Every college sports fan in the US looks forward to the annual draft, where top college players get the chance to play professionally. Like every year’s draft, the 2023 NBA draft was highly anticipated. But now it’s come and gone — 108 players are informing the NBA that they’re opting out of evaluation, which means their schools have an incentive. Sports fans may be looking ahead to another group of rising stars.
One of the 108 returnees includes Purdue’s Zach Edey, winner of the CBS Sports National Player of the Year award. Zach’s presence on the college team makes Purdue a strong contender for the national championship this season. Of course, the Canadian player will be happy to repeat the 2023 NPOY feat.
Another rising star to watch is USC’s Isaiah Collier. Collier is listed by ESPN as the No. 1 star prospect in the nation in the class of 2023. The Georgia native has shown enough competitiveness to make him the best USC football player since Evan Mobley.
Meanwhile, the interest in these rising stars continues on the court, and the media, betting companies have been evaluated and shown https://www.mightytips.com/bookmakers/trustly-betting-sites/, and independent experts monitor their performance. This means, the talents and performances of these amazing children attract the attention of various stakeholders.
Regardless of order, these nine players could be selected in the first round of the 2024 Draft if their 2023/24 performances go as projected.
1. Jaden Akins, Michigan State
Jaden Akin’s departure from the NBA draft has given Tom Izzo’s side a boost in the 2023/24 season. The Spartans may not be the college with the most NBA players, but they are bolstered by five of their six returning starters this season.
Akins averaged 9.8 points, shooting a whopping 42.2% from behind the arc. If you’re wondering, “Which college has the most NBA players? It’s the University of Kentucky.
2. Dillon Mitchell, Texas
Mitchell is a former five-star prospect and brings excitement and great growth as an addition to the Texas Longhorns.
His freshman year saw him average 17.4 minutes per game. However, going back to school for a sophomore year should prove to be beneficial for the rest of his career.
3. Zach Edey, Purdue
Edey faced a huge challenge to be signed last summer after opting to stay in the club. That’s because the NBA has changed a lot The price of NPOY shares to be offered top NBA talent.
However, Edey is still a big back-to-the-basket guy who averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in his first season as a starter – and dominated the college game last year.
4. Coleman Hawkins, Illinois
Coleman Hawkins provided one of the many surprises from the NBA draft when he chose to stay at Illinois for his final year. Along with teammate Terrence Shannon Jr., Hawkins was slated to be drafted in the second round if he remained on the show.
Hawkins has shown the ability to defend either position, with a team-leading 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
5. Isaiah Collier, USC
Collier is the No. 1 player in the 247Sports rankings and one of the best draft picks in his class.
Collier, who is an athletic director, has shown that he can be the starting point guard in the NBA. He has a lot of responsibility to be a top player next summer.
6. DaRon Holmes II, Dayton
Another 2023 NBA Draft prospect, Holmes showed a big improvement from a strong freshman campaign last season. The 20-year-old real center averaged 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.
Perhaps his strongest asset is his ability to finish at the rim; Maintaining or improving his performance, no doubt, will help him a lot.
7. Dillon Jones, Weber State
Despite a strong exit last season, Jones opted to return to the Wildcats. He averaged 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
However, the 6-foot-6 forward may have to give up his performance (3.4 per game last season) to top the next draft.
8. Tyrin Lawrence, Vanderbilt
Lawrence opted out of the NBA draft in May – and from the transfer portal – to choose to play another season with Vanderbilt.
The guard, who may want to join the NBA ranks with college degrees, played almost the same minutes he played from his first school this year and averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds last game. Improving his stats will prove that his decision to return to school was the right one.
9. Bronny James, USC
Bronny James he may not be a top 10 pick – but his name puts him among the top contenders for first round picks.
If the 18-year-old midfielder can show his ability to contribute to success, he will increase his assets this season. In addition, the chance to join his father’s team for one season will probably inspire him to do more.
The end
Although next year’s draft has not been impressed by recent releases, there are plenty of stars to follow in the 2023/24 season. The list above shows the nine NBA college players who are rising to the top of the NBA’s college ranks that could be pulling the strings for the 2024 draft next June.