2024 NBA Draft Superlatives
The No Ceilings crew gives their draft superlatives in the aftermath of the wild two-day affair that was the 2024 NBA Draft.
The dust has settled on the first-ever two-day NBA Draft extravaganza. There was plenty of intrigue after the first round on Wednesday night, with trades flying fast and furious heading into and during the second round on Thursday afternoon.
Before we can officially close the books on the 2024 NBA Draft cycle, we here at No Ceilings have one last tradition to maintain before we start gearing up for Summer League and the 2025 NBA Draft. Without further ado, here are the No Ceilings 2024 NBA Draft Superlatives.
1. Who was the biggest “riser” of the draft?
Rucker: Going to have to go with Milwaukee Bucks rookie and 23rd overall pick AJ Johnson. Coming into the year, Johnson was a name that was expected to head to Texas for the upcoming 2023-24 NCAA season. As one NBA executive told me “Johnson would have been a lottery pick if he ended up going to Texas.” Instead, Johnson went overseas and spent a year in the NBL, looking like a player that would be a potential second round swing. After an impressive showing at the combine, the buzz started to heat up for AJ. That buzz ended up carrying AJ all the way into the first round. There’s a serious amount of talent here to be unlocked; that’s why taking a swing on Johnson is such a fascinating idea for a team like Milwaukee. The athleticism and offensive feel are legit, and Johnson just needs time to let all of the tools fall into place.
Paige: The Miami Heat selecting Kel’el Ware with the #15 pick shocked me due to the fact Dalton Knecht was still on the board for the Heat to steal. Taking Ware here was a little bit of a reach for the Heat, in my opinion, but I do get the potential with Ware. Transferring to Indiana was the best decision Ware could’ve made for himself, as Mike Woodson allowed him to play his game and didn’t set unrealistic expectations on him compared to Oregon. Ware has shown some intriguing pick-and-pop ability and playmaking feel, along with being a versatile defender with a great motor. Ware adds a little bit more rim protection for the Heat as well, and the duo of him and Adebayo in the frontcourt could be really fun.
Maxwell: I got a huge smile on my face seeing No Stone Unturned 2022 prospect Dillon Jones get his name called by the Thunder at 26. He’s a fascinating prospect. I get it–he’s not the most athletic, he struggled defensively at times, and his jumper is suspect. Still, he’s the only player in the BartTorvik Era to post a 30 AST%, 30 DRB%, and 3 STL%. They call those “the feel factor” stats, and they truly are indicative of the exceptional feel that Jones brings to the table. I hope he hits in a big way. His unique blend of power, savvy, and slickness could make him one of the most exciting role players in the league.
Corey: My guy Dillon Jones came in at the 49th spot on the final $DRFT Stock Rankings on the No Ceilings Draftdaq, making a 24-spot leap into the first round after Oklahoma City traded in at pick 25. While many may feel this is a reach, I’ve been mocking him in that range for a few weeks leading up to the draft. Jones is one of the most unique prospects I’ve ever evaluated and had the pleasure of being around, with as unique an NBA journey as his play style. OKC continues to value dribble, pass, shoot guys on the perimeter, and Jones provides all of those skills. Add in his monster rebounding ability and elite feel for the game and OKC may have gotten another mid-major steal.
Rowan: It’s been a residual climb up the draft rungs for Baylor Scheierman, but he ends up in an underrated spot for him with the Boston Celtics. Scheierman was overshadowed by Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner at times as potential NBA prospects over Scheierman’s time with Creighton, but his mixture of size, shooting, and ball movement was too consistent to ignore. He looks like the type of role player who is geared toward making the right play and preventing a bench offense from getting gunked up by stagnation. It may not come right away, but those are the exact types of players that Joe Mazzulla loves to fill out dangerous lineups for the Celtics, which is a further testament to Scheierman’s climb in the pre-draft process.
Nick: I understand the long-term play for Milwaukee, but I was still quite surprised to see AJ Johnson go at #23 to the Bucks. There’s certainly a lot to like with his physical tools, feel for the game, and developmental trajectory, and the Bucks are well-equipped to take a home run swing with him. Milwaukee has the ability to bring him along slowly and help him to reach the peak of his potential, but I have to admit that I did not see him going that early in the first round.
Stephen: Zach Edey qualifies on two counts, here. For one, he is just a very large human being. More importantly, Edey being taken in the Top 10 seemed to be a reach for everyone not named Corey Tulaba. The Grizzlies have had a ton of success with big men who know how to use their natural gifts to their advantage. Edey dominated the college ranks with post-ups, but he is likely to be featured more in pick-and-roll sets. Those wide screens should get Ja Morant clean driving angles, and facilitate open looks from deep from the rest of this Memphis cast. Rumors were that their front office was looking for ways to move up for Clingan, but the Grizz landed a historically accomplished college athlete who can prove to be one of the better players in this class.
2. Who was the biggest “faller” of the draft?
Rucker: I’m going to go with Dalton Knecht. There’s no reason he should have fallen to 17. Yes, he’s an older prospect, but Knecht is not just your normal upperclassman. He’s a late bloomer who has experienced two different growth spurts before transferring up and in his first year in the SEC, becoming one of the best players in the country. Knecht isn’t just a shooter. He’s a bucket-getting machine. He’s bouncier than he looks and can take on contact before hitting a wide range of shots. Landing with the Lakers is going to be a dream fit, especially for new head coach JJ Redick.
Paige: For me, it’s Dalton Knecht. For one of the most pure scorers in the draft to land with the Los Angeles Lakers is highway robbery. No one thought Dalton Knecht of all people would slip out of the lottery, but luckily for the Lakers, he did. The Lakers desperately need shooting and clutch shot-making ability, which is what Knecht can help with right away. He also has an ideal frame for a modern-day NBA wing, is a threat in transition, and has tons of power when he attacks the rim.
Maxwell: It’s Kyle Filipowski. I know everyone wants to talk about the drama there, but that’s not my bag. Basketball is, and Kyle Filipowski is good at basketball. Few 6’10” guys have his jumper, wiggle, and downhill passing game. I get it–he’s going to be a guy who survives rather than thrives on defense. But multifaceted, highly skilled bigs are tough to come by. When you can simply pick one out of a captive player pool, it’s worth doing in the latter part of the first round.
Corey: The most shocking guy who fell was Dalton Knecht. The game is about a bucket and that dude has that skill ready to rock on day one. Yes, he is an older prospect, but this feels like a bit of overthinking by a lot of front offices. Outside of Knecht, the guy who fell the most according to the $DRFT Rankings was Kevin McCullar with a precipitous nineteen spot drop. Age and shooting questions were bound to cause a slight drop but it may have been the persistent injuries that caused the slide. Still, I’m betting on McCullar to vastly outplay his draft slot when the dust settles.
Rowan: I’ve got to second Maxwell and go with Filipowski. He was 18th on my final Ouija Board and I felt there were some late lottery teams that could reasonably consider drafting him. While there may be some doubts about the size and shooting combination, it didn’t bare out on film when I profiled him earlier in the year, nor when I went back to look at him before the draft. It won’t hurt Filipowski’s potential in the long run, as he fell to a great spot in Utah that should see him get to play valuable minutes at either frontcourt position, but for a player who had deserved buzz, Filipowski’s fall into the second round was more than a little surprising.
Nick: Kevin McCullar has to be the pick here for me; he was someone who I had a first round grade on, but he fell all the way to the 56th pick. While injury concerns almost certainly played a huge role in his slide, I would have taken a swing on him much earlier than the third-to-last pick of the draft; I’m very willing to bet on him having a longer NBA stint than many of the players taken ahead of him.
Stephen: If you were to tell me at the beginning of this season that Justin Edwards wasn’t going to be taken in the first round, I would have chuckled a bit. If you had told me he wouldn’t have been drafted at all, I would have blocked you on social media. Even though his season wasn’t storybook, Edwards still shot the ball at almost 37% from deep and is 6 '6 " with a 6' 10” wingspan—AND he could benefit from the oft-discussed “Kentucky Bump” in the NBA. Were there some areas of concern? No doubt. However, I don’t know how many would have predicted three months ago–nay, three days ago—that Edwards would go undrafted.
