Re-Drafting 2024 NBA Rookie Class Ahead of 2025 All-Star Weekend
Rookies will, as always, feature prominently in the Rising Stars festivities at 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend. Morally speaking, then, it would be weird if we didn't take stock of this year's cast of newbies by holding, perhaps, one of the way-too-earliest re-drafts of all time.
Standard re-drafting protocols apply...for the most part. Players will be selected without regard for their fits on teams that owned said pick. This is more choosing rookies based on who we'd want for the rest of their careers.
Unlike other re-drafts, track records since entering the Association only get us so far. All of these dudes are fewer than 60 games into their careers. While what they have done so far helps shape the order, bets on upside and inexact eye tests will be made liberally—and without apology.
1. Atlanta Hawks: Alex Sarr
1 of 30
Original Pick: Zaccharie Risacher
Alex Sarr's Original Draft Position: No. 2
Quibble over Alex Sarr's offensive efficiency if you must. He's a rookie. And he plays on a Washington Wizards squad not yet built to make life easy for him.
Worrying about his hands and general touch around the hoop is fair game. But the latter has improved over the course of this season, and he's flashed an operable three-point stroke and a variety of playmaking skills.
Bake in his defensive tools and malleability, and, frankly, the 19-year-old is the sole prospect from this rookie class that's providing glimpses into real star upside.
2. Washington Wizards: Stephon Castle
2 of 30
Original Pick: Alex Sarr
Stephon Castle's Original Draft Position: No. 4
Betting on a shaky jump shooter who doesn't profile as a full-time floor general is all sorts of risky. At just 20 years old, though, Stephon Castle has shown enough as a secondary ball-handler and playmaker to invest in what's already net-positive defense.
The San Antonio Spurs allow noticeably fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the court. That's a big deal when you consider he remains a part of their most core lineups.
Castle's capacity to carve out an offensive niche following the De'Aaron Fox trade—be it as a standstill spacer, off-ball mover, transition threat, second-side attacker, etc.—will go a long way toward determining his overall NBA ceiling.
3. Houston Rockets: Reed Sheppard
3 of 30
Original Pick: Reed Sheppard
Reed Sheppard's Original Draft Position: No. 3
Reed Sheppard finished second on yours truly's personal 2024 NBA draft big board. Though he's turning in a rookie campaign punctuated by sparing usage and nondescript minutes, I can't bring myself to displace him from the top three.
This iteration of the Houston Rockets has a reputation for gradually bringing along its kiddos. Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and even Cam Whitmore are all good examples. And while someone like Thompson saw his rookie role, when healthy, expand over time, this year's Rockets are really deep and have waaaay more at stake.
All of which is to say: Sheppard projected as a transcendent, multi-level shot-maker on- and off-ball with the handles and vision to one day spearhead good-to-great offense. We have not seen nearly enough to think that's changed.
4. San Antonio Spurs: Jared McCain
4 of 30
Original Pick: Stephon Castle
Jared McCain's Original Draft Position: No. 16
Jared McCain was tracking toward runaway Rookie of the Year honors before a left knee injury prematurely ended his season. But the 25 games in which he appeared more than proved his utility as a shot-maker.
It remains to be seen whether he can function as a central facilitator. At only 6'2", he poses all sorts of challenges, on both ends of the floor, if he can't.
Still, the 20-year-old's scoring armory scales to both spot-up and from-scratch situations, incorporates pretty much every level of the court and opens up all sorts of downhill playmaking opportunities. Even now, he currently ranks in the 86th percentile of drive-assist points created per 75 possessions, according to BBall-Index.
5. Detroit Pistons: Zaccharie Risacher
5 of 30
Original Pick: Ron Holland
Zaccharie Risacher's Original Draft Position: No. 1
Zaccharie Risacher passes the eye test as a plug-and-play wing who should eventually shine in transition, knock down threes—he's hitting almost 40 percent of his spot-ups since Jan. 1—and hold his own against tougher perimeter assignments on defense. That has tons of value in a rookie class teeming with ambiguity.
Hazy best-case outcomes cap Risacher's place in a long-term exercise such as this one. For now, anyway.
Can he generate more of his own looks? Do more as a passer? Can he be the guy who routinely defends the best perimeter shot-creator on the other team? Or is he more of a second- or third-option stopper? Answers to these questions will shift his standing, one way or the other.
6. Charlotte Hornets: Matas Buzelis
6 of 30
Original Pick: Tidjane Salaun
Matas Buzelis' Original Draft Position: No. 11
Matas Buzelis has already delivered plenty of highlights at the rim this year. That's cool. He's also so much more.
There is a blend of directionality and physicality on his drives, and he has the bandwidth to put down tough finishes. His efficiency around the hoop isn't great, but for now, that's the cost of exploring the depths of his on-ball license.
Iffy moments are much easier to stomach when you watch his hustling away from the ball, and when he's hovering around the league average from deep. And though he plays like a wing on offense, he effectively leverages his 6'10" frame on defense, particularly as a helper. The ceiling on his entire package is undefined—in the best possible way.
7. Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan
7 of 30
Original Pick: Donovan Clingan
Donovan Clingan's Original Draft Position: No. 7
Donovan Clingan is exceptionally huge, he knows it, and he's very good at using his general massiveness. Most of what he does is conventional big-man stuff. There's little typical about his effectiveness.
Among everyone who has logged at least 500 total minutes this year, Clingan is one of three players who clear the 90th percentile of roll-man impact per 75 possessions and defensive field-goal percentage allowed at the rim versus expectation. His company, according to BBall Index: Victor Wembanyama and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Lowering Clingan's re-draft placement in favor of more dynamic offensive players is worth consideration. But keeping him here is only a reach if you don't think he can remain this impactful while racking up more total court time.
8. San Antonio Spurs: Jaylen Wells
8 of 30
Original Pick: Rob Dillingham
Jaylen Wells' Original Draft Position: No. 39
Anyone ready to mount "Jaylen Well doesn't have All-Star upside!" rebuttals should save their breath. A handful of other players qualify as more boom-or-bust dice rolls. He brings a level of high-end bankability.
Wells is already the most important perimeter stopper for a top-five defense. That is, unequivocally, bananas. He can be overmatched against bigger, burlier assignments, but the Memphis Grizzlies would be sending way more help/double-teams than they do if not for his scrappiness.
Coupling this defense with reasonable efficiency on catch-and-fire threes seals top-10 placement. And over time, in the right spacing environs, Wells has the size and straight-line handle to explore more driving and pull-up opportunities.
9. Memphis Grizzlies: Nikola Topić
9 of 30
Original Pick: Zach Edey
Nikola Topić's Original Draft Position: No. 12
A left ACL injury will sideline Nikola Topić for the entire season, making this a curious selection on its face. Like the Oklahoma City Thunder, though, we are taking the long view.
There is a distinctly Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderian cadence to the way Topić plays on the ball. He definitely doesn't have the same highest-gear athleticism, but his probing is surgical, can carve out enough defensive separation and translates to shot generation for both himself and others.
Three-point shooting and lateral mobility on the less-glamorous end will be swing skills. If he hits on one or both, do not be surprised if slotting him at No. 9 ends up seeming too low a year or two from now.
10. Utah Jazz: Zach Edey
10 of 30
Original Pick: Cody Williams
Zach Edey's Original Draft Position: No. 9
Zach Edey has silenced most of the concerns about how well his skill set will translate to the NBA.
His presence around the rim is a real deterrent. The space he chisels out for teammates on screens and hand-offs is a value add. And the three-point dabbling and standstill passing make him a more dynamic offensive complement than many of his archetypal peers.
Sticking him a couple of spots behind Donovan Clingan (No. 7) may be a matter of preference. Edey has certainly accomplished more on offense while doing a better job of limiting his fouls in modest playing-time bursts. Clingan is so far more imposing as a rim deterrent, shot-blocker and rebounder, which is why he came off the board earlier. But, again, we're close to either-or territory when evaluating the two.
11. Chicago Bulls: Bub Carrington
11 of 30
Original Pick: Matas Buzelis
Bub Carrington's Original Draft Position: No. 14
Great positional size and visible feel headline Bub Carrington's most intriguing attributes. Time will tell whether he can actually run the offense, but there is a poise and patience on the ball that allows him to reach his preferred spots and let plays develop for others.
Scant rim pressure is a real problem. And it isn't immediately clear whether he has the on- or off-ball thrust to meaningfully increase it.
Carrington makes up for some of it with a good shooting stroke. His overall three-point clip could be higher—and it will be. He has flashed a comfort level launching off the catch as well as dribbling his way into jumpers. The 19-year-old enters the All-Star break nailing 35.1 percent of his pull-up triples and 51.1 percent of his pull-up twos.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Rob Dillingham
12 of 30
Original Pick: Nikola Topić
Rob Dillingham's Original Draft Position: No. 8
Rob Dillingham does not have what you'd call an airtight role with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but you can see and sense the bigger-picture vision.
Drives can be electric when he's given enough room. I have questions about his table-setting for others when breaking down set defenses, but there is a clear willingness to quickly get off the ball. And if it turns out he shouldn't be a primary initiator, he has the off-ball stroke to space as a complement.
Defensive concerns are inescapable at 6'1". Dillingham has done a pretty good job navigating screens thus far, but he may always be a pain point opposing offenses feel comfortable targeting.
That drags him down a bit relative to those already off the board. His knack for effectively toggling between scoring usages, though, warrants a lottery ticket.
13. Sacramento Kings: Ajay Mitchell
13 of 30
Original Pick: Devin Carter
Ajay Mitchell's Original Draft Position: No. 38
Cracking the regular rotation of a championship favorite, as a rookie, is bonkers stuff. And this is exactly what Ajay Mitchell did before suffering a toe injury that has sidelined him since the beginning of January.
The 22-year-old's defensive intensity is absurd. The Oklahoma City Thunder have insulated him against the toughest point-of-attack assignments, but that's more so a function of their depth. Mitchell navigates screens like a whiz, is mostly excellent at contesting shots and will bust up plays as the helper.
Don't sleep on his offensive utility, either. Mitchell moves well without the ball, has drilled over 40 percent of his above-the-break treys and can dribble into pull-ups both off the catch and when working one-on-one.
Put another way: Yes, it appears the Thunder have done it again.
14. Portland Trail Blazers: Devin Carter
14 of 30
Original Pick: Bub Carrington
Devin Carter's Original Draft Position: No. 13
Rough offensive showings since making his season debut will warp perception of Devin Carter. But the defensive know-how is too tantalizing to pass on as we close out the lottery.
Carter is already facing outsized assignments and largely holding his own. He is not easily thrown off by screens and helping hands usually aren't required when he's left on an island.
Leaving him inside the top 15 is a bet on his three-point touch evening out. His moonball arc is fine, but he'll probably need to quicken the pace of the release. Failing that, he has to parlay his strength into more reliable finishes at the rim.
15. Miami Heat: Justin Edwards
15 of 30
Original Pick: Kel'el Ware
Justin Edwards' Original Draft Position: Undrafted
HOT TAKE: A 6'8" wing who defends his butt off, knocks down threes, can hit the occasional mid-ranger and has enough of a handle to straight-line his way to the rim is valuable.
In hindsight, while he didn't have a standout season at Kentucky, Justin Edwards going undrafted is objectively freaking wild.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Kel'el Ware
16 of 30
Original Pick: Jared McCain
Kel'el Ware's Original Draft Position: No. 15
If you believe Kel'el Ware's three-point shooting, ball skills and capacity to do more anchor-big stuff on the defensive end, he deserves to be much higher. This placement accounts for enduring skepticism across all three arenas.
17. Los Angeles Lakers: Ron Holland
17 of 30
Original Pick: Dalton Knecht
Ron Holland's Original Draft Position: No. 5
This borderline free fall may overstate general concern for Ron Holland. He has legitimate playmaking feel on the ball and has churned out some nifty drives, floor runs and tough finishes.
It is nevertheless difficult to pinpoint his overarching fit on a roster not built for him to be the primary ball-handler, particularly when he doesn't look like someone tracking toward A-plus defensive stands.
18. Orlando Magic: Kyshawn George
18 of 30
Original Pick: Tristan Da Silva
Kyshawn George's Original Draft Position: No. 24
The aesthetics of Kyshawn George's game give him the runway to have a Mikal Bridges-esque arc. To be sure, they are different players. But George has more ball skills than credited and awesome positional range on defense.
Once he bangs in more of his threes—and he will—he'll actualize the portrait of the consummate glue guy.
19. Toronto Raptors: Ryan Dunn
19 of 30
Original Pick: Ja'Kobe Walter
Ryan Dunn's Original Draft Position: No. 28
Ryan Dunn's defense is exhaustive and genuinely spans four positions. That on its own is worth a borderline lottery appearance.
Yet, despite a hot start from deep out of the gate, his offensive wheelhouse is very much to-be-determined. He'll have to expand his work as a screener, transition finisher and/or three-point marksman to alleviate one-way concerns.
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: Yves Missi
20 of 30
Original Pick: Jaylon Tyson
Yves Missi's Original Draft Position: No. 21
Yves Missi does nearly all the things you want on offense from a rim-running big. He is a legitimate lob threat and relentless on the offensive glass, doesn't mind putting the ball on the floor, has thrown some nice passes and might even have touch away from the basket.
Defensive question marks invariably limit his re-draft bump. He has real mobility and can send shots back, but his overall impact as a back-line deterrent and rim protector leaves much to be desired.
21. New Orleans Pelicans: Isaiah Collier
21 of 30
Original Pick: Yves Missi
Isaiah Collier's Original Position: No. 29
Isaiah Collier may have the widest re-draft range of anyone who makes the cut when accounting for the long haul.
His frenetic driving and playmaking displays and defensive pin-balling are enthralling, the kind of stuff that oozes All-Star upside. And yet, he also seems just as likely to throw a pass into the 19th row or airball a wide-open layup.
Keeping him in the 20s is a nod to his being a turbulent roller coaster ride and the long-term risk it poses. We'd be remiss, though, not to take a stab in the dark at his highest-end outcome.
22. Phoenix Suns: Jaylon Tyson
22 of 30
Original Pick: DaRon Holmes
Jaylon Tyson's Original Draft Position: No. 20
We would have more information on Jaylon Tyson if he entered the NBA with a Cleveland Cavaliers team that wasn't super deep and contending for a title. Even in limited playing time, though, his defensive energy and on-ball comfort validate the Cavs-era Caris LeVert comps.
Honing his spot-up touch will be critical for the long term. Tyson has outperformed expectations moving off the ball, but the spacing element is paramount to fitting inside a larger ecosystem that's not built around him.
23. Milwaukee Bucks: Dalton Knecht
23 of 30
Original Pick: AJ Johnson
Dalton Knecht's Original Draft Position: No. 17
Movement shooters defenses must track at all times in the half-court will always have value. Dalton Knecht's efficiency from the floor doesn't yet typify this impact, but he's spit out a smattering of big-time performances, and you can easily envision him leaving a dent within offenses more inclined to have him pinballing around the half-court.
24. New York Knicks: Jamal Shead
24 of 30
Original Pick: Kyshawn George
Jamal Shead's Original Draft Position: No. 45
Jamal Shead plays with a mad scientist's abandon at both ends of the floor. And it looks good on him.
Standing 6'0" leaves him at an inherent disadvantage when getting screened. But he has the strength, smarts and overarching tenacity to limit the impact. He also seldom looks overmatched when tussling with properly sized 2 guards.
Shead's driving and finishing belie his size and serve as a springboard for his playmaking. The jumper may never be lights out, but in a development we should all be watching, he's splashing in almost 40 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes.
25. New York Knicks: Oso Ighodaro
25 of 30
Original Pick: Pacome Dadiet
Oso Ighodaro's Original Draft Position: No. 40
Oso Ighodaro has stood his own more as a base rim protector than initially expected and continues to be a credibly switchable frontline body. There is a real path to him climbing dramatically up these ranks if he can do more to punish defenses away from the basket beyond the occasional pitch-and-screen dime.
26. Washington Wizards Jamison Battle
26 of 30
Original Pick: Dillon Jones
Jamison Battle's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
If you're like me, you can't pass on a wing-sized player swishing over 40 percent of his above-the-break threes. That, in turn, means Jamison Battle has to come off the first-round board.
Nobody should be counting on the 23-year-old to get stops. But he already has defenders worrying about him away from the ball—a huge deal. Especially when he's not a one-trick standstill pony. No, he's not a flashy motion shooter. But he can score coming around screens and recognizes how to lift out of the corners and relocate in the half-court.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tristan Da Silva
27 of 30
Original Pick: Terrance Shannon Jr.
Tristan Da Silva's Original Draft Position: No. 18
Tristan Da Silva has logged a healthy amount of minutes as a three-and-D facsimile for a feisty Orlando Magic squad. But the three-point stroke has underwhelmed, and his lift on defense isn't that heavy.
It's tough to say whether he can be more dynamic than we're seeing now. There's utility in safety, and Da Silva may not have a super low floor. Nudging him up requires the belief that he has higher than a medium ceiling.
28. Denver Nuggets: Branden Carlson
28 of 30
Original Pick: Ryan Dunn
Branden Carlson's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
In the ultra-limited minutes Branden Carlson has logged for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, he's proven to be an active defender around the basket and a viable threat from beyond the arc.
Chances of him becoming a floor-spacing, rim-protecting household name are, of course, slim. But the end of the first round is for risk-taking. Especially when we're dealing with players less than one season into their careers.
It doesn't necessarily matter whether Carlson actualizes the unicorn archetype; just that his skill set is cut from that mold at all.
29. Utah Jazz: Cody Williams
29 of 30
Original Pick: Isaiah Collier
Cody Williams' Original Draft Position: No. 10
Here's hoping this is a prisoner-of-the-moment overcorrection. As someone who had Cody Williams at the top of their 2024 draft big board, I am rooting for as much.
Little to nothing about his first year warrants optimism. Williams wields positional malleability at the defensive end, but he's historically inefficient on offense for someone so low usage.
Including him in this exercise at all comes down to hoping he can at least bump up the spot-up volume and follow something like a Dorian Finney-Smith career arc.
30. Boston Celtics: Ja'Kobe Walter
30 of 30
Original Pick: Baylor Scheierman
Ja'Kobe Walter's Original Draft Position: No. 19
Coming out of Baylor, Ja'Kobe Walter was billed as someone who could meet the three-and-D criteria while providing self-sustained shot-making. His first year is not following that script but providing traces of it.
Walter brings energy on defense, and his off-ball offense vacillates from muted to encouraging. He's turned in some nice finishes off movement, but this pick is more about rolling the dice on a youngster who looks at-home amid on-ball chaos.
Also Considered: Adem Bona, Kyle Filipowski, Ariel Huckporti, Dillon Jones, Tyler Kolek, Pelle Larsson, Jonathan Mogbo, Quinton Post, Tidjane Salaün, Baylor Scheierman, Terrence Shannon Jr., KJ Simpson.
Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.
Unless otherwise cited, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass. Salary information via Spotrac. Draft-pick obligations via RealGM.
.jpg?w=600 "Wild Lottery Simulation 🫨")
