NBA Draft Combine 2024 winners and losers: Bronny James performs under pressure; Zach Edey is bigger, but slow

CHICAGO – The 2024 NBA Draft Combine is in the books from the Windy City but the breeze of change is blowing as strong as ever this predraft process with the NBA Draft lingering just over one month away. So on the heels of what was the most impactful event leading up to this year’s draft, it’s time to break down all the biggest winners and losers from the week that was in Chicago as we put a bow on the combine.

Let’s dive in.

Winner: Hawks have big decision

Yes, it’s true: the top of the 2024 NBA Draft class is not the strongest. 

In fact some in Chicago I’ve talked with believe this class could be the weakest in more than a decade.

But the Atlanta Hawks come away from the combine a winner nonetheless after kicking off the week with a win in the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday. First dibs in this class isn’t the slam dunk it would’ve been last year with Victor Wembanyama, to state the obvious, but it is still first dibs. 

History suggests some stars will come from this class. Finding the right fit and hitting could change the trajectory of the franchise. Being able to be on the clock first even in a lackluster draft is a win, especially after entering the week with just 3% odds to win the No. 1 pick.

Winner: Edey is still growing

The biggest man at the NBA Draft Combine last year showed up as the biggest man at the NBA Draft Combine again this year – and incredibly even bigger than he was last year. Unreal. Zach Edey actually measured a half-inch taller this year (7-foot-3.75) than last year, and he won some folks over in the process with some surprisingly agile drill numbers. Among the biggest personal wins for him was posting a faster lane agility time than other center prospects like Alex Sarr, Yves Missi and Donovan Clingan, all of whom are 7-footers or close to it and projected as top-20 talents.

Losers: College lottery prospects don’t measure up

Not every lottery prospect from college had rough weeks – Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard had a stellar week and several others simply weren’t involved enough to cast judgment – but a…

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Author : Kyle Boone

Publish date : 2024-05-18 06:27:58

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