3. Who projects as the best UDFA target given how the draft fell?
Rucker: I like PJ Hall going to the Nuggets, but let’s go in another direction. There’s a real shot that Keshad Johnson becomes a fantastic get for the Miami Heat. Johnson is a bit undersized but makes up for it with his athleticism and motor. He’s a force around the basket who can impact with his effort and does a great job on the defensive side of the ball. If Johnson can continue to trend in the right direction with the outside shot, he’s going to be a steal for the Heat. Yes, Johnson should fit in perfectly with Heat Culture.
Paige: Trentyn Flowers was one of “My Guys” in this draft class, and his going undrafted was something I didn’t expect. Flowers is definitely a high-upside play. If you can buy into the shooting potential, off-ball movement, burst, and intense playing style at 6’8” he already has going for him, it’s easy to get excited about him. Proving he can be consistent and not display just “flashes” of all these things will be the name of the game for Flowers. Flowers now has the chance to learn from some of the best wings ever to play in the NBA (Paul George, Kawhi Leonard) with the Los Angeles Clippers—which is just an awesome landing spot for him.
Maxwell: I was disappointed to see Jalen Bridges go undrafted. He had a phenomenal shooting season, hitting 41.2% of his threes. He’s always posted solid steal and block rates. Bridges limits his mistakes and has a little more juice as a shotmaker and passer than he gets credit for. At 6’7” with long arms and a 210-pound frame, I think he’s good enough to eat innings, if nothing else. If he continues to progress, though—and there’s reason to believe he could, given the strides he took this past off-season—he could be the type of valuable rotation wing every team covets.
Corey: I quite like the swing on Justin Edwards. Like plenty of other one-and-done guys in this class, Edwards certainly didn’t have the season that most expected out of him, however he’s still a 6’8” wing that shot 49/37/78 and has potential to guard multiple spots. He know gets the opportunity to head home to Philadelphia without the pressure and expectations of his five star designation.
Rowan: I’ve flip-flopped on PJ Hall in the 30s of my draft board for the past few months, which certainly makes it a shock that he ended up going undrafted. His combination of size, touch, and physicality project him to be a solid innings-eater off of the bench for a team, with the Denver Nuggets signing him quickly to a two-way contract to take that chance. Hall offers a different look to DaRon Holmes II, as Hall is a bit burlier of a rebounder while being a bit slower on his feet. Both players, however, could fill a distinct need for Denver, and Hall is talented enough to return clear second round value for a team that needs better bigs off of the bench.
Nick: Justin Edwards came into the year as a potential Top 10, or even a potential Top 5 pick. It didn’t exactly work out the way that many expected it to, but Edwards still showed plenty of flashes of the potential that led to him being valued so highly heading into the season. Given what he showed the second half of the season at Kentucky, I would be lining up to try to offer him a contract and take the bet on the incredibly high upside that he could provide.
Stephen: I had Isaiah Crawford as a first round talent coming into the heat of the draft. There were obvious injury concerns, but the talent was undeniable. Crawford had shot at least 40% from deep each of the past two seasons while also being a defensive playmaker and possessing the kind of frame that NBA teams covet. In this class, I am more willing to bet on a player who can do all of the important things at their position as opposed to a player who may be out of the league in a year.
4. “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!” Which selection screams best “fit” for its team’s fanbase?
Rucker: I’m going to go with Tristan da Silva to the Orlando Magic. Orlando is coming off a strong year and looks to be a team on the rise. I still think it should be a fun year to see the strides forward that Anthony Black and Jett Howard take in their second year. Because of those two young pieces, I thought Da Silva landing in Orlando would be a massive pick if he was there. Da Silva is one of my favorite players in this class and I thought he landed in a perfect spot. When teams are on the rise, you don’t need to keep swinging for the fences. You need to find the right individuals that will help you continue to take steps in the right direction. Da Silva is going to be that type of player for the Magic.
