Stiles Points: Introducing the 2024 NBA Draft All-Juice Team

The Oklahoma City Thunder own the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and it is littered with juice.

Mar 13, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; Providence Friars head coach Kim English shakes hands with guard Devin Carter (22) after taking him out of the game during the second half against the Georgetown Hoyas at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to the first-annual All-Juice Team edition of Stiles Points...as the applauds die down and I dodge the tomatoes thrown on stage, we must first explain what this is.

The All-Juice team will operate just like the All-NBA team (Only more prestigious some say), three positional-less squads comprised of draft prospects who bring the juice.

What is juice? High motor, versatility, spunky, sparky, scrappy and spectacular. Mostly, you know when a player has the juice when you see it.

The kind of player who shows up to work with his lunch pail and hard hat, you never wonder if they are motivated to play, bringing an edge and someone you can lean on like Bill Withers.

A perfect blend of the eye test, intangibles and stats. Perhaps one day a mathematician will invest in the All-Juice team and make a Juice stat - for now, you have to settle for a column.

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Connecticut Huskies guard Stephon Castle (5) cuts the basketball net after winning the Men's NCAA national championship game against the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY

FIRST ALL-JUICE TEAM

• Ron Holland
• Devin Carter
• Stephon Castle
• Tidjane Salaun
• DaRon Holmes II

Holland is the definition of an energy-giving player, a motor that never quits and is the best athlete in this draft. The Ignite product loved to play with pace in transition and understands how to use his frame defensively as a scalable option to defend everyone on the floor. While his shot needs polish, everything else is there from his passing chops to his ability to get downhill and punish the rim. A true competitor who will bring it every night regardless of record, opponent, workload or environment.

Carter embodies juice with his two-way motor - If this scribe had to create a poster child of what juice is all about, it would be the Providence guard. Someone who openly admits he takes being scored on personally, a defender who racked up three stocks per game as a 6-foot-2 guard and can still splash in triples as well as go to work with the ball in his hands.

If there was a Juice MVP it would be Carter - He brings a gallon of juice in each hand to work every day. Even if Carter went 0-for-22 from the floor, he would end the game with a positive plus-minus given everything else he can do. Barring health, even as a rookie Carter is an 82-game player then 16 more.

Castle is a can't-miss NBA contributor who can get it done on both ends of the floor. The NCAA Champion with the Huskie is a bonafide winner - while he only wants to play point guard at the next level, his versatility is what earns him a spot on this list. A player who you trust to run an offense and is athletic enough to make an impact on the offensive end on or off the ball cutting into the teeth and bending the defense. On the opposite side of the floor Castle can terrorize matchups and have your team playing in a track meet all night long. His consistency is key to landing on the first All-Juice team.

Salaun is a Babe Ruth call-your-shot juice pick. Given the edge and swagger he plays with, he was a lock to make the squad. A grown man on the floor who despite being just 18 years old makes men who have been playing basketball since the Polk administration look underdeveloped. He is going to cut past the defense with a high-level feel for the game, punish the rim with an easy jam and let you hear about it. Despite shooting just 31 percent from the floor, he wants the ball and is eager to shoot it.

Given his 6-foot-9 frame with a 7-foot-1 wingspan checking in at 203 pounds of pure muscle, he can lock down any position on the floor. Sure, his shot needs work - though I am a believer that it mainly comes from minor tweaks such as his inconsistent foot placement when landing - that dog mentality that wants to be in the biggest moments of games screams "outlier shooting series that frustrates fanbases for the next 28 years." At worst Salaun is an NBA contributor, at best, he is a member of your core three.

Holmes II represents the perfect modern-day big man. The Dayton Flyer can light it up from the outside shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc, while being the perfect pick-and-roll partner hurling toward the rim, or play-finishing safety net in the dunker spot for driving guards. Defensively, there is not a player Holmes II can not guard, and in transition look out for dunks better than the 2021 Slam Dunk competition.

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Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain (0) reacts in the first 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: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

SECOND ALL-JUICE TEAM

• Jared McCain
• Carlton Carrington
• Jaylon Tyson
• Jonathan Mogbo
• Yves Missi

McCain brings the juice on and off the floor - the TikTok sensation has captivated an audience with his singing, dancing and fashion sense garnering millions of followers across all social platforms. However, do not let his influencer lifestyle fool you, the Duke product is a true killer on the court. Helping lead the Blue Devils on a lengthy NCAA tournament run, McCain is one of the best shooters in the draft both off the dribble and on the catch.

Despite his frame found success with his craftiness at the rim to the tune of 62 percent shooting at the cup. Defensively, he will likely struggle as a point-of-attack guy but he will give maximum effort with his awareness level surrounded by defenders he can mask any flaws on that end. The 20-year-old will come in an instantly be a massive part of an NBA rotation.

Carrington is an offensive weapon that needs time to mature his game, The one-and-done Pitt Panther Carrington is an intriguing shot creator with a 6-foot-8 wingspan to compliment his 6-foot-3 stature, the 18-year-old will eventually pop as a passer and scorer to lift an offense as an engine to at least prevent secondary scoring lulls or potentially drive the bus with the opening group down the line. With an NBA developmental staff, the defensive upside given his effort and projection to add muscle with age is massive.

Tyson's passion, motor and two-way potential pop off the page. The California product seems poised to make a leap at the next level with NBA spacing and pace being kind to his play style. Despite not being talked about as a lottery prospect, Tyson is as can't miss as they can get in the realm of NBA contributors - a sturdy post player despite standing just 6-foot-5 he could fill in a Alex Caruso, Derrick White role with an ability to frustrate his matchups with his harassing defensive style.

Mogbo is a player I am betting all my chips on. A first-round grade for this scribe could be had during day two, Mogbo can do everything on the floor but shoot. However, no one should be ready to wave the white flag on that trait just yet. Given the time - and green light - to hoist triples even that could come around later in his career as it has for some outlier bigs. At the NAIA and mid-major levels, you would be foolish to use him as a shooter though, given his ability to simply overpower, out-match, and out-class his opponents.

Mogbo understands the game with some of the highest IQ and feel in this class. A true playmaker with the ball in his hands while filling out a 6-foot-6 217-pound frame with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. Athletic enough and long enough to defend everyone on the floor even shifty guards can not make it too far past the San Francisco product before he is in position to make a play. A guard's best friend as a vertical floor spacer who can keep the offense in flow in the short roll, Mogbo is perfect for the modern game.

His energy-giving plays will feed a fanbase, becoming a player that feels niche to whatever organization selections only for outside fans to clamor for his arrival on their team once he plays on the big stage.

Missi might not have the right play style for what the Oklahoma City Thunder look for but he passes every test to be listed on the All-Juice team. If he is coupled with a high-level passing guard, Missi will roll out of bed with a double-double. Despite being raw - only starting to play basketball as a teenager - Missi is great off the catch and in the pick-and-roll with an advanced understanding of screen-setting, soft hands to finish plays and a walking highlight reel with his catch radius to throw down lobs.

Defensively, the blocks will be loud, deflating the basketball will be no problem but foul trouble might. However, that comes from the amount of juice he brings always looking to make a play. This is no V8 juice, it is pure unabashed Hawaiian Punch.

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Mar 22, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; UAB Blazers guard Eric Gaines (4) reacts after missing a three-point basket against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

THIRD All-JUICE TEAM

• Dillon Jones
• Jamal Shead
• Eric Gaines
• Harrison Ingram
• Adem Bona

Jones is an underrated commodity in the 2024 NBA Draft, floating between a second-round steal and late night one surprise - the 22-year-old is one of the biggest competitors in the draft with a knack for hitting big shots and packing a punch within the trees given his fire hydrant build. The 6-foot-4 guard with a 6-foot-11 wingspan shoots 61 percent at the rim finishing through contact as he throws 237 pounds around.

He scraps on the glass and has a feathery soft touch to couple with his power moves while shooting 34 percent on catch-and-shoot chances. His on-ball defense will hold him back, but he will dominate in the G League with fans wondering why he couldn't see time with the big club - the next Kenny Loftin Award winner.

Shead is an instant-impact second-round guard who provides better insurance than Flo in case a team lacks the necessary backcourt depth to withstand an 82-game season. Shead will be ready and waiting, you never have to wonder if he can bring it in the 46th minute after not getting work into that point.

Always ready and in control of the game, Shead needs to be added to any backcourt rotation as it is nearly impossible to go through an 82-game campaign unscathed.

The Houston product could lead the way for an offense if the injury bug takes a chunk out of your proverbial leg while also being one of the best third-point guards you can have. In the second round, that sort of promise is all you can ask for.

Gaines is a human highlight reel with jaw-dropping rim finishes and has dominated the pre-draft process dating back to the Portsmouth Invitational. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and is never short on energy. The UAB product is going to have his way with the G League similar to Texas Tech standout Jahmi'us Ramsey. Some of the passing pops to couple with his scoring pressure should excite teams. A sure-to-be eyebrow-raiser at summer league is a prime candidate for a two-way spot.

Ingram is one of the best prospects the second round has to offer for the modern game who can be ready to play right after shaking Mark Tatum's hand on draft night - in an era where cost-controlled talent is at a premium, the Tar Heel is the perfect pick to bring the juice. A versatile defender who offensively can make things happen with the ball in his hands or be a play finisher away from the ball at all three levels, Ingram is the perfect fit for a contributor strapped for cash who needs a rotational piece on the cheap they can count on.

Bona might have the best motor in the draft, always playing like a kid on a sugar rush, he will lead whatever league he is playing in with distance traveled, steps taken in a game per 36 and shockwave-registering slams. Standing 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan weighing in at 243 pounds a fountain of youth Bismack Biyombo who racked up 2.9 stocks per game to go along with 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

The UCLA product finished at the rim at a 69 percent clip, ranked in the 76th percentile as a post scorer and 98th percentile in transition. Defensively, Bona let up just 35 percent at the cup ranking in the 91st percentile while locking up the post and stifling pick-and-roll chances. A second-rounder who will sure up someone's front court. The perfect break-glass in case of emergency big man who will stay ready for his chance.

Stiles Points

• Alex Caruso met with the media in Oklahoma City for the first time on Monday Afternoon.
• Ron Holland had a draft workout with the OKC Thunder during draft week, the full known workout list can be found here.
• Caruso has given a lot of credit to Thunder General Manager Sam Presti throughout his career.
• The Thunder have many ways to benefit from using their cap space this summer.

Song. the Day: Juicy by the Notorious B.I.G.

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