2024 NBA Draft true or false: Donovan Clingan worthy of No. 1 overall? Bronny James goes to Lakers at No. 17?

Will be the #1 choice in 2024 NBA Draft be the next Anthony Davis or Anthony Bennett? Is the best shooter in this year’s class from a blue-blood school in the Bluegrass State or is he a Blue Devil? And it’s realistic to expect two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey to become a starter in the NBA?

We dive into all of this — and more — in a roundtable below, answering true or false for some of this year’s most polarizing reviews. Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports and Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports laid out their cases below for five burning questions that I posed in true/false form — and also submitted my own answers.

You will see that there is a lot of agreement between us and so many disagreements, what to expect in a preliminary class that remains open even as we move towards the final stretch of the cycle. We each view players and their respective future and current values ​​differently, which provided a good temperature check as we approach the draft on June 26th.

1. True or false: Is Donovan Cligan worth the No. 1 pick?

Finkelstein: In this draft? TRUE. Cligan is certainly worth exploring and the Hawks are doing just that. The two-time national champion was in Atlanta and reportedly had a good workout, leading to speculation that Atlanta could explore a trade to get him and acquire another asset in the process. That was essentially Boston’s move in 2017 when everyone thought Fultz should pick but liked Tatum. Indiana did something similar last year when it wanted Jarace Walker and moved back a position to get him, again acquiring another asset in the process.

Boone: TRUE. If I go Atlanta, I’m not 100% sure he would be my choice, to be clear. In fact, I see his teammate Stephon Castle as swinging higher, worthy of being the first pick ahead of Cligan. But Clingan’s case is obvious: he is an anchor at the back of your defense who can change the look of how your team defends and plays. At worst, he’s a starting center. At best, he might be some iteration of Rudy Gobert. With a few questions about other top prospects and how their games might fit into the NBA, Cligan offers security and upside.

Salerno: False. Although Clingan is in contention to be a first team selection alongside Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, I don’t think he’s worth it. Cligan doesn’t have Sarr’s advantage. The Hawks would be foolish to pass on him. Could Cligan be the No. 1 pick when all is said and done? Perhaps. He’s closer to the middle of the lottery on my big board because of his lack of versatility. He’s a great defensive back, which is good if you want to grab him mid-lottery (I had him at No. 7 in my first mock draft of this cycle), but he’s not worthy of the first pick.

2. True or false: Can Stephon Castle play point guard in the NBA?

Stephen’s Castle

UCONN • G • #5

6-6, 210 pounds

Castle has reportedly told NBA teams that he only wants to play point guard at the next level, despite playing without the ball as a freshman.

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Finkelstein: False. Can he? Yes, he probably can. Is this his best or most natural position? No, it’s not. He played with the ball in his hands in high school, but was often UConn’s third ball handler this year. I never considered him the great point guard that he has been considered since high school, but his value is that he has extreme versatility on both ends of the court, in addition to being one of the best perimeter defenders in the class.

Boone: TRUE. While I think this can-he-can’t-he debate specifically about Castle is a waste of air. I tend to agree with Fink for the most part. He is a combo guard who has the playmaking ability and profile as one of the best defenders in the draft. His maximum result based on his tools and physical skills is a version of Jrue Holiday in an ideal world. If you can extract that from him and turn Castle into a consistent shooting threat, then in retrospect the debate over whether Castle was worth being a high pick because of his positional versatility may seem silly and short-sighted.

Salerno: False. I don’t understand Castle’s strong desire to play point guard in the NBA when he didn’t play that position during his time at UConn. You see it the other way around (a player plays PG in college and a different position in the NBA). Castle is one of the best defenders in his class and has shown the ability to be a solid distributor, but he is more of a winger. on the next level. For what it’s worth, Castle should be UConn’s teammate in the race for the No. 1 pick.

