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One-and-done players have accounted for a majority of the NBA Draft lottery selections over the past decade, but there are still numerous examples of older players coming into the league and making an immediate impact. This year’s draft class is teeming with questions from top to bottom, and NBA decision-makers could lean on experience to find the next hidden gem.
With the draft less than 24 hours away, we’ve put together a list of eight upperclassmen on the CBS Sports Big Board that could make an impact for years to come.
Christian Braun was a major part of the Denver Nuggets’ championship run in 2023 after spending three years in the college ranks with the Kansas Jayhawks. Last season, CBS Sports named UCLA forward Jamie Jaquez Jr. to this list. The Miami Heat rookie lived up to the billing, earning a spot on the All-Rookie team. Other players on last year’s edition of instant impact upperclassmen included Andre Jackson Jr., Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Julian Strawther.
Let’s have a look at the experienced players we see making an impact in the 2024 NBA Draft class.
Dalton Knecht, G/F, Tennessee
Age: 23 | CBS Sports big board ranking: 6
Knecht went from a mid-major star at Northern Colorado to a first-team All-American selection in his final collegiate season at Tennessee. He is a skilled shooter with the size to play shooting guard or small forward at the next level. The 23-year-old is an elite shot-creator who can score on a variety of movements. That makes him one of the highest-floor players in this draft. Per Synergy, Knecht connected on 29 of 47 attempts (38.3%) on transition 3-pointers — a skill certain to translate to today’s fast-paced NBA. CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander ranked Knecht as the best in his class when it’s all said and done. I won’t go that far (Knecht is No. 4 on my personal board) but he should be one of the top contenders to win Rookie of the Year. The team that drafts Knecht will get a player who can average at least 14 points per game in his rookie campaign.
Devin Carter, G, Providence
Age: 22…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2024-nba-draft-tennessees-dalton-knecht-purdues-zach-edey-among-upperclassmen-who-can-make-instant-impact/
Author : Cameron Salerno
Publish date : 2024-06-25 22:45:22
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