NBA Rookie: Which Western Conference Newbie Can Pop?

Despite a potentially weak 2024 draft class, someone should exceed expectations.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) dunks against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

It's likely not flown below anyone's radar that the 2024 NBA Draft class was not projected as being particularly strong.

Yet, as is usually the case, someone will pop regardless, likely to the tune of making an All-Star game or two.

So, let's explore some names and see what we can try to predict, to the best of our abilities. We'll rank these players with a potential ranking between 1-10, with 1 being a borderline NBA player, and 10 being the next Victor Wembanyama. 

Next up, three players from the Western Conference:

Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

When you have a guard with genuine size (6-foot-6, 210 pounds), who can defend at a high level, is athletic, and has playmaking chops to the point where he might become your starting point guard, you know you have something special.

Castle will be a project, particularly as his offense needs to come around, but his starting point is strong. He'll more than likely be capable of playing quality defense from Day 1, and the Spurs will bring him along at the right pace, as they're wont to do.

For Castle, it all comes down to the ability of scaling his role up and down. Will he be more of a tertiary component, or a featured player? Will he swing between those roles pending who is on the roster year-by-year? He's one of the rare players from this class who seem to possess both a high floor, and a high ceiling.

Potential Rank: 8

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets 

While most critics were busy discussing Sheppard's lack of size, the man himself was busy hitting over 50% from behind the long line, while also gathering up defensive metrics 6-foot-3 guards shouldn't be capable of.

Whether he's a point guard, a shooting guard, both, or something in-between might have been an issue five years ago, but Sheppard has hit the league at just the right time, where he can seamlessly float between roles, and quite effectively.

It's fair to wonder if he ever becomes a real superstar, but his two-way production, combined with his offensive upside, could catapult him into an unexpectedly high level. 

Potential Rank: 8

Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers 

While we've yet to see the 7-foot-2 center's shooting upside be applied much, we do know the Blazers themselves believe in it, and think his future NBA role is vastly different than the one he had in college, playing alongside the aforementioned Castle at UCONN.

Clingan, like his former teammate, should be a quality defender from opening night. It's the other stuff that needs to be rounded out, such as the shooting, the overall scoring prowess, and he needs to display that he can play extended minutes.

At worst, Clingan projects to be a long-term veteran, who will be able to protect the basket, rebound at a high level, and convert shots as a rim-runner, all of which is insanely valuable. 

Potential Rank: 7

Read the Eastern Conference version here.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.