2024 NBA Draft (Part I - Wed 6/26)

Celtics 2024 NBA Draft: Brad Stevens’ philosophy and 10 targets at pick #30
Here are 10 prospects the Boston Celtics could target with their first round pick tonight.
By Jack Simone@JackSimoneNBA

“We will enjoy tonight,” Brad Stevens said during championship celebration after winning Game 5 last Monday. “But...that draft workout tomorrow...that should be fun.”

No rest for the wicked. Just over a week after winning their league-leading 18th title in franchise history, the Boston Celtics are prepping for the 2024 NBA Draft.

Switches are flipping from a grueling playoff run to a wide range of draft prospects who could be available at pics No. 30 and 54.

Like last year, when Jordan Walsh was Boston’s only draft takeaway, Brad Stevens and the front office are entering this year’s event with a similar thought process: Adding help for the future.

“I think there’s a lot of moving parts to keeping this roster sustainable beyond this year, but specifically to this year is we got a lot of guys back,” Stevens said on Tuesday. “It will be hard for any draft pick to crack our rotation when healthy.

“And so, we’ll think about how we can best continue to invest in young players and their development and growth, with the reality that, if we’re able to continue to move forward with this group, these guys are going to be on the court. So, this will be a good opportunity again to bring in somebody who we think will help us down the road.”

The Celtics have gotten very expensive, very fast. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are both due extensions in the near future, and Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday all already make over $30 million per season.

Maintaining that price point can only be justified by resounding success, which they achieved this season. But simultaneously, ensuring future triumph revolves around the same principles that Joe Mazzulla stresses on the court: Winning the margins.

Boston’s end-of-bench players may not be playing a huge role now, but as Horford (38 years old), Holiday (34 years old), and Porzingis (28 years old with an injury history) get older, they should be prepared to fill the gaps.

Stevens is constantly thinking ahead, and this year’s draft will be no different.

“As far as the picks go, if the right person is available at 30, then we will take them, and if we have a couple of people that we think are still the right person, then we’ll see what our options are and what kind of flexibility we have,” Stevens said.

“But I anticipate picking a couple of picks, and whether they’re on the roster or a two-way, investing in young players, I just- If they come in and crack our rotation, then they’re really good. That’ll be a good thing, too.”

Though there may not be any players available worthy of immediate rotation minutes, plenty of prospects project as impressive long-term additions, and Stevens noted that he expects to make two selections.

There will be a wide array of options available to the Celtics, particularly at pick No. 30.

Baylor Scheierman, Creighton

Age: 23 years old | Position: Wing
Height: 6-foot-7 | Wingspan: 6-foot-8
Stats (Fifth-Year Senior): 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 44.8% FG, 38.1% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Big Brandin Podziemski (The Ringer), Joe Ingles (NBA.com), Gordon Hayward (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Bigger Austin Reaves lite

After five years in college, three at South Dakota State and two at Creighton, Baylor Scheierman enters the NBA Draft as one of the most NBA-ready offensive players. A smooth lefty stroke aids him in being one of the better shooters in the class, and he’s an adept playmaker for his size and position, too. His shot creation abilities have also been polished by years of being a primary option in college, and his rebounding has shined, too.

The defensive concerns are real, as he’s never been great at staying in front of guys due to his poor athleticism and overall flat-footedness.

Should Boston target Scheierman, who has been in with the Celtics for a workout, they would likely put him on the path to being another Sam Hauser-type player.

Scheierman’s defensive limitations seem a bit more difficult to overcome than Hauser’s struggles at the start of his career. That said, he’s a better overall shot-creator and playmaker than Hauser is.

Tyler Smith, G League Ignite

Age: 19 years old | Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-10 | Wingspan: 7-foot-1
Stats: 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 blocks, 48.1% FG, 36.4% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Charlie Villanueva (The Ringer), Channing Frye (NBA.com), Trey Lyles (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: More athletic Santi Aldama

An up-and-down year for Tyler Smith with the G League Ignite had his draft projections all over the place. He was hot to start the year, earning lottery consideration, but his production slowly waned, and now, he’s projected to land later in the first round.

Another lefty shooter, Smith proved capable of draining triples, and at 6-foot-10, that’s a valuable commodity regardless of the rest of his skill set. His athleticism makes him a potential danger in the pick-and-roll, too.

Yet despite having a great NBA body, Smith’s defense still isn’t in a great place. He gets beat off the dribble too easily and is far too eager when jumping at pump fakes. It’s reminiscent of an early Robert Williams III at times but without the ultra-elite instincts.

There’s a clear outline for Smith to become a productive player in the NBA for a long time with his offensive skills and frame, but the defense and overall patience need work.

Adem Bona, UCLA

Age: 21 years old | Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-9 | Wingspan: 7-foot-4
Stats (Sophomore): 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.8 blocks, 58.8% FG
Various NBA comparisons: Montrezl Harrell (The Ringer), Isaiah Jackson (NBA.com), Clint Capela (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Linebacker Daniel Gafford

Adem Bona plays with incredible energy. At his size and with his wingspan, he has all the makings of a freakish rim-runner who can throw his all at the glass on both ends of the floor. He could be an amazing above-the-rim threat. That said, the rest of his offensive game needs a lot of work. Bona isn’t a great passer and has no semblance of a three-point shot, which could limit his role on the Celtics long-term.

