由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
Jeff Borzello, ESPN 特约撰稿人
2024 年 6 月 28 日，下午 3:00 ET
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篮球招募内部人士。2014 年加入 ESPN。特拉华大学毕业。2024 年 NBA 选秀前的说法是，相较往年，今年的人才库质量有所下降。除此之外，预计首轮秀的年龄将比过去几个赛季更大，身高也会更高。
周三和周四的比赛结果是这样吗？
ESPN 与十几位大学教练讨论了在这场为期两天的活动中出现的一些重要故事情节。
据多位消息人士透露，首轮秀年龄和身高的增加是相关的，并且与大学层面的几项发展直接相关：姓名、形象和肖像权 (NIL)；由于受疫情影响的 2020-21 赛季，学生运动员获得的额外一年参赛资格；以及转会市场的日益普遍。
22 岁的扎克·埃迪（Zach Edey）在普渡大学效力了四年；普罗维登斯的德文·卡特（Devin Carter）22 岁；田纳西州的达尔顿·奈特（Dalton Knecht）23 岁；而首轮末段的迪伦·琼斯（Dillon Jones，22 岁）、贝勒·谢尔曼（Baylor Scheierman，23 岁）和小特伦斯·香农（Terrence Shannon Jr.，23 岁）都比早期选秀球员的平均年龄大。
“现在整个大学篮球界都变老了一些，”一位大学教练说。“我认为，虽然大学篮球很快就会开始变得年轻化，但 NBA——尤其是在首轮后半段——似乎更愿意选择能够产生重大影响的成熟球员，而不是押注于那些更有潜力的长期项目。”
另一位教练说：“这就是大学篮球现在的状况。”“年龄范围在 18 到 24 岁之间……NBA 选秀受制于大学篮球的现状。”
正如 ESPN 的 Jeremy Woo 在选秀前写的那样，今年 NBA 选秀中有多达 8 名中锋被预测为潜在的首轮秀，而 2023 年只有 1 名，2022 年只有 3 名。
“这说明了联盟的模仿本质，”一位大学教练说。“埃迪在 18 个月里一直排在 40 名开外，但在参加了几次试训并占据统治地位后，他突然就被认为是首轮秀了。只需要一两个决策者或有影响力的人就能扭转舆论。这在一定程度上是周期性的，而现在人们讨论的是那些能够在（NBA）季后赛中获胜的球员。”
一位 NBA 球探补充道：“大个子历来都被挤到大学篮球界，而现在他们在大学篮球界赚的钱比他们在双向（合同）中赚的还要多。他们是冒险一试，最终签下一份双向合同呢？还是接受大学的钱？”
大多数大学教练也认为，顶尖球员的天赋水平有所下降，但在首轮剩余的比赛和第二轮的初期，选秀仍然有令人印象深刻的深度。
“在前几梯的球员中，没有多少人是毫无疑问的天才，”一位大学教练说。“总有人会脱颖而出……但就纯粹的天赋而言，在这个选秀大会上，你很难找到那些注定要进入 NBA 最佳阵容的球员。但从第五顺位到，比如说，第 28 顺位，从天赋的角度来看，真的有那么大的差距吗？本次选秀中排在 40 多位、50 多位的球员，以及落选的球员，他们最终会进入全明星阵容。”
“我很想看看几年后这次选秀会是什么样子，”另一位教练说。“几乎所有这些球员身上都有一个问号。我认为，有潜力入选名人堂的球员越来越少了。那些能入选九次全明星赛的球员也越来越少了。但在首轮中后段，人才储备依然雄厚。”
随着今年培养出乐透秀罗恩·霍兰德二世（Ron Holland II）和马塔斯·布泽利斯（Matas Buzelis）的 G 联赛 Ignite 项目被关闭，大学教练们认为，缺乏精英大学球员的现象不会持续下去。
“这是一个特殊情况，”一位教练说。“排名前 12 位的球员中有 4 位是国际球员，今年的国际球员比往年更强，而大学球员则比往年更弱，还有两名球员来自 G 联赛。随着 G 联赛不再是一个因素，我不认为 Overtime Elite 会对大学篮球构成巨大威胁。”
肯塔基大学和康涅狄格大学（以及法国）统治了前 10 名
在前八顺位中，有三名球员来自法国——包括排名第一的扎卡里·里萨谢尔（Zaccharie Risacher）和排名第二的亚历克斯·萨尔（Alex Sarr），两名来自肯塔基大学，两名来自康涅狄格大学。
“法国在发掘真正优秀的年轻人才并为他们提供比赛机会方面做得非常出色，”一位有海外经验的教练说。“没有比昨晚有多少球员在首轮被选中更有力的证据了。这是一个向美国篮球风格过渡的过程；美国篮球的身体对抗更激烈，运动能力也更强。对一些人来说，这种转变比其他人更快。”
肯塔基大学的后卫里德·谢泼德（Reed Sheppard）在 Wildcats 2023 届的招募名单中并不起眼，在季前赛的模拟选秀中也没有他的名字，但在赛季初对阵堪萨斯大学的比赛中，他仅出场 16 分钟就拿下 13 分、3 记三分球和 4 次抢断，此后他的排名迅速攀升。谢泼德本赛季场均得到 12.5 分、4.1 个篮板、4.5 次助攻和 2.5 次抢断，三分球命中率高达 52.1%。他被休斯顿火箭队以探花签选中，成为第一个被选中的大学球员。
“全国每个人都会喜欢他，”一位东南联盟教练说。“他是最聪明的球员之一。他的技术也是数一数二的。他非常顽强。他总是能抢到每一个地板球。他能团结球队。他有一种真正的求胜心和态度。他的无形资产高得离谱。他有很多优点。”
“他的投篮数据太疯狂了，”另一位对手教练说。“有些投篮数据，他和斯蒂芬·库里（Stephen Curry）不相上下。”
不利的一面是，他在联合试训中赤脚身高不到 6 英尺 2 英寸，臂展也只有 6 英尺 3 英寸多一点。
“我从来没有想过他会成为前三顺位的球员，”一位教练说。“唯一的问题是，他的身体条件是否能与他被选中的顺位相匹配？”
“他真的知道如何打球。出色的射手，传球手感很好，测试结果显示他是一位非常优秀的运动员，”另一位教练说。“但他赤脚身高只有 6 英尺 1 英寸，算是一名二号位球员，他在防守端面对 NBA 中速度最快的球员时可能会遇到一些困难——这让我有点担心。”
他的队友罗布·迪林厄姆（Rob Dillingham）在被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后被交易至明尼苏达森林狼队，排名第八，他也引发了人们对他身体素质的类似担忧。
“他身材有点单薄，”一位教练说。“你让他对位一个身材高大、强壮、运动能力强的球员。你可以对他进行身体对抗。他有点依赖于用他的速度和运球能力来创造投篮空间。他在下一个级别的问题在于球场的另一端。他能始终如一地找到他能防守的人吗？他的身材会让他吃亏。”
