2024 NBA Draft: Top Collegiate Junior Prospects

College basketball is right around the corner, as some teams are beginning to play their exhibition games. Who are the top junior prospects in college basketball?

Author:
Isaac Condra
Publish date:
Nov 1, 2023 4:34 PM EDT

In this story:

Dayton Flyers

Miami (FL) Hurricanes

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

Creighton Bluejays

Arkansas Razorbacks

The 2023-24 college basketball season is nearly here and we're set to see some of the top returning junior prospects make their season debