The 2024 NBA Draft is filled with intriguing prospects.
After tabbing Reed Sheppard, Donovan Clingan, Matas Buzelis and Dalton Knecht as intriguing prospects last month, the 2024 NBA Draft inching closer, calling for a look at four other trending players.
Houston holds the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft, and the widespread assumption is that while a trade is posible, the Rockets will use it to add to the promising young core rather than make a move. After finishing 41-41 on the year and just shy of an opportunity to reach the NBA Play-In Tournament, drastic change isn’t needed. This offseason could be what determines whether Houston finds its way back to the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA Draft is set for June 26, and the time will tell how Houston approaches improving.
Below is a look at four trending prospects:
Nikola Topić, G, Serbia
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Suffering a partially torn ACL while an NBA Draft prospect is incredibly unlucky. Fortunately, Nikola Topić is highly regarded and shouldn’t suffer much of a setback, if any, given his skill set. What Topić brings to the table isn’t dependent on athleticism. At 6-foot-6, he is a lengthy guard who can run an offense, handle ball pressure, and get in the paint, which creates scoring opportunities for him and his teammates. The ability to create for yourself is valuable, but it’s incomparable to generating offense on any given night. That’s the allure of Topić
The glaring weakness is his jump shooting, and time will tell if he’s able to defend at an impactful level, which was a red flag before he even suffered a knee injury.
Stephon Castle, G, UConn
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The Dan Hurley saga officially concluded Monday when the back-to-back national championship-winning head coach chose to remain at UConn rather than accept the Los Angeles Lakers’ offer. Maybe now attention will shift to Stephon Castle, the point guard who helped the Huskies capture the most recent title.
Standing 6-foot-6, Castle did practically everything right as a freshman except knockdown three-pointers at an efficient clip. He put those woes in the rearview mirror by shooting 18-for-25 in the three-point star shooting drill at the NBA Draft Combine. Castle showed he could handle tough assignments by consistently drawing tough matchups as a freshman. He’s also capable of performing under the bright lights, scoring 21 points in the Final Four against Alabama, then 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the championship game against Purdue.
Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky
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These days, guards with a flashy handle grow on trees. But Rob Dillingham’s game feels a notch above what’s become regular, largely due to the explosive athleticism paired with the ability to create separation. That can be both a blessing and a curse, which played a role in him leading Kentucky in turnovers per game and over-dribbling at times. But it’s not an exaggeration to say the college game is widely different from the NBA, and the pro level fits Dillingham’s game much better.
There is simply more room to experiment in the NBA when you’re a highly touted rookie rather than a five-star freshman walking into a locker room with a championship or bust mentality. So while his decision-making needs work, and his slight frame could be problematic on the defensive end, Dillingham is an intriguing prospect because he’s expected to score plenty of points over the years.
Zaccharie Risacher, F, France
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Considering Houston brought in Jabari Smith during the 2022 NBA Draft, selecting Zaccharie Risacher wouldn’t make much sense if they believe Smith is a long-term piece to the puzzle. While Risacher is younger, he’s a defensive pest with an improving three-point shot. He shot 38.7 percent from range, which is more efficient than Smith, but he’s two inches shorter at 6-foot-9, struggles at the free-throw line and leaves more to be desired in the paint.
If Houston wants a younger, more raw version of Smith, the former No. 3 overall draft pick would have value in the trade market. But it seems like an unlikely move. Respectfully, of course.