“身高 6 英尺 1 英寸、体重 165 磅的后卫中，成为伟大球员的人屈指可数，”另一位教练补充道。
但迪林厄姆也可能是本届选秀中最具爆发力的外线得分手。尽管他只首发了一场比赛，但他场均上场 23.3 分钟就能得到 15.2 分，三分球命中率高达 44.4%。他在对阵田纳西大学的比赛中得到 35 分，对阵德克萨斯 A&M 大学的比赛中得到 27 分，在另外三场比赛中得到 23 分。
“他在持球进攻方面天赋异禀，运球技术娴熟，爆发力比人们想象的要强，”一位教练说。“而且他的投篮命中率很高。我很喜欢（他）去明尼苏达。”
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莱格勒赞叹斯蒂芬·卡斯尔与文班和马刺队的契合度
蒂姆·莱格勒（Tim Legler）解释了为什么他对马刺队在 2024 年 NBA 选秀中用四号签选中康涅狄格大学的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔感到兴奋。
康涅狄格大学的大一新生斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（Stephon Castle）和大二学生多诺万·克林根（Donovan Clingan）在帮助 Huskies 连续第二次夺得全国冠军后，分别加盟了马刺队和波特兰开拓者队。
卡斯尔进入大学时是一位五星级高中生，但不一定是人们预期的前五顺位新秀。然而，这位身高 6 英尺 6 英寸的侧翼球员在赛季初因膝伤缺席了六场比赛，随后在下半赛季迅速崛起，并且可以说在 NCAA 锦标赛中打出了他最好的篮球水平。他在 34 场比赛中场均得到 11.1 分，但在四强赛对阵阿拉巴马大学的比赛中得到 21 分，在冠军赛对阵普渡大学的比赛中得到 15 分，并在这两场比赛中分别对位小特伦斯·香农和布伊·布伊（Boo Buie），确立了自己作为全国最顶尖的外线防守球员之一的地位。
“他承担了球队获胜所需的任何防守任务，”一位大东联盟教练说。“他成为了全国最好的外线防守球员之一，为球队获胜做了很多重要的事情。他积极拼抢篮板球，是一名出色的空切手，能够吸引防守并把球传到外线。在康涅狄格大学，他的防守水平更上一层楼。”
“斯蒂芬·卡斯尔可能是最有希望兑现天赋的高端潜力股，”另一位对手教练说。“他居然没有进入前三顺位，更不用说成为第一个被选中的大学球员了，这真是令人惊讶。”
与此同时，克林根是上赛季大学篮球界最耀眼的新星之一。在大一赛季担任阿达玛·萨诺戈（Adama Sanogo）的替补——场均上场 13 分钟，得到 6.9 分、5.6 个篮板和 1.8 次盖帽——之后，他在大二赛季成为了全国最具影响力的防守球员之一。他的一些数据令人瞠目结舌：在八强赛对阵伊利诺伊大学的比赛中，克林根在场时，对手 19 次投篮全部偏出；在一月份对阵泽维尔大学的比赛中，克林根在场时，对手 35 次进攻只得到 12 分。
“就他的成长而言，最重要的是……机会，”一位大东联盟教练说。“他之前是萨诺戈的替补，能够在萨诺戈体力下降或对手是替补中锋时上场。然后他在休赛期受伤，一直持续到赛季开始，之后又在对阵塞顿霍尔大学的比赛中再次受伤。一旦他恢复状态，他就能够瓦解挡拆战术，封锁篮筐，并且在运球交接和掩护方面做得很好，在高吊球战术中也很有威胁。”
两届伍登奖得主扎克·埃迪进入前 10 名
这位身高 7 英尺 4 英寸的普渡大学球星是过去两年里大学篮球界最受关注的人物——无论是在比喻意义上还是在字面意义上——引发了人们对他能否在 NBA 取得成功的持续争论。他在去年预计会成为第二轮秀的情况下退出了选秀，但在连续获得伍登奖并带领 Boilermakers 打进全国锦标赛决赛后，他在周三晚上的顺位比预期要高。
孟菲斯灰熊队在第九顺位选中了他，希望让他与小贾伦·杰克逊（Jaren Jackson Jr.）搭档前场，并在外线为贾·莫兰特（Ja Morant）提供一些内线支持。灰熊队此前一直与克林根关系密切，但在克林根被选中后，埃迪显然是榜单上的下一个最佳人选。
一些 NBA 球探可能在埃迪职业生涯的早期并不认同这一点，但许多大学教练都相信埃迪会成为一名高效的 NBA 球员。
“他是一个让人们难以理解的非典型球员，但（批评）并非基于你在球场上看到的任何东西，”一位教练说。“当然，他在场上跑动不快，他也不是最灵活的挡拆防守球员，他打球的方式非常传统。这肯定会成为人们对他诟病的地方。但我不知道有哪个在大学里和他交过手的人会说，‘我看不出他能行’。在过去两年里，他几乎统治了每一场比赛。当他进入试训环节时，一切都变得清晰了……他有可能在每 36 分钟或每 32 分钟的出场时间里占据统治地位，或者无论怎样。”
然而，当他不是进攻端的核心时，人们仍然担心他会发生什么。
“灰熊队不会每次进攻都把球传到低位给他，”一位教练说。“他的防守移动能力比他在蹲守防守中的表现要好，但他的防守移动能力并不出色。他在大学里之所以如此出色，是因为他的技术特点在 NBA 很难得到发挥。”
田纳西州的达尔顿·奈特是顺位下滑最多的球员——也是最大的遗珠
随着周三晚上比赛的进行，奈特顺位持续下滑，这也许成为了当晚最大的新闻。奈特曾被预测会在第六顺位被选中，但他一路下滑到第 17 顺位才被洛杉矶湖人队选中。
毋庸置疑，对手教练们都认为奈特是本届选秀的最大遗珠。
“（湖人队）需要投篮，”一位教练说。“他真的很能投篮得分。我很惊讶他没有进入前 10 名。人们担心他的防守，担心他 23 岁的年纪，但他真的很有实力。”
这位身高 6 英尺 6 英寸的前大专球员和北科罗拉多大学的转校生可以说是上赛季大学篮球界除了扎克·埃迪之外最优秀的球员，他在田纳西大学场均得到 21.7 分，三分球命中率高达 39.7%，这让他成为了本届选秀中最纯粹的得分手。他在对阵肯塔基大学的比赛中得到 40 分，对阵奥本大学的比赛中得到 39 分，对阵北卡罗来纳大学和普渡大学的比赛中都得到 37 分。
“防守他真的很难，”一位东南联盟教练说。“如果你派一个比他矮的球员去防守他，他会更（善于）突破对手，用肩膀顶住对手的胸口，制造身体接触和犯规。如果你派一个比他高的球员去防守他，一个他无法在篮筐附近碾压的球员，他会绕过掩护，投进很多三分球。对于高水平的大学联赛来说，他是一个很难解决的 matchup 问题。”
“我很喜欢他被哪支球队选中了。像他这样身材高大、投篮又那么准的球员，并不常见，”他说。“不仅是身高，他的身材也很魁梧。他不是那种瘦骨嶙峋的球员。他……在一个没有投篮能力的大个子球员的进攻体系中，他可以弥补球队的不足……而这些不足是他们一直存在的。我喜欢他为 J.J.雷迪克（J.J.Redick）打球。”