3. True or false: Is Reed Sheppard the best shooter in the draft?

Reed Sheppard

United Kingdom • G • #15

6-3, 181 pounds

After shooting a torrid 52.1% from three-point range as a freshman, is Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard the best long-range shooter in the draft?

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Finkelstein: That’s a tricky question, especially for those of us who watched him in high school, because there’s a big gap between the way he filmed in high school and the way he filmed in Kentucky. In fact, he was about a 33% three-point shooter in his high school career, so the jump we saw this year was shocking. So I’ll just say that I’m more skeptical than most who have only watched him this year that he’s definitely the best shooter in the draft.

Boone: Fink, you my friend are a professional hedger. Impressive.

I’m going with false here. I think the best shooter in the draft is Duke’s Jared McCain. Sheppard’s numbers are ridiculously good from last season – 100th percentile in shooting, 99th percentile in catch and shoot, 99th percentile in dribbling, 52.1% on 3s. It’s a joke! But having looked at the mechanics of both, I think McCain has the skills to be more dynamic as a motion shooter. He really does a great job running to his spots, hitting and shooting. Outside of the catch, he keeps it in his shooting pocket and then unloads. Reed off the catch is not that quick and tends to knock him down a bit before releasing him. It’s obvious, obviously, but in the NBA these small details can determine important outcomes.

Salerno: False. I’m on Boone’s side. It’s McCain. Since his time in high school and on the AAU circuit, McCain’s greatest strength has been his long shot, and he has shown this season why he is worthy of that distinction. McCain shot 30 of 53 (56.6%) on transition 3-pointers at Duke. The NBA is full of fast-paced offenses and that skill will translate.

4. True or false: Will Bronny be the number 17 pick (or first round pick)?

Bronny James

USC • G • #6

6-2, 210 pounds

Will LeBron influence the Lakers – or anyone? – to take your child on the first shift?

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Finkelstein: False. No, Bronny will not be a first-round pick. I hope he reaches 55 for the Lakers. He shouldn’t be drafted before then, and if any organization hopes to draft him to have LeBron on their side, I think Klutch would probably be able to proactively discourage that.

Boone: False. The Lakers are going in a different direction at No. 17 and Bronny is completely out of the first round. I tend to think he’s still going to the Lakers, but I wouldn’t blame a team in their 30s or 40s willing to take a chance on him with a guaranteed deal. He performed well as a prospect during the pre-draft process and is worth investing in, even after a turbulent season at USC.

Salerno: False. Let’s be honest here. Bronny James will be a Los Angeles Laker. I would be surprised if any other scenario played out on draft night. The Lakers are in win-now mode, so buying the 17th pick makes sense. This would open the door for Los Angeles to pair LeBron with his son by selecting Bronny in the second round.

5. True or false: Will Zach Edey be a starter in the NBA?

Zach Edey

PURDUE • C • #15

7-4, 299 pounds

A historic college player, can Zach Edey’s game translate to the NBA?

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Finkelstein: False. The most likely outcome for Edey is a great backup, especially since he can only protect ball screens in drop coverage, but I don’t think it’s out of the question if he joins a team that exclusively plays that coverage and they get an opportunity . He’s not a great fit for the NBA game, but his track record of continuous improvement is something we don’t talk about enough.

Boone: False. Edey has been in the top 30 on my Big Board for a year now, so to be clear: I believe in his skill set and think he will be a useful NBA player. You can’t simply ignore his size and production at the highest level of the sport. Some of these skills will be translated. But some of his weaknesses will also be exacerbated in the NBA. He’s a worthy first-round pick, and I hope he has a fruitful career as a rotational center who produces for long stretches and makes spot starts from time to time, but is never a full-time starter.

Salerno: False. OK, now you notice that I said false for all five answers. Edey is the most polarizing player in this class because if you asked 10 people where you think he should/will be drafted, you’d get a different answer every time. Some aspects of his game should carry over to the next level, but I have a hard time believing he’ll be anything but a player at the next level – and that’s okay!