The 2024 NBA Playoffs are underway, but several franchises are already looking ahead to the offseason.
The next tentpole event for eliminated teams is the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, which is set for Sunday, May 12.
If you find yourself praying that the ping pong balls land in your team’s favor, you’ve come to the right place.
The Sporting News has you covered with an updated 2024 NBA Draft Big Board that highlights the 60-best prospects in this year’s draft class.
MORE: Why Zach Edey is now viewed as a potential first-round pick
Sarr has had an interesting journey leading up to becoming our No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. The French native played two seasons in the Overtime Elite development league before taking his talents to Australia’s NBL Next Stars program.
Sarr fits the mold of a modern-day center who is capable of more than just running rim-to-rim. He’s long and athletic, and the combination of his shot-blocking and budding perimeter skills make for a limitless ceiling.
Sarr held his own playing professionally for the Perth Wildcats, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game.
Topic is the top-ranked guard in this class as a pick-and-roll maestro who can score in the paint at will. The 6-5 guard is an elite passer who plays as physically as his size suggests. He’s not as quick or shifty as most players at his position, but he plays with a calmness that every team could use in their floor general.
Topic missed a big chunk of this season with a knee injury after transferring to Crvena zvezda. Before his injury in January, he posted impressive averages of 18.4 points and 7.1 assists per game for Mega Basket, which is also in the world-renowned Adriatic (ABA) League.
Castle was one of the breakout stars of the NCAA Tournament, helping lead UConn to its second-consecutive National Championship. The 6-6 big guard defends at a high level, can score at the rim off the dribble and create for others.
He showed even more versatility during March Madness, playing off the ball and doing some dirty work in the paint on both ends of the floor. If he irons out his jump shot, he has the potential to be the best guard in this class.
Knecht established himself as one of the nation’s most consistent three-level scorers, averaging 21.7 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting from deep. There isn’t a shot he can’t make — he’s confident shooting off of movement, off the catch and off the dribble. His size and strength will help his scoring ability translate to the NBA level seamlessly.
Knecht’s 37-point clinic in Tennessee’s Elite Eight loss to Purdue should leave a lasting memory in the minds of NBA scouts.
Holland was sidelined down the stretch of the G League Ignite’s season with a right thumb injury. The Ignite struggled all year, but Holland still showed plenty of flashes as to why he was in the preseason conversation for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick.
The 6-8 forward is one of the best, most versatile defenders in this class. His energy and motor are unmatched on both ends of the floor and on the glass. He has active hands to come up with steals and blocks, and he does damage as a scorer in transition and off of timely cuts.
Even without a reliable jumper or shot-creation skills, Holland averaged 20.6 points per game for the Ignite. That’s a good sign for when his offensive game develops down the line.
Risacher falls right in line behind Victor Wembanyama (and Sarr) as the next generation of French prospects to grace the NBA. Competing in the same league as Wemby before he was taken No. 1 overall in 2023, Risacher has boosted his draft stock tremendously as a fluid, sharp-shooting forward.
Risacher caught fire from beyond the arc at the start of the season for JL Bourg but has since cooled off. He is still shooting a respectable 34.9 percent from 3 through 31 LNB Pro A games, but that’s down a full 10 percentage points from his hot start. Averaging 10.1 points as a teenager in one of the best leagues in the world is still no easy feat.
With his shooting, length and activity on defense, Risacher will be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in this draft.