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杰伊·比拉斯（Jay Bilas）认为这两位 NBA 新秀可以立即产生影响
杰伊·比拉斯与斯科特·范佩尔特（Scott Van Pelt）一起讨论了达尔顿·奈特如何融入湖人队，以及他预计德文·卡特将如何对国王队产生立竿见影的影响。
德文·卡特一飞冲天，进入乐透区
很难找到一位比卡特在春季期间选秀排名上升更快的球员了。这位身高 6 英尺 3 英寸的大三后卫在南卡罗来纳大学开始了他的职业生涯，之后转学到普罗维登斯，但他在上赛季才真正爆发，尤其是在明星前锋布莱斯·霍普金斯（Bryce Hopkins）受伤之后。
他在场均得到 19.7 分、8.7 个篮板和 3.6 次助攻，三分球命中率接近 38%，并巩固了自己作为大学篮球界最佳防守球员之一的地位，最终获得了大东联盟年度最佳球员的荣誉。在霍普金斯 1 月初受伤后，卡特在剩余的比赛中场均得到 21.9 分、9.1 个篮板和 3.9 次助攻。
在选秀前的过程中，他的排名继续上升，最终在第 13 顺位被萨克拉门托国王队选中。
“霍普金斯受伤后，他接管了球队，这真的给我留下了深刻的印象，”一位大东联盟教练说。“去年，联盟里开始有人欣赏他了。比如，‘伙计们，德文·卡特真的很不错。’他在南卡罗来纳大学时是一名稳健的球员，但他影响比赛进攻的能力，尤其是在他在普罗维登斯的第一个赛季末段，让很多人感到意外。我认为全国没有任何一支球队比普罗维登斯更需要他了。他的强度、他在场上的拼搏精神以及他的投入程度，真的把他的努力发挥到了极致，这很酷。他有潜力成为一名非常非常优秀的防守球员。”
“在某种程度上，他的数据得益于他是球队的核心球员。他想怎么投篮就怎么投篮，在各种情况下都能投进超远三分球。他真的很有侵略性，所以看看他（进入 NBA 后）的转变会很有趣。当他扮演不同的角色时，他的效率会下降吗？”
另一位考察过他的教练认为，如果他不需要什么都做，这将对他有利。
“很多时候，他在比赛还剩几秒钟的时候，或者在混乱的情况下，他都会陷入困境，就好像，‘嘿，帮我们解决这个问题吧，’”他说。“他有运动能力，他有防守，他有自主创造投篮机会的能力。他的跳投技术再上一个台阶，他就会成为一名非常出色的球员。”
韦伯州立大学球星进入首轮
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雷霆队在 NBA 选秀中交易得到迪伦·琼斯的精彩集锦
来看看俄克拉荷马城雷霆队在 NBA 选秀中交易得到迪伦·琼斯的一些精彩集锦。
在几位大牌新秀仍然榜上有名的情况下，华盛顿奇才队在第 26 顺位选中了迪伦·琼斯（然后在一笔交易中把他送到了俄克拉荷马城雷霆队），这让所有人都感到意外。他赤脚身高不到 6 英尺 5 英寸，但他在大学联赛中效率很高，上赛季获得了大天空联盟的年度最佳球员，并在过去三个赛季中都入选了联盟最佳阵容。
他上赛季场均得到 21.0 分、9.5 个篮板和 5.3 次助攻，并在对阵实力更强的对手时保持着稳定的输出：对阵圣玛丽大学得到 29 分和 10 个篮板；对阵内华达大学得到 13 分和 12 个篮板；对阵怀俄明大学得到 17 分、11 个篮板和 7 次助攻。在对阵 NCAA 锦标赛球队耶鲁大学和科尔盖特大学的比赛中，他还场均得到 15.5 分和 11.0 个篮板。
“迪伦是一位精英级别的组织后卫，他可以在场上胜任多个位置，”一位大天空联盟教练说。“他的身材在 NBA 可以从一号位打到四号位。他有着独特的体型，他利用自己的体型让身材矮小的防守球员顶住他强壮的臀部，然后进入内线，或者直接过掉身材高大的防守球员。他是一位进步很大的射手，而且很善于制造犯规。”
尽管他的数据令人印象深刻，但进入首轮还是让对手教练们感到意外。
“他在我们联盟的防守很挣扎，我不知道他在防守端的表现如何转化到 NBA。他根本没有防守的意愿和野心，”一位教练说。“我从来没有把他看作是首轮秀，但如果你把他看作是德雷蒙德·格林（Draymond Green）那样的五号位球员，他就可以被归入另一个类别。”
曾经的状元热门人选在首轮末段才被选中
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爵士队在 NBA 选秀中选中以赛亚·科利尔的精彩集锦
来看看犹他爵士队在 NBA 选秀中以第 29 顺位选中以赛亚·科利尔的一些精彩集锦。
在大学赛季开始一个月后，以赛亚·科利尔（Isaiah Collier）成为了 ESPN 模拟选秀中的状元热门人选。这位身高 6 英尺 4 英寸的南加州大学后卫是 2023 届高中生的头号新星，他在对阵堪萨斯州立大学的首秀中得到 18 分和 6 次助攻。一周后，科利尔在对阵加州大学欧文分校和布朗大学的比赛中分别得到 23 分和 24 分。
1 月中旬的一处手伤以及南加州大学全队的低迷表现导致科利尔在赛季剩余的比赛中表现不稳定，尽管他在伤愈复出的前七场比赛中场均得到 20.6 分、4.1 次助攻，只有 2.1 次失误。
进入周三的选秀大会之前，科利尔的预测顺位波动很大。他一直等到第 29 顺位才被犹他爵士队选中。
“他距离状元秀并不遥远，”一位教练说。“如果你两个月前告诉别人，你可以用第 29 顺位选中科利尔，你会毫不犹豫地选择他。然后看看你能不能让他找回当初让他成为如此有吸引力的新秀的原因。”
潜在的前 20 顺位新秀凯尔·菲利波夫斯基和约翰尼·弗菲跌至第二轮
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看看为什么爵士队球迷应该对杜克大学的凯尔·菲利波夫斯基感到兴奋
看看凯尔·菲利波夫斯基在杜克大学的精彩集锦，他在选秀大会上被爵士队选中。
堪萨斯大学的锋线球员弗菲在 ESPN 的模拟选秀中排名第 18 位，而杜克大学的菲利波夫斯基（Kyle Filipowski）——他在赛季开始前被认为是稳稳的乐透秀——排名第 21 位。然而，两人最终几乎都在第二轮一开始就被选中：菲利波夫斯基在第 32 顺位被爵士队选中，弗菲在第 35 顺位被印第安纳步行者队选中。
菲利波夫斯基是过去两个赛季大学篮球界最好的大个子球员之一，他在大一赛季场均得到 15.1 分和 8.9 个篮板，并在二年级时场均得到 16.4 分和 8.3 个篮板，入选了大西洋海岸联盟最佳阵容一队和全美最佳阵容二队。这位身高 6 英尺 11 英寸的大前锋在上赛季的三分球命中率也接近 35%。
“你可以对他比赛中的某些方面吹毛求疵，无论批评是什么，但我认为选秀大会上没有多少球员能像他在大学和高中时那样成就斐然，”一位教练说。“我认为他配得上首轮被选中。”
