At 7-foot-1, Alex Sarr brings an impressive combination of size, length, mobility, defensive versatility and skill. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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2024 NBA mock draft: Why Alex Sarr is vying for consideration at No. 1

September 30, 2023
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College basketball’s regular season is still six weeks away, but there’s already been significant activity in the NBA draft world with G League Ignite, the Australian NBL and European basketball leagues all underway, causing plenty of movement from our last mock draft released in June.

We’ve learned quite a bit about this group of 2024 prospects after crisscrossing the globe this offseason, spending time in Australia, Serbia, Hungary and across the U.S. The last few weeks in particular have shown we could be looking at one of the deepest classes of international prospects in recent memory. There are 11 non-collegiate players projected as first-round picks, eight of whom play outside the U.S.

ESPN NBA draft insider Jonathan Givony provides his newest mock draft — which is still completely wide open at the top of the lottery — and the latest intel on G League Ignite stars Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis, the rise of Perth’s Alex Sarr and why Duke will have to make room in a returning backcourt for freshman guard Jared McCain.

2024 NBA mock draft

The 2024 draft order is based on ESPN projections and reflects the current state of picks owed and owned:

FIRST ROUND

1. Washington Wizards

Ron Holland | G League Ignite | SF | Age: 18.2

2. Detroit Pistons

Isaiah Collier | USC | PG | Age: 18.9

3. Charlotte Hornets

Matas Buzelis | G League Ignite | SF | Age: 18.9

4. Portland Trail Blazers

Alex Sarr | Perth Wildcats | PF/C | Age: 18.4

5. San Antonio Spurs

Justin Edwards | Kentucky | SG/SF | Age: 19.7

6. Indiana Pacers

Donovan Clingan | UConn | C | Age: 19.5

7. Utah Jazz

Stephon Castle | UConn | PG/SG | Age: 18.9

8. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston)

Izan Almansa | G League Ignite | PF/C | Age: 18.2

9. Orlando Magic

Kyle Filipowski | Duke | PF/C | Age: 19.8

10. Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn)

D.J. Wagner | Kentucky | PG/SG | Age: 18.4

11. Chicago Bulls

Zaccharie Risacher | JL Bourg | SF | Age: 18.4

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

Kel’el Ware | Indiana | C | Age: 19.4

13. New Orleans Pelicans

Aday Mara | UCLA | C | Age: 18.4

14. Oklahoma City Thunder

Tyrese Proctor | Duke | PG | Age: 19.4

15. Atlanta Hawks

Ja’Kobe Walter | Baylor | SG | Age: 18.7

16. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)

Jared McCain | Duke | PG | Age: 19.6

17. New York Knicks

Elmarko Jackson | Kansas | PG/SG | Age: 19.4

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento)

Tidjane Salaun | Cholet | PF | Age: 18.1

19. New York Knicks (via Dallas)

Cody Williams | Colorado | SF | Age: 18.8

20. Cleveland Cavaliers

Terrance Arceneaux | Houston | SG/SF | Age: 19.8

21. Memphis Grizzlies

Ryan Dunn | Virginia | SF | Age: 20.7

22. Indiana Pacers (via LA Clippers)

Baba Miller | Florida St. | PF | Age: 19.6

23. Miami Heat

Bobi Klintman | Cairns Taipans | SF/PF | Age: 20.5

24. Boston Celtics (via Golden State)

Freddie Dilione | Tennessee | PG | Age: 19.4

25. Los Angeles Lakers

Juan Nunez | Ratiopharm Ulm | PG | Age: 19.3

26. Philadelphia 76ers

Nikola Topic | Mega MIS | PG | Age: 18.1

27. Milwaukee Bucks

Melvin Ajinca | Saint Quentin | SG/SF | Age: 19.2

28. Phoenix Suns

Dillon Mitchell | Texas | SF/PF | Age: 19.9

29. Boston Celtics

AJ Johnson | Illawarra Hawks | SG | Age: 18.8

30. Denver Nuggets

Ugonna Onyenso | Kentucky | C | Age: 19.0

SECOND ROUND

31. Detroit Pistons (via Washington)

Mark Mitchell | Duke | SF/PF | Age: 20.8

32. New York Knicks (via Detroit)

Adem Bona | UCLA | C | Age: 20.5

33. Portland Trail Blazers (via Charlotte)

Reece Beekman | Virginia | PG | Age: 21.7

34. Milwaukee Bucks (via Portland)

Mackenzie Mgbako | Indiana | SF/PF | Age: 18.8

35. San Antonio Spurs

Aaron Bradshaw | Kentucky | C | Age: 19.3

36. Indiana Pacers

Xavier Booker | Michigan St. | PF/C | Age: 19.0

37. New York Knicks (via Utah)

Riley Kugel | Florida | SG | Age: 19.8

38. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston)

Tyler Smith | G League Ignite | SF/PF | Age: 18.8

39. Orlando Magic

Kwame Evans | Oregon | PF | Age: 19.1

40. Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn)

Pacome Dadiet | Ratiopharm Ulm | SG/SF | Age: 18.1

41. New Orleans Pelicans (via Chicago)

Kylan Boswell | Arizona | PG | Age: 18.4

42. Denver Nuggets (via Minnesota)

Robert Dillingham | Kentucky | PG | Age: 18.7

43. Boston Celtics (via New Orleans)

Tristan Da Silva | Colorado | SF/PF | Age: 22.3

44. Houston Rockets (via Oklahoma City)

J.J Starling | Syracuse | SG | Age: 19.5

45. Portland Trail Blazers (via Atlanta)

Berke Buyuktuncel | UCLA | PF | Age: 19.0

46. LA Clippers (via Toronto)

Zacharie Perrin | Antibes | PF/C | Age: 19.0

47. Philadelphia 76ers (via New York)

Zach Edey | Purdue | C | Age: 21.3

48. Sacramento Kings

Babacar Sane | G League Ignite | SF/PF | Age: 20.0

49. Boston Celtics (via Dallas)

Judah Mintz | Syracuse | PG/SG | Age: 20.2

50. Indiana Pacers (via Cleveland)

Andrija Jelavic | Mega MIS | PF/C | Age: 19.3

51. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis)

Baylor Scheierman | Creighton | SG/SF | Age: 23.0

52. Los Angeles Lakers (via LA Clippers)

Ajay Mitchell | UC Santa Barbra | PG | Age: 21.2

53. Atlanta Hawks (via Miami)

Trey Alexander | Creighton | PG/SG | Age: 20.4

54. Houston Rockets (via Golden State)

Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton | C | Age: 21.6

55. San Antonio Spurs (via LA Lakers)

Ariel Hukporti | Melbourne | C | Age: 21.4

56. Indiana Pacers (via Milwaukee)

Nae’Qwan Tomlin | Kansas St. | PF/C | Age: 22.7

57. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix)

Trevon Brazile | Arkansas | PF | Age: 20.7

58. Charlotte Hornets (via Boston)

Lachlan Olbrich | Illawarra | PF | Age: 19.7

59. Orlando Magic (via Denver)

Miles Kelly | Georgia Tech | SG | Age: 20.6

Note: The Philadelphia 76ers forfeited a 2024 second-round draft pick.

Ron Holland | 6-foot-7 | SF | Age: 18.2 | G League Ignite

Holland looks to be en route to a huge season as indicated by his two-game performance a few weeks ago against Perth (56 points in 60 minutes). He’s the unquestioned go-to guy for G League Ignite who brings an exceptional blend of aggressiveness and intensity on both ends of the floor.

Holland wasn’t quite as effective last week in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, fouling out in both of Ignite’s opening games — disappointing losses to teams from Egypt and Brazil in which he shot just 10-for-25 from the field. He rebounded with a 21-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over a subpar Bahrain team in which his tenacity and open-court scoring prowess again shined.

Holland’s confidence in firing up shots from beyond the arc in the early going is a welcome sign for NBA scouts. His shooting is one of the big question marks teams have along with his somewhat average physical profile. He’s converted 35% of his 3-pointers thus far through five games, and 85% of his free throws, showing some versatility with his shot-making and good mechanics that leave room for optimism long-term.

Holland is the early favorite for the No. 1 pick with a very high floor as a prospect because his relentlessness pushing in transition, crashing the glass, getting over screens, sliding his feet one-on-one and ability to generate turnovers. To maintain that status, he’ll need to continue to show growth with his half-court shot-creation ability, decision making and shooting consistency.

NBA teams do have some doubts about whether he has the physical and offensive upside to justify being such a high lottery pick. He’ll have a huge runway with Ignite all season to test the boundaries of his limits and continue to expand his game, which should position him well come June.

Alex Sarr | 7-1 | PF/C | Age: 18.4 | Perth Wildcats

Between the FIBA U19 World Cup, the G League Ignite games and the NBL Blitz, NBA scouts have gotten no shortage of exposure to Sarr already.

Sarr has been very impressive for the most part — with notable highs coming in Las Vegas where he posted 43 points, 18 rebounds, 12 blocks and 4 assists in a pair of contests against G League Ignite. He’s done enough to earmark himself as one of a half dozen or so prospects vying for consideration as the No. 1 pick at this point.

At 7-1, Sarr brings an impressive combination of size, length, mobility, defensive versatility and skill. His motor continues to run hot and cold, the biggest gripe scouts have with him currently, but when he’s operating at full intensity, he’s an absolute game-changer defensively with the way he covers ground, mirrors smaller players on the perimeter and rotates to protect the rim with exceptional quickness getting off his feet.

Sarr’s offensive versatility has been similarly notable thus far. He looks quite natural stepping into pick-and-pop or fake dribble handoff 3-pointers, has impressive acumen as a pick-and-roll target and has shown excellent passing ability when being utilized as the trigger man in Perth’s half-court offense.

Things haven’t been as easy for Sarr against more physical NBL competition, which should prove to be a good test for the 18-year-old Frenchman as the season moves on. His standout showing in Las Vegas created significant buzz, propelling him into our top 5. He appears to be in a strong situation development-wise. He will have a good platform to continue to showcase his unique skill set on both ends of the floor as the season moves on to maintain the momentum he’s built.

Matas Buzelis | 6-10 | SF | Age: 18.9 | G League Ignite

NBA teams are still trying to figure out what Buzelis’ go-to skill is as he was a mixed bag in the G League Fall Invitational and where exactly he stacks up among this group of prospects at the top of the 2024 draft. He put up solid numbers against Perth (33 points in 54 minutes) but left a lot to be desired defensively with the lack of physicality and intensity he showed against older players, struggling to create his own offense at times. He unfortunately missed all three FIBA Intercontinental Cup games in Singapore with an ankle injury, meaning scouts will have to wait for Ignite’s season opener in November to get a better handle on his evaluation.

Jared McCain | 6-3 | PG | Age: 19.2 | Duke

McCain was a major standout at the CP3 Elite Camp and Nike Academy in August, two highly regarded summer camps that were heavily attended by NBA executives. The preseason buzz from Durham has been just as strong as it appears it will be very difficult to keep him off the floor despite Duke returning their starting backcourt from last season in Tyrese Proctor and Jeremy Roach.

McCain has noticeably cut up his frame and appears to be on another level conditioning-wise with his peers. His reported maniacal work ethic is paying off with the outstanding skill level he displays as well. He’s got tremendous shot-making prowess to go along with every shot-creation move under the sun using his strong frame, fluid body control, creative ballhandling and tremendous pace. NBA players at those camps had a handful guarding him one-on-one.

While he doesn’t have elite physical tools in terms of length or explosiveness, NBA scouts have been throwing around names like Malcolm Brogdon and Jalen Brunson when discussing how his elite feel for the game, physicality and skill level might translate to the next level. He’ll have to back up the hype when the season starts in November, but McCain will have a huge platform to be a very high draft pick if he does what we saw this summer on a bigger stage at Duke.

Tidjane Salaun | 6-10 | SF/PF | Age: 18.1 | Cholet

Coming off a strong showing at the U18 European Championship, Salaun has carved out a solid rotational role in the French first division for Cholet. He entered the starting lineup this week and had his best game of his career with 24 points in 33 minutes in a crucial FIBA Champions League qualifying game win. From spotting up off the dribble to running off a screen, he hit a barrage of 3-pointers from all over the floor.

At 6-10, with good length, fluidity and defensive versatility, NBA scouts will be very intrigued if Salaun’s shot-making display continues as the season moves on, especially with the way he contributes in other areas running the floor, crashing the glass and generating turnovers with intense defense.

Salaun’s ballhandling ability is a work in progress and his technique and awareness defensively leaves something to be desired at times off the ball. Still, considering he just turned 18 last month and is very much a late bloomer who wasn’t considered good enough to play for the French national team a year ago, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his long-term outlook. France will be a mini-hub for NBA teams to explore with at least four legitimate prospects who could hear their names called next June, so Salaun will be scouted very closely this season.

Bobi Klintman | 6-10 | SF | Age: 20.5 | Cairns Taipans

Klintman had a strong three-game showing at the NBL Blitz, posting 40 points in 73 minutes while showing he can contribute in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor.

Known as mostly a spot-up shooter at Wake Forest, Klintman only made one 3-pointer (eight attempts) in his three games on the Gold Coast but did a little bit of everything else. He pushed in the open floor, showing vision as a passer, cutting to the rim and crashing the offensive glass while playing with a lot of freedom and aggressiveness at both forward spots for Cairns. His defensive engagement and versatility looked better than expected as he did a good job of handling guards, wings, forwards and big men alike while generating turnovers at a solid rate.

NBA scouts say they are still learning more about what Klintman’s go-to skill is, as he’s a jack of all trades who still has work to do with the consistency of his perimeter shooting, ballhandling, decision-making and defensive awareness. Showing growth in those areas, while making strides with his feel for the game and toughness as the season moves on could give the 6-10 Klintman a very high floor on draft night.

Nikola Topic | 6-7 | PG | Age: 18.1 | Mega Mozzart

We highlighted Topic, the FIBA U18 European Championship MVP, as a serious NBA prospect to watch last month and, if his preseason is any indication, it appears the 18-year-old is ready to back that up in a major way.

Topic averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in three Adriatic Supercup games, showing off his skill as a pick-and-roll passer and being extremely difficult to contain getting downhill with a head of steam, even against men. You won’t find many 18-year-olds with the type of vision and creativity Topic displays and he’s drawn some comparisons to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey in that realm.

He notably made 5-for-12 3-pointers (after going just 2-for-21 at the U18s) in the Supercup, an important aspect NBA teams will be tracking, especially as opponents inevitably go under ball screens and test his pull-up game. Defense is another area he’ll be scrutinized, as his energy and effectiveness ebb at times and some of his physical limitations in terms of his quickness and length can be more apparent.

Topic has an ideal platform as the starting point guard of an Adriatic League squad to show NBA teams just how talented he is with the ball in his hands, which gives him a real runway to emerging as a first-round pick depending on how his (and his team’s) season goes.

A.J. Johnson | 6-6 | SG | Age: 18.8 | Illawarra Hawks

A few weeks removed from a broken nose, the 18-year-old didn’t have a great showing at the NBL Blitz — nine points in 38 minutes on 4-for-14 shooting from the field through three games. He had his best outing in his team’s final contest after electing to shed the facemask he was slated to wear for another month. He showed some flashes of the dynamic shot-making, live-dribble passing and explosiveness that made him such a highly regarded high school recruit.

Johnson’s youth, slight frame, average ballhandling and inexperience both defensively and as a decision-maker were all evident on the Gold Coast. He’s added some bulk in the past year, but still looks very slight compared with the professional players he’s matching up with in the NBL, which hampers him navigating the lane, getting over screens and looking fairly lost off the ball defensively.

While his talent changing gears, shooting off the dribble and dishing on the move is apparent in small doses, NBA teams sitting courtside on the Gold Coast say they want to see how much growth he shows over the next few months to get a better gauge for his long-term upside and just how far off he is in being ready to play real minutes at the NBA level.

Andrija Jelavic | 6-11 | PF/C | Age: 19.3 | Mega MIS

Topic’s teammate, Jelavic had an equally impressive Supercup averaging 17 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting a scorching 8-for-14 (57%) from 3 over three games. The 6-11 power forward has built up his frame and found another gear athletically while demonstrating impressive versatility offensively, giving him significant intrigue for the modern game.

Jelavic has the freedom to initiate pushing off the defensive glass, making plays passing out of short rolls, shooting 3s from well beyond the arc, and punishing switches in the post while playing with an impressive level of confidence for a 19-year-old against seasoned pros. He’s looked pretty switchable on the perimeter defensively as well with his solid physical tools, mobility and effort, even if he has some questions to answer here long-term that we’ll learn more about as the regular season gets going.

After converting 31% of his 3-pointers last season (and 65% of his free throws), it will be interesting to see how sustainable Jelavic’s shooting, a major key to his NBA intrigue, is over the course of the season. Showing he can continue to hold up as a small-ball center in stretchy lineups at 225 pounds would help as well, but there’s little doubt that Jelavic is a real prospect that NBA teams will have to account for this season while playing for a Mega MIS team that is a one-stop draft shopping target for NBA teams with three prospects on its roster (Topic and Nikola Djurisic).

Ariel Hukporti | 7-0 | C | Age: 21.4 | Melbourne Tigers

Coming off a ruptured Achilles that sidelined him a year, expectations were not particularly high for Hukporti in light of his relatively underwhelming performances early on in the preseason. Hukporti bounced back and finished the NBL Blitz on a strong note, posting 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 45 minutes over his final two games while looking even more explosive athletically than he did pre-injury. He’s clearly worked hard on improving his gait and has been running the floor much better in turn. He had several highlight-reel plays on both ends of the floor getting off the ground powerfully and coming up with some impressive dunks and blocks.

At 7-feet, 250 pounds, Hukporti stands out immediately from a physical standpoint and was difficult for NBL big men to contain when catching the ball in stride with a runway and exploding off two feet. He even flashed some touch on lefty floaters and footwork on up-and-under moves, but remains a work in progress as a passer and all-around decision-maker because he does not possess the highest skill level or a great feel for the game. NBA scouts will want to get a better feel for his ability to step out and defend in space as he’s fairly upright guarding pick-and-roll even if he clearly has some instincts as a rim-protector when parked inside the paint.

Turning 22 in April and draft-eligible next June, Hukporti should have a good stage to show he’s worthy of a draft pick in an NBL campaign that will have significant NBA eyeballs every time he steps on the floor due to the plethora of prospects on virtually every team. The market for non-shooting, non-passing big men is somewhat limited these days, but the strides Hukporti is making as a pick-and-roll finisher and shot-blocker certainly give him a fighting chance.

Lachlan Olbrich | 6-foot-10 | PF/C | Age: 19.2 | Illawarra Hawks

Olbrich was one of the big winners of the NBL Blitz, taking advantage of the huge amount of NBA attention the event garnered by posting 38 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in 44 minutes over his final two contests.

The 19-year-old was the Big West freshman of the year at UC Riverside last season but elected to turn pro and return to his home country of Australia, a decision that appears to be paying off so far with the strong role he’s carving out for a deep Illawarra squad.

Olbrich comes into games looking to make things happen, playing with nonstop energy as a rim-runner and cutter, but also showing some real skill pushing the ball off the defensive glass and taking slower-footed big men off the dribble with strong ball-\handling, nice finishing and passing creativity. He’s sturdily built at 6-10, 236 pounds, allowing him to play through contact better than you’d expect at his age, but has some questions he’ll have to answer on the defensive end, where he lacks a degree of length and explosiveness to be much of a rim-protector and isn’t always fleet of foot enough to guard more skilled players on the perimeter.

NBA scouts say they’d like to learn more about Olbrich’s perimeter shooting ability to better gauge exactly what his role would be at the NBA level. He’s just a career 59% free throw shooter and took only two shots from beyond the arc in three NBL Blitz games. To his credit, Olbrich made 44% of his 3s in the NBL1 this spring and summer, where he won the central conference championship and was named Grand Final MVP.

Olbrich cemented himself as a prospect worth monitoring last week and will have an opportunity to continue to build his candidacy as a draft prospect all season in a league that will be as heavily scouted as any outside the college basketball ranks.

Trentyn Flowers | 6-8 | SG/SF | Age: 19.2 | Adelaide 36ers

Flowers’ NBL Blitz got off to a rough start, turning the ball over seven times in 22 minutes in his team’s opener, prompting his team to wisely rethink his role as their starting point guard and move him to a more compact role on the wing. He showed some real talent in flashes over the course of the week, hitting a couple of good-looking 3-pointers, making some interesting live-dribble passes and exploding for one memorable poster finish over Sarr.

He’s also shown he’s a major work in progress as a decision-maker and defensively, especially off the ball. The size, shot-making, aggressiveness and overall scoring instincts make the 18-year-old Flowers someone NBA teams will want to monitor closely to see how much growth he shows as the season moves on. It’s clear the transition he’s trying to make from high school to the highest levels of professional basketball is a steep one, which could potentially require multiple seasons to fully maximize his draft stock.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.

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