Defensively, Bona could end up being a real threat when helping over in the paint. He has great shot-blocking instincts and the wingspan to put them to good use. Like all freak-athlete defenders, however, Bona can get in foul trouble from time to time.

As outlined by Tyler Rucker of No Ceilings on the How ‘Bout Them Celtics podcast, UCLA brought in a bunch of international recruits that didn’t pan out in Bona’s sophomore season. He was thrust into a role he’s not used to, becoming more of a post player, so his scouting is a bit wonky.

If Bona wants to stick at the NBA level, he’ll have to work on his discipline, and the offense will need to come along significantly, but his energy and hustle are enough to make teams want him around regardless.

AJ Johnson, Illawarra Hawks (NBL)

Age: 19 years old | Position: Guard
Height: 6-foot-5 | Wingspan: 6-foot-8
Stats: 2.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 35.5% FG, 27.8% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Nick Young (The Ringer), Jamal Crawford (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Jordan Clarkson

AJ Johnson is one of the weirdest prospects in this class, as he has some of the clearest upside on the board. But with how unstable his season with the Illawarra Hawks (coached by Justin Tatum, Jayson’s dad) in the NBL was, it’s tough to tell how well he’ll do in the NBA.

Originally, Johnson committed to Texas, but he ended up deciding to join the NBL instead. Unfortunately, he didn’t earn consistent minutes, so he wasn’t able to get any semblance of continuity, and it may have affected his efficiency.

Speaking of, Johnson was wholly inefficient when he did play for the Hawks, but he showed some real potential to become a top-tier scorer and playmaker. He’s shifty, quick, and an explosive athlete. Jalen Green and him are long-time friends.

Johnson showed some flashes of improved defense during his time in the NBL, but his small frame could hold him back a bit in that regard. He’ll have plenty of time to improve, but Johnson is a complete project player right now.

Ulrich Chomche, NBA Academy Africa

Age: 18 years old | Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-11 | Wingspan: 7-foot-4
Stats (three games): 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.7 blocks, 42.4% FG, 38.1% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Serge Ibaka (The Ringer), Serge Ibaka (NBA.com), Clint Capela (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Serge Ibaka lite

Another very raw prospect, Ulrich Chomche looks like he could be a force on both ends of the court if he lives up to his full potential. But that’s a huge “if” considering he only started playing basketball at 11 years old and never played college or pro ball.

Chomche, who is from Cameroon, is a product of NBA Academy Africa. There, he showed off his elite potential on the defensive side of the ball. He’s a great athlete who moves remarkably well for his size and has shown the ability to roam down low and record wild blocks.

His three-point shot is extremely weird-looking, but it fell at a respectable rate during his Academy games (albeit on relatively low volume). As a lob target and offensive rebounder, Chomche is also effective, but everywhere else, he needs to improve.

The real reason why Chomche isn’t higher up on draft boards is because of how truly raw he is as a prospect. He’s still figuring out the game on a certain level. There are moving screens, positioning issues, and overall, he just needs time to fully develop.

Ryan Dunn, Virginia

Age: 21 years old | Position: Wing
Height: 6-foot-7 | Wingspan: 7-foot-1
Stats (Sophomore): 8.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 54.8% FG, 20.0% 3PTVarious NBA comparisons: Herb Jones (The Ringer), Matisse Thybulle (NBA.com), Tari Eason (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Supercharged, big Danny Green (with no offense)

If Trae Young is the best all-offense, no-defense player in the NBA, Ryan Dunn is the antithesis of him. If Matisse Thybulle was the best all-defense, no-offense draft prospect in recent years, Dunn takes that notion to another level on both ends of the spectrum.

The Virginia product will step into the NBA as one of the most impressive defenders immediately. He’s the best all-around defender in this class and an absolute menace on the perimeter. Dunn is the type of player other players hate to go up against.

Unfortunately, that level of intimidation is met by the opposite on the other end of the floor. The outside shot is completely off, he cannot create for himself at all, and the only real role he can have is that of an off-ball cutter. That said, he is athletic, so he can get up and finish at the rim at a passable rate.

If Dunn was even a passable three-point shooter, he would be a potential top-10 pick in this year’s draft. But he’s not. Any team that drafts Dunn would have to be confident in their ability to wholly transform his offensive game.

Pacome Dadiet, Ratiopharm (Germany)

Age: 18 years old | Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-9 | Wingspan: 6-foot-9
Stats (Germany): 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 50.2% FG, 35.8% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Michael Finley (The Ringer), Isaac Okoro (NBA.com), Tobias Harris (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Tall, skinny Joe Johnson

Pacome Dadiet has shot up draft boards in recent weeks despite not playing a ton of minutes for Ratiopharm in Germany. The young French prospect is still very raw but has the outline of a top-notch scorer at the NBA level.