“他做过髋关节手术，而且他本来就不是那种移动能力很强的球员，”另一位教练反驳道。“他的移动能力不强，他无法在防守端挡住对手。他在杜克大学的进攻体系中，每次进攻都能触球，而且进攻都是围绕他展开的。NBA 球队不会这样做。”
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弗菲谈到被步行者队选中：梦想成真，完美契合
约翰尼·弗菲分享了他对在第 35 顺位被印第安纳步行者队选中的反应，以及他将如何与泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿（Tyrese Haliburton）和帕斯卡尔·西亚卡姆（Pascal Siakam）共存。
19 岁的弗菲来自澳大利亚，身高 6 英尺 8 英寸，是一名侧翼球员，他在堪萨斯大学赛季的前半段只是一个角色球员，但在 Big 12 联赛期间，他真正成为了球队的关键球员。他本赛季场均得到 9.0 分，但在 1 月和 2 月的 12 场比赛中，他场均得到 13.6 分和 7.3 个篮板，三分球命中率高达 39.6%。
“我很惊讶地看到他跌至第二轮，仅仅是因为我听说有几支 20 多顺位的球队喜欢他，”一位对手教练说。“他是一个非常年轻的球员，但他的运动能力很好，而且有投篮潜力。但问题是，当你被 thrown into an environment，和比你年龄大、身体对抗更激烈的球员一起训练时，你就会发现这是一个循序渐进的过程。”
布朗尼·詹姆斯在第二轮被选中
这位南加州大学的大一新生在第 55 顺位听到了自己的名字，他将与他的父亲一起效力于湖人队——这是人们预料之中的结果，尤其是在有报道称詹姆斯只为湖人队和菲尼克斯太阳队试训过之后。
这位麦当劳全美最佳阵容的后卫在 7 月份的一次训练中心脏骤停，错过了大学篮球赛季的前八场比赛。他在几周内都受到出场时间的限制，在复出后状态不稳定也是可以理解的。
他本赛季场均得到 4.8 分——但那些在高中和大学期间考察过他的教练们对他未来的 NBA 生涯感到乐观。
“他可能会在赛季初留在球队，然后在大部分时间里效力于南湾湖人队，”一位教练说，他指的是湖人队的 G 联赛附属球队。“我认为他会成为一名比大学球员更优秀的职业球员。在 G 联赛，他会有很多上场时间。他真的很擅长防守持球人，他作为一名传球手，感觉和意识都很好。他在自主进攻方面还需要提高，但他的投篮能力已经有所提高，至少可以成为一名联盟平均水准的接球就投型球员。我认为他可以在运球后三分球方面做得更好，这是你需要经常练习的。”
“这也许不是他在第一年或第二年就能做到的事情，但如果他在未来能进入 NBA 轮换阵容，我也不会感到惊讶。”
其他简讯
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热火队在 NBA 选秀中选中凯莱尔·韦尔的精彩集锦
来看看迈阿密热火队在 NBA 选秀中以第 15 顺位选中凯莱尔·韦尔（Kel’el Ware）的一些精彩集锦。
- 尽管自凯莱尔·韦尔（Kel’el Ware）还是一名五星级高中生以来，人们就一直在质疑他的比赛态度，但多位教练都支持迈阿密热火队在第 15 顺位选中他，尽管这是一个令人惊讶的选择。
“他和热火队通常选择的球员类型大不相同，”一位教练说。“但他们相信自己的球队文化能够激发出球员的潜力。他很有天赋。如果他能适应热火队的文化，他们可能会收获惊喜。”
“凯莱尔·韦尔是我见过的最有天赋的球员之一，”另一位教练补充道。“人们质疑的是他的比赛热情和可塑性。但就身体条件而言，他几乎是最好的。”
- 前伊利诺伊大学球星小特伦斯·香农在第 27 顺位被明尼苏达森林狼队选中，这被视为一笔非常划算的交易。
“我理解年龄因素和他场外事件的影响，尽管现在已经澄清了，”一位教练说。“但如果这件事没有发生，我们会把他看作是一位乐透区末段的球员。他们得到了巨大的价值。”
- 另外四名在第二轮被选中并被教练们提及的球员是马凯特大学的泰勒·科莱克（Tyler Kolek）、科罗拉多大学的科迪·辛普森（KJ Simpson）、明尼苏达大学的卡姆·克里斯蒂（Cam Christie）和肯塔基大学的安东尼奥·里夫斯（Antonio Reeves）。
关于科莱克：“他极具竞争力。在大学里赢得了很多比赛。对于一支需要有人替补出场、努力拼搏并得分
点击查看原文：Knecht's fall, Edey's rise: College coaches react to the NBA draft
Knecht’s fall, Edey’s rise: College coaches react to the NBA draft
Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff WriterJun 28, 2024, 03:00 PM ET
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Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.The narrative ahead of the 2024 NBA draft was that the talent pool was down relative to previous years. Adding to that, the first round was projected to be older – and bigger, height-wise – than it was in past seasons.
Did Wednesday and Thursday play out that way?
ESPN spoke to a dozen college coaches about some of the important storylines that emerged over the course of the two-day event.
According to several sources, the increased age and size of the first-round draft pool are correlated, and they are directly related to several developments at the college level: name, image and likeness (NIL); the additional year given to student-athletes because of the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season; and the increased prevalence of the transfer portal.
