The 2023-24 NBA season came to a close this week when the Celtics captured their 18th championship. Now eyes turn toward the draft.
The Nuggets — again among the favorites to win the title, according to sportsbooks — have the No. 28 pick and draft analysts have plenty of ideas who could end up in a Denver jersey. Who knows? Maybe one of CU’s stars could be staying in Colorado.
Here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.
SB Nation | Ricky O’Donnell | Updated June 18
Pacome Dadiet, F, Ulm (France)
“It would make sense if the Nuggets shopped this pick for a win-now veteran, but we can’t have Dadiet falling much farther. The French wing measured at 6-foot-7.5 without shoes with a 6-9 wingspan, and showed solid athletic traits, a high motor, and decent three-point touch while playing for Ulm in the German league. He’s very young, but he feels like one of the best upside fliers in the draft once we get to the 20s,” . See the full mock draft.
Bleacher Report | Jonathan Wasserman | Updated June 19
Kyle Filipowski, PF/C, Duke
“While he doesn’t project as a top option like he was at Duke, he checks the right complementary boxes to make a quick transition to a supporting stretch 4 or 5 role,” Wasserman writes. See the full mock draft.
More picks:
Second round, 56th pick: Oso Ighodaro, PF/C, Marquette
CBS Sports | Gary Parrish | Updated June 17
DaRon Holmes II, PF/C, Dayton
“Holmes is the rare top-55 high school prospect who enrolled at an Atlantic 10 school — swatting away bigger opportunities to start at Dayton. He’s a reasonable option at this point in the draft in part because of the way he went from a non-shooter upon entering college to a real stretch-the-floor threat as a third-year player while earning A-10 Player of the Year honors,” Parrish writes. See the full mock draft.
ESPN | Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo | Updated June 19
DaRon Holmes II, PF/C, Dayton
“Most NBA teams are operating under the assumption Holmes has received a promise from the Nuggets, although it is possible the team might attempt to trade down a few spots into the second round to draft him for financial reasons.
“Holmes canceled a half-dozen workouts shortly after the NCAA withdrawal deadline, with several smoking guns pointing in Denver’s direction, a scenario that is similar to what we saw play out last year with Jalen Pickett,” Givony writes. See the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Kyle Boone | Updated June 17
Dillon Jones, F, Weber State
“The modus operandi of Denver’s front office over the years — drafting the likes of Jalen Pickett and Nikola Jokic — has been to lean into unconventional prospects. That’s Jones. He was the best player in the Big Sky last season and produced like an All-American in four years at Weber State as a passer, defender and all-around Swiss Army Knife,” Boone writes. See the full mock draft.
More picks:
Second round, 56th pick: Cam Spencer, G, UConn
USA Today | Jeff Zillgitt and Scooby Axson | Updated June 11
Wake Forest forward Bobi Klintman, of Sweden, reacts after making a 3-point basket against Miami during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Thursday, March 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Bobi Klintman, F, Cairns Taipans (Australia)
“Likes to run the court, can score in transition or on drives to the bucket; does not have a textbook jump shot, but gets it to go down. Played one season at Wake Forest before going to Australia to start his pro career,” Zillgitt and Axson write. See the full mock draft.
The Sporting News | Kyle Irving | Updated May 14
Marquette’s Tyler Kolek (11) goes up for a basket against North Carolina State’s Mohamed Diarra during the second half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Dallas, Friday, March 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette
“Once Jamal Murray started to nurse a calf injury in the playoffs, it became clear that Denver could use another ball-handler. Kolek would be a steadying presence with a high basketball IQ who would thrive in that backup role for the defending champions.
“He’s a patient playmaker who would play well off Nikola Jokic as a reliable perimeter shooter and crafty finisher. The 23-year-old senior is one of the few players in this class who could handle the transition to the NBA right away,” Irving writes. See the full mock draft.
More picks:
Second round, 56th pick: Cam Spencer, G, UConn
Yahoo! Sports | Krysten Peek | Updated June 17
Tyler Smith of G League Ignite saves the ball from going out of bounds in the second half of an NBA G League Fall Invitational game against the Perth Wildcats on Sept. 6, 2023 in Henderson, Nev. Ignite defeated the Wildcats 124-105. (Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite
“Smith improved significantly during his season with the Ignite and has great size at 6-11 with an inside-out game that translates to the NBA. He shot the 3-ball well all season and improved his motor,” Peek writes. See the full mock draft.
More picks:
Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara
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