Paige: It’s DaRon Holmes to the Denver Nuggets. Everyone saw this coming and everyone knew this pick is one that just makes total sense. Holmes is your definition of a modern-day big man who plays into that “hybrid” role of being able to play make for others and stretch the floor while also offering weakside rim protection. The 6’10” Dayton big man has the ability to make an impact for the Denver Nuggets in a multitude of ways and even has the privilege of learning from one of the best centers of all time in Nikola Jokic.
Maxwell: Pacome Dadiet for the Knicks. He might not make an immediate impact, but he just feels Very Thibs to me! He’s high energy, always moving off the ball. He can score at all three levels. He’s unselfish. He rebounds at a high level. Once he gets a little more polish to his game, the MSG crowd is going to eat him up.
Corey: I feel like this has to be Dalton Knecht right? Los Angeles probably felt it was improbable that Knecht would be on the board during their selection and yet here we are. Knecht’s age actually fits the Lakers win now timeline and he gets to play for a coach that has a vast amount of NBA experience running the types of action that he is bound to thrive in at the next level. This pairing seems like a match made in heaven.
Rowan: Outside of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the Philadelphia 76ers are a blank canvas. The team could have gone in basically any direction with the #16 pick, and it would’ve filled a need for them. They chose to bolster their shooting and spacing with arguably the best young shooter in the draft in Jared McCain. The only potential knock for the new Maxey-McCain backcourt is size, as the rest of the fit is butter; it’s easy to imagine McCain spotting up for a half dozen threes per game in his rookie year off of the gravity of both star players. When you bake in his burgeoning secondary creation skills, this pick transcends the fact that any player would’ve “fit” with this Philadelphia roster and instead is a dynamite fit due to the support it gives to the stars on the 76ers and McCain alike.
Nick: DaRon Holmes II to the Denver Nuggets has been one of the more telegraphed first round picks in recent memory, and the Nuggets ended up having to trade up six spots to snag Holmes at #22. There’s a reason that there was so much smoke around that selection, though; Holmes fits perfectly in Denver as an exceptionally gifted complementary big man who took a huge developmental stride forward this season by becoming an excellent spot-up shooter. Holmes can play alongside Nikola Jokic and provide weakside rim protection at the 4, while also solving Denver’s backup center issue as a fascinating small-ball 5 option.
Stephen: I love the fit of Carlton “Bub” Carrington to the Washington Wizards. Carrington is a player who showed that he can operate well in pick-and-roll actions and can be the best point guard that the Wizards have had in quite a while. He is intelligent, processes the floor well, and doesn’t feel like a selfish player despite operating with the ball at a higher clip. Carrington also made strides as a defender as the season moved along. Standing at about 6’4” without shoes, Bub even has positional size to go along with his feel. The Wizards could be moving a number of players from their roster, which could leave Carrington the room to endear himself to the Washington fan base.
5. Which team had the best overall haul of the draft?
Rucker: I love what the Washington Wizards did….BUT. It’s the Utah Jazz for me. I think the Jazz front office has done a sensational job in the last couple of years of letting the board fall into their laps. Over the last two years, the Jazz have added six legit players with the potential to be assets that blossom for this organization. This year, Utah added a fantastic upside talent in Cody Williams. They also got a bully of a ball-handler in Isaiah Collier, who will be motivated to prove the doubters wrong. And to top it off, Utah got a talented big man in Kyle Filipowski with tremendous value in the second round. If you’re looking to rebuild on the fly, this is the way to do it—a balance of upside swings while also letting the talent fall into your hands and running away with a smile on your face. Utah continues to chip away and add exciting talent to the mix. This team could start to get fun in a hurry.
Paige: I have to go with my Phoenix Suns here. At first, I wasn’t that excited about swapping our #22 pick for the #28 pick with the Denver Nuggets given that we could’ve stayed with DaRon Holmes, one of the best centers in the draft. However, making that move later resulted in the Suns drafting Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. Dunn is one of the best defenders in this draft class and in a tier of his own when it comes to defense, and Ighodaro is a fascinating two-way big man who can pass the hell out of the ball and has a great basketball IQ. Dunn can come in, play lockdown defense, and make timely, effective cuts off-ball for easy buckets—given the attention Durant, Booker, and Beal draw. This role is something Dunn can thrive in, and if he figures out just the smallest thing on offense, we could be looking at him playing a Mikal Bridges-esque role for the Suns. Ighodaro is a great option for the Suns when it comes to playing small-ball especially with the creativity the Marquette 6’10” big man possesses. His ability to see the floor well and make timely passes at his height just helps open up the floor so much for the Suns and extends the offensive firepower they already have.
Maxwell: I love what the Philadelphia 76ers did. Jared McCain has a ready-made NBA skill set. He’s going to come into the league with NBA range, a low-maintenance, “I don’t need the ball all the time” mindset, and a strong, pro frame. Plus, I’m bullish on his upside. He slings live dribble passes with both hands, even if he didn’t get to show it off all the time. Adem Bona has a ready-made NBA skill set. He’s going to protect the rim, he can guard in space, his motor never shuts off, and he’ll finish plays at a high level. While McCain and Bona may not be the sexiest swings on paper, they are both capable of providing immediate value to a Sixers squad that faces great uncertainty as free agency approaches. Both bring valuable tools to the table, and can contribute from the jump if need be.
Corey: I absolutely love what New York did. The Knicks are always movin’ and shakin’ on draft night and Leon and co. managed to move and shake their way into a prospect with some upside in Pacome Dadiet and two older ready made prospects in Tyler Kolek and Kevin McCullar, who fit the culture and offer New York some depth options during the long NBA season. This is the most exciting Knicks team of my lifetime.
Rowan: It may be trite to praise Danny Ainge for his general managing, but he receives so much praise for a reason. Ainge started the draft by targeting a need for the team, snagging Cody Williams to fill the long-term wing spot for the Jazz. Williams won’t be rushed into immediate production, but he also will get the necessary reps to work out the kinks in his game while he grows as an NBA player. Ainge then switched gears and let the board fall as it may by taking Isaiah Collier at #29 and Kyle Filipowski at #32. Both players received first round buzz to the point that either slipping into the second would’ve been and was a minor shock. Each one has their warts, but both have clear NBA skills that should lend them to getting minutes on Utah earlier than expected. It may not all come together in the first year, but the young core that the Jazz have assembled, especially when combined with last year’s haul, makes them a formidable future team in the Western Conference.
Nick: There were a number of really interesting hauls in the draft this year, but it’s hard for me not to go with the Washington Wizards here. While I wasn’t so sure about their decision to trade Deni Avdija prior to the draft, they used the #14 pick that they got from Portland to select Bub Carrington, who has the potential to be the long-term answer at point guard for the Wizards. The Wizards also traded back into the first to snag Miami’s Kyshawn George at #24, who was 15th on my board heading into the draft and whose shooting touch and incredibly high feel should mesh very well with the young core for the Wizards. That’s burying the lede, though; Washington took the #1 player on my board in Alex Sarr with the second overall pick, and just getting him alone would have left me feeling quite good about the draft haul for the Wizards.
Stephen: The Phoenix Suns may be in a state of uncertainty with the bigger names on their roster but, if most of those names stay put, I love how they approached this draft. This team was lacking defensively last season…drafting Ryan Dunn immediately addresses that need. Dunn didn’t shoot well, but teams had been intrigued with the shot in the pre-draft process. If Phoenix can get him to do one singular thing effectively on the offensive end, he could return immense value, as Dunn is considered the best athlete and defender in this class. Adding Oso Ighodaro with the 40th pick made a ton of sense for this team. Oso has some fascinating defensive tools, has a nifty push-floater that was highly effective for Marquette, and processes defenses to a staggering degree. If these two players hit, the Suns could have found the ideal fits alongside Beal, Durant, and Booker.