Zach Edey, 22, spent four years at Purdue; Providence’s Devin Carter is 22; Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht is 23; and back-end first-rounders Dillon Jones (22), Baylor Scheierman (23) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (23) are all older than the average early draft pick.
“All of college basketball is a little bit older right now,” one college coach said. “I do think that while college basketball is pretty soon going to start getting younger again, the NBA – especially in the back half of the first round – seems to be more willing to draft established guys that can make major impacts than taking bets on better long-term projects.”
Another coach said, "It’s just the way college basketball is right now. “The age range is anywhere between 18-24 years old. … The NBA draft is at the mercy of what’s going on in the college landscape.”
As ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote before the draft, as many as eight centers were projected as potential first-round picks in this year’s NBA draft, compared to just one in 2023 and three in 2022.
“It speaks to the copycat nature of the league,” a college coach said. “Edey was talked about as a first-rounder out of nowhere after being in the 40s for 18 months, and then he goes into workouts and dominates. It just takes one or two decision-makers or influential people to turn opinion. It’s cyclical to a degree, and right now there’s a conversation about guys that can win in the [NBA] playoffs.”
One NBA scout added, “Bigs have historically been pushed back to college basketball and now they’re getting paid more than what they would make on a two-way [contract]. Do they roll the dice and end up taking a two-way? Or do they take the money from college?”
Most college coaches also agreed the talent level at the top was down, but the draft still had impressive depth through the rest of the first round and into the early part of the second round.
“There’s not a lot of players in those first couple tiers that are no-brainers,” one college coach said. “Someone is inevitably going to rise up … but in terms of pure talent, no-brainer All-NBA guys, you’d be hard-pressed to find that in this draft. But picks five through, say, 28, is it really that big a drop-off from a talent perspective? Guys from this draft in the mid-40s, mid-50s, undrafted, they’ll make All-Star teams.”
“I’m interested to see what this draft looks like in a few years,” another coach said. “There’s a question mark on pretty much all these guys. I think there are fewer surefire Hall of Fame potential candidates. There’s fewer certainties on guys that will make, like, nine All-Star games. But there’s strong depth of talent toward the middle and late first round.”
With the G League Ignite program – which produced lottery picks Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis this year – being shut down, college coaches don’t believe the lack of elite college talent is a trend with staying power.
“It was a unique situation,” one said. “Four of the top 12 guys were international players, it was a stronger-than-usual international crop, a weaker-than-usual college crop, two guys coming from the G League. With the G League not a factor anymore, I don’t get the sense that Overtime Elite is going to be a huge threat to college basketball.”
Kentucky and UConn (and France) dominate the top 10
Of the first eight picks, three – including No. 1 Zaccharie Risacher and No. 2 Alex Sarr – were from France, two were from Kentucky and two from UConn.
“France has done a great job identifying really good young talents, giving them opportunities to play,” one coach with experience overseas said. “There’s no bigger evidence than how many guys went in the first round last night. There’s a transition to the American game; it’s more physical, it’s definitely more athletic. For some guys, that happens quicker than others.”
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard wasn’t in preseason mock drafts after being one of the less heralded members of the Wildcats’ 2023 recruiting class, but he quickly moved up boards after finishing with 13 points, 3 3-pointers and 4 steals in just 16 minutes in an early-season game against Kansas. Sheppard ended the season averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting a ridiculous 52.1% from 3-point range. He was picked third overall, the first college player chosen, by the Houston Rockets.
“Everybody in the country would have loved him,” one SEC coach said. “He’s as smart as they come. He’s about as skillful as they come. He’s tough as s—. He gets on every loose ball. He rallies the team. He’s got a real winning mindset and approach. His intangibles are off the charts. There’s a lot to love.”
“His shooting splits were insane,” another opposing coach said. “Some of those shooting splits, they’re up there with a Steph Curry.”
On the negative side, he measured shorter than 6-foot-2 without shoes at the Combine, and his wingspan was just over 6-3.
“It never crossed my mind that he could be a top-three player,” one coach said. “The only question is, are the physical tools in the same box as the rarefied air he was drafted?”
“He really knows how to play. Excellent shooter, good feel as a passer, tests out as a really good athlete,” another said. “But he’s 6-1 barefoot, kind of a 2-guard, some of the struggle he might have defensively against the quickest players in the NBA – that would be a little bit of a concern for me.”
Teammate Rob Dillingham – who went eighth overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves after a trade with the San Antonio Spurs – raised similar physical profile concerns.
“He’s a little bit slight of build,” one coach said. “You put a big, strong, really athletic guy on him. You can be physical with him. He’s kind of dependent on creating separation with his quickness, with his dribbling ability. The question for him at the next level is at the other end of the floor. Will he consistently find someone he can guard? He’s going to be giving up size.”
“The number of 6-1, 165-pound guards that have become great players, it’s a short list,” another added.
But Dillingham also might be the most dynamic perimeter scorer in the draft. Despite starting just one game, he averaged 15.2 points and shot 44.4% from 3-point range in 23.3 minutes. He had 35 against Tennessee, 27 against Texas A&M and 23 on three other occasions.
“He’s uniquely talented with the ball, he’s got great handles, he’s more explosive than I think people realize,” one coach said. “And he shot the ball at a really good rate. I loved [him] for Minnesota.”
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Legler raves about Stephon Castle’s fit with Wemby and the Spurs
Tim Legler explains why he’s excited about the Spurs selecting UConn’s Stephon Castle with the fourth pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
UConn freshman Stephon Castle and sophomore Donovan Clingan went to the Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively, after helping the Huskies to a second straight national championship.
Castle entered college as a five-star prospect but not necessarily a projected top-five draft pick. After missing six games early in the season because of a knee injury, though, the 6-6 wing took off over the second half of the season and played arguably his best basketball in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 11.1 points in 34 games but had 21 points against Alabama in the Final Four and 15 points in the title game against Purdue, establishing himself as one of the truly elite perimeter defenders in the country against the likes of Terrence Shannon Jr. and Boo Buie.
“He took on whatever assignment was necessary to win,” one Big East coach said. “He became one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, did a lot of important winning things. Got on the glass, was a great cutter, was a guy who could collapse a defense and spray the ball out to the perimeter. He turned his defense up to another level at UConn.”
“Steph Castle is probably the one high-end prospect that is most likely to pan out,” another opposing coach said. “That he wasn’t picked in the top three, let alone the first college player, was surprising.”
Clingan, meanwhile, was one of the biggest breakout stars in college basketball last season. After spending his freshman year behind Adama Sanogo – averaging 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in just 13 minutes per game – he became perhaps the most impactful defensive player in the country as a sophomore. Some of what he did is eye-popping: Illinois went 0-for-19 on field goal attempts contested by Clingan in their Elite Eight game, and Xavier scored 12 points in 35 possessions with him on the floor in a January game.
“The biggest thing in terms of his growth … was opportunity,” a Big East coach said. “He played behind Sanogo, was able to come in and play against a guy who was worn down or was maybe a second-string center. Then he was hurt in the offseason, which bled into the start of the season, then hurt again against Seton Hall. Once he got into shape, he had an ability to negate pick-and-rolls, eliminate the rim, and he became good as a transporter of the ball with dribble handoffs, ball screens, was dangerous in the lob game.”
Two-time Wooden Award winner Zach Edey lands in the top 10
The 7-4 Purdue star has been the biggest storyline – figuratively and literally – in college basketball over the past two years, sparking constant debate on whether he can succeed in the NBA. He withdrew from the draft last year after being projected as a second-round pick, but after winning back-to-back Wooden Awards and leading the Boilermakers to the national championship game, he went earlier than expected Wednesday night.
The Memphis Grizzlies took him at No. 9, looking to pair him with Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt and provide some interior balance to Ja Morant on the perimeter. The Grizzlies had been strongly connected to Clingan, but after he was taken, Edey was clearly the next best option on the board.
Some NBA scouts might have disagreed earlier in Edey’s career, but many college coaches believe Edey will be a productive NBA player.
“He’s an uncomfortable archetype for people to reason with, but [the critiques] are not based on anything you see out there on the floor,” one coach said. “Sure, he doesn’t fly up and down the court, he’s not the most mobile pick-and-roll defender, he’s very traditional in the way he plays the position. That would be the knock against him, for sure. But I don’t know how anybody who played against him in college would say, I don’t see it with him. He’s dominated every game, pretty much, for the last two years. And when he got on the workout circuit, it became clear … he’s potentially dominant in a per-36 or per-32 role, or whatever it is.”
Concerns remain, however, about what happens when he’s not the focal point of the offense.
“The Grizzlies aren’t going to throw the ball down in the post to him every single time,” one coach said. “He’s a better mover defensively than he gets credit for in drop coverage, but he’s not a great mover defensively. What made him so good in college is not really translatable to the NBA level.”
Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht is the biggest faller – and the biggest steal
As Wednesday night went on, the continued drop of Knecht emerged as perhaps the night’s biggest story. Projected as high as No. 6, Knecht fell all the way to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 17.
Needless to say, opposing coaches felt Knecht was the steal of the draft.
“[The Lakers] needed shooting,” one said. “He can really shoot and score. I was surprised he wasn’t picked in the top 10. There’s concerns about his defense, concerns about being 23 years old, but he can really play.”
Arguably the best player in college basketball last season not named Zach Edey, the 6-6 former junior college and Northern Colorado transfer established himself as the best pure scorer in the draft class after averaging 21.7 points on 39.7% 3-point shooting at Tennessee… He went for 40 against Kentucky, 39 against Auburn, 37 against North Carolina and 37 against Purdue.
“Playing against him was really hard,” an SEC coach said. "If you put a smaller guy on him, he got better [at] driving that guy, putting a shoulder in his chest, drawing contact and drawing fouls. If you put a bigger guy on him, someone he couldn’t overwhelm at the rim, he would run around screens and bang a bunch of 3s. For the high-major level, he was a big matchup problem.
“I loved who he got drafted by. A guy with that size, that shoots it that well, they’re just not that common,” he said. “Not just the height, but he’s kind of thick. He’s not a string bean. Him … playing in an offense with a non-shooting big or two, he adds something … they don’t always have enough of. I like the fact he’s playing for JJ Redick.”
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The two NBA rookies Jay Bilas says can make an immediate impact
Jay Bilas joins Scott Van Pelt to discuss how Dalton Knecht fits with the Lakers and how he expects Devin Carter to make in immediate impact with the Kings.
Devin Carter skyrockets into the lottery
It’s hard to find a prospect who rose up draft boards during the spring more than Carter. The 6-3 junior guard began his career at South Carolina before transferring to Providence, but he really took off last season, especially after star forward Bryce Hopkins’ injury.
He won Big East Player of the Year honors after averaging 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists, shooting nearly 38% from 3 and solidifying himself as one of the best defensive players in college basketball. After Hopkins’ injury in early January, Carter averaged 21.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists the rest of the way.
He continued to rise in the rankings during the pre-draft process and ultimately found himself heading to the Sacramento Kings with the 13th pick.
“I was really impressed with the ownership he took of that group when Hopkins went down,” one Big East coach said. "Last year, there started to be an appreciation for him within the league. Like, ‘Man, Devin Carter is pretty good.’ He was a solid player at South Carolina, but his ability to impact the game offensively, especially down the stretch of his first year at Providence, caught people by surprise. I don’t think there was a player in the country that his team needed more than him. His intensity, how hard he plays, the commitment level that he has, to really maximize his effort on the floor, is cool to witness. He has the potential to be a really, really good defender.
“To some degree, his production was aided by him being the guy. He took whatever shot he wanted to take, pulled some deep, deep 3s in all kinds of situations. He was really, really aggressive, so it will be interesting to see as he transitions [to the NBA]. As he takes on a different role, does his efficiency take a hit?”
Another coach who scouted him felt a role where he isn’t required to do a little bit of everything will benefit him.
“A lot of times, he got stuck with the ball in late-clock situations and chaos situations where it was like, ‘Hey, figure this out for us,’” he said. “He’s got the athleticism, he’s got the defense, he’s got the ability to shot-create. He’s one more step in the development of his jumper from being one hell of a player.”
Weber State star goes in the first round
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The highlights the made the Thunder trade for Dillon Jones in the NBA draft
Check out some of the highlights that made the Oklahoma City Thunder trade for Dillon Jones in the NBA draft.
With several big-name prospects still on the board, the Washington Wizards surprised everyone by selecting Dillon Jones at No. 26 (and then sending him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a trade). He’s shorter than 6-5 without shoes, but he was incredibly productive at the college level, winning Big Sky Player of the Year honors last season and earning all-conference recognition in each of the past three seasons.
He averaged 21.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, maintaining his production against stiffer competition: 29 points and 10 rebounds against Saint Mary’s; 13 points and 12 boards against Nevada; and 17 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists against Wyoming. He also averaged 15.5 points and 11.0 rebounds against NCAA tournament teams Yale and Colgate.
“Dillon is an elite playmaking guard who can play multiple positions on the floor,” a Big Sky coach said. “He has the size to play 1 through 4 in the NBA. He has a unique frame and uses his size to put smaller defenders on his strong hips and get in the lane, or blow by bigger defenders. He is a much-improved shooter and draws fouls.”
Despite his impressive production, going in the first round still caught opposing coaches by surprise.
“He struggled defensively in our league, and I wonder how that side of the ball translates. He had no desire or ambition to do so,” one said. “I never saw him as a first-rounder, but if you see him as a Draymond Green-type 5, he can be put in a different bucket.”
One-time projected top pick goes at the bottom of the first round
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The highlights that made the Jazz take Isaiah Collier in the NBA draft
Check out some of the highlights that made the Utah Jazz take Isaiah Collier as the No. 29 pick in the NBA draft.
One month into the college season, Isaiah Collier emerged as the projected No. 1 pick in ESPN’s mock draft. The 6-4 USC guard was the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 high school class, then put up 18 points and six assists in his debut against Kansas State. One week later, Collier had 23 points and 24 points against UC Irvine and Brown, respectively.
A combination of a mid-January hand injury and USC’s struggles as a team caused Collier to be mostly inconsistent the rest of the season, although he did average 20.6 points, 4.1 assists and just 2.1 turnovers in his first seven games after returning from injury.
Entering Wednesday, Collier’s draft range was vast. He lasted all the way until No. 29, when the Utah Jazz picked him.
“He’s not too far removed from being considered the first pick in the draft,” one coach said. “If you had told somebody two months ago, you could get Collier with the 29th pick, you’d take it and run. And see if you can get him back to what made him such an attractive pick.”
Potential top-20 picks Kyle Filipowski, Johnny Furphy drop to the second round
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See why Jazz fans should be excited for Duke’s Kyle Filipowski
Check out highlights of Kyle Filipowski at Duke after he is drafted by the Jazz.
Kansas Jayhawks forward Furphy was ranked No. 18 in ESPN’s mock draft, while Duke’s Filipowski – who entered the season as a surefire lottery pick – was No. 21. Both ended up going almost immediately in the second round, however: Filipowski to the Jazz at No. 32, and Furphy to the Indiana Pacers at No. 35.
Filipowski was one of the best big men in college basketball the past two seasons, averaging 15.1 points and 8.9 rebounds as a freshman and earning first-team All-ACC and second-team All-America honors as a sophomore after putting up 16.4 points and 8.3 boards. The 6-11 power forward also shot nearly 35% from 3 last season.
“There are things that you can pick apart about his game, whatever the criticism is, but I don’t think there’s many guys in the draft that are as accomplished as he is as a college player and as a high school player,” one coach said. “I think he deserved to be a first-round pick.”
“He had the hip surgery and he was never overly mobile in the first place,” another coach countered. “He doesn’t move great, he doesn’t keep guys in front of him. He played in a Duke offense where he got a touch every time down the floor and things ran through him. NBA teams aren’t going to do that.”
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Furphy on being picked by Pacers: Dream come true, perfect fit
Johnny Furphy shares his reaction to landing with the Indiana Pacers at pick No. 35, and how he’ll fit with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
Furphy, the 19-year-old, 6-8 wing from Australia, was a role player for the first half of Kansas’ season but really emerged as a key player during Big 12 play. He averaged 9.0 points on the season but 13.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 39.6% 3-point shooting during a 12-game stretch in January and February.
“I was surprised to see him go into the second round, only because I had heard a couple teams in the 20s liked him,” one opposing coach said. “He’s a guy who’s very young, but a pretty good athlete with shooting potential. But it’s one of those things, where you get thrown into an environment where you’re working out against older players, more physical players, it’s a work in progress.”
Bronny James goes in the second round
The USC freshman heard his name called at No. 55, joining his father with the Lakers – the expected landing spot, especially once it was reported that James had only worked out for the Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
The McDonald’s All American guard had suffered a cardiac arrest during a workout in July and missed the first eight games of the college basketball season. He was on a minutes restriction for a few weeks and was understandably inconsistent upon return.
He finished the season averaging 4.8 points – but coaches who scouted him in high school and college are optimistic about his NBA career.
“He’ll probably be with the team early in the year, then spend the majority of the year with South Bay,” one coach said, referring to the Lakers’ G League team. "I think he’ll be a better professional player than college player. He’ll be out there on the floor a lot in the G League. He can really guard the ball, he has good feel and instincts as a passer. He’s got to get better in terms of creating his own individual offense, but he’s improved as a shooter and is capable of at least being a league-average catch-and-shoot guy from 3. I think he can probably get better at shooting the 3 off the dribble, which you need to do a lot.
“It’s maybe not something in Year 1 or Year 2, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in an NBA rotation down the road.”
Other quick notes
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The highlights that made the Heat take Kel’el Ware in the NBA draft
Check out some of the highlights that made the Miami Heat take Kel’el Ware as the No. 15 pick in the NBA draft.
- While there have been questions over Kel’el Ware’s motor since he was a five-star high school prospect, multiple coaches were on board with the Miami Heat selecting him at No. 15 , even if it’s a surprising fit.
“He’s very different from the usual Miami profile,” one said. “But they have confidence in what their building is able to bring out of people. He’s talented. If he takes to the Heat Way, they could have something.”
“Kel’el Ware is one of the most talented players I’ve ever gone up against,” another added. “There are question marks about how passionate he is or how coachable he is. But as far as physical tools, he’s about as good as they come.”
- Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. dropping to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 27 was viewed as a steal.
“I get the age factor and the off-floor situation that has now been cleared,” a coach said. “But if the situation didn’t happen, we would be talking about a back-end lottery guy. They got tremendous value.”
- Four more second-rounders who drew mentions from coaches were Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, Colorado’s KJ Simpson, Minnesota’s Cam Christie and Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves.
On Kolek: “He’s super competitive. Won a lot of games in college. Could be a spark plug off the bench for a team that needs someone to come in and play hard and get a basket.”
On Simpson: “He was the best player on Colorado this year, and they had two guys drafted in the top 20.”
On Christie: “He’s someone you’re going to take a flier on in the 40s. With his size, with his NBA pedigree. He’s still really raw. But I get taking him in the 40s.”
On Reeves: “I like him as a shot-maker. He’s gotten significantly better defensively during his time at Kentucky. He’s somebody that can come in as a 10th to 13th man and crack an NBA rotation.”
via ESPN