposwki’s bankable traits across many facets of the game lend way to many developmental possibilities. He’s a skilled scorer, mixing his size with fluidity and touch from all over the court, including from beyond the arc. He’s a shrewd passer, who knows how to dissect defenses in advantage scenarios. With the necessary physical development, his offensive skill-set could shine in a big way as an offensive hub. 

Defensively, he brings the size and mobility to have potential as a good enough NBA defender next to his immense offensive potential. In the back half of the lottery, this upside makes Filipowski a worthy bet. 

Why isn’t he ranked higher?

At the center position, Filiposwki isn’t the strongest, nor quickest, nor most explosive athlete. While he is highly skilled, these physical disadvantages attach risk to his upside, for the NBA’s athletic bar may simply be too high for Filipowski to clear as an interior scorer and defender.

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