There are few prospects quite as fluid as Dadiet is with the ball in his hands. His volume was low in Germany, but when he had the rock, he always looked like he knew what he was doing. Now, sometimes he didn’t, and it resulted in youthful, sloppy turnovers, but it’s clear that the flow is there.

Dadiet projects to be a good three-point shooter and should be a solid playmaker as well, though he didn’t do much of that with Ratiopharm. Defensively, he has the build to be a fairly versatile defender.

Overall, Dadiet just needs to cut out the silly mistakes and prove that he can do what he did in Germany at a higher level with more touches and against tougher competition. Easy enough… right? Realistically, Dadiet is a project player who could boom (and will likely be selected before pick No. 30).

PJ Hall, Clemson

Age: 22 years old | Position: Forward/Center
Height: 6-foot-9 | Wingspan: 7-foot-1
Stats (Senior): 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, 48.8% FG, 31.5% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Post-prime Blake Griffin (The Ringer), Dean Wade (NBA.com), Tom Gugliotta (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Miami Heat Kevin Love

PJ Hall fits perfectly into the mold of a top-tier college player looking to translate what worked for him at that level into a career in the NBA. The question is whether or not he will successfully be able to do that.

Despite the poor numbers his senior season, the three-point shot is there—he shot 39.8% his junior season (on two fewer attempts per game). Hall relied on his post-game a lot in college, which he won’t be able to do as much in the pros, but it gave him a nice feel around the basket.

Hall knows what he’s doing on the defensive end, but his overall lack of athleticism holds him back. Positionally, he’s near-perfect, but he gets beat off the dribble due to his lack of quickness and can get antsy, jumping at too many fakes.

The 22-year-old has a nice feel for the game and could be a connective big man off the pine if developed correctly, but he’ll have to prove his three-point shot is consistent and improve defensively on the perimeter to make up for being undersized at his position.
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Enrique Freeman, Akron

Age: 24 years old (in July) | Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-7 | Wingspan: 7-foot-2
Stats (Fifth-Year Senior): 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 blocks, 58.4% FG, 37.0% 3PT
Various NBA comparisons: Tari Eason (The Ringer)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Smaller Kevon Looney (maybe with a jumper)

A few months ago, Enrique Freeman wasn’t on anyone’s draft radar. Now, he’s a potential second-round pick. He was a walk-on at Akron, and after declaring for the NBA Draft, he, as outlined by O’Connor, “received a Portsmouth Invitational Tournament invite, then earned a G League Elite Camp invite, and then was asked to participate in the NBA draft combine.”

Freeman boasts an incessant work ethic that bleeds its way onto the court by way of his infectious hustle. He’s always in the mix for rebounds and plays with a fire that shows itself in even the smallest motions he makes on the court.

His insane wingspan makes him an impressive offensive rebounder, and while he was defending bigs in college, he has the make-up and hustle to keep up with forwards, which he will have to do in the NBA.

Though he’s made improvements, Freeman’s shot still isn’t all the way there, and he’ll have to play a very different brand of basketball if he wants to stick at the NBA level. But in terms of hustle, there are few players who can outdo Freeman in this draft class.

Jonathan Mogbo, San Francisco

Age: 22 years old | Position: Forward/Center
Height: 6-foot-7 | Wingspan: 7-foot-2
Stats (Senior): 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, 63.6% FG
Various NBA comparisons: Ben Simmons if he were a hooper (The Ringer), Kenneth Faried (No Ceilings)
Jack’s NBA comparison: Big man Josh Hart (with no jumper)

Jonathan Mogbo is a very interesting case, as he has all the tools to be one of the more versatile players in this draft—he just can’t shoot. That’s what’s going to end up holding him back, especially with how undersized he is.

That said, Mogbo could end up being one of the better all-around defenders in this class. He can hang with guards, wings, and bigs alike, and his offensive game (outside of his scoring) is similar in that respect.

Mogbo is an impressive playmaker capable of pushing the pace on offense and working out of the short roll. That’s the type of basketball IQ that teams love to have on their squad. Plus, his massive wingspan helps him corral a ton of offensive rebounds.

Unfortunately, Mogbo’s three-point shot doesn’t feel like it will get there, and while he’s a solid finisher around the rim, that could limit his opportunities in the NBA, as he’s much more of a forward than a center at his size. But if Boston wants to work with him and find a way to make it work, Mogbo is certainly an extremely unique talent.

Other potential Celtics targets: Bobi Klintman (NBL), Quinten Post (Boston College), Pelle Larsson (Arizona), Kevin McCullar Jr. (Kansas), Harrison Ingram (North Carolina), Cam Spencer (UConn), Trentyn Flowers (NBL)

Ok he's at AZ that's why I couldn't figure out who you were talking about.

Did you see the NYK trade w/ Nets - Mikal Bridges for Bogdan and a boatload of 1st round picks?

Admin Comment: I have another core of 9 from those highlighted above:

Pullin (PG)

AJ Johnson (CG)

Dadiet (G/F)

Larsson (G/F)

Bridges (SF)

Mogbo (F)

Smith (PF)

Bona (PF/C)

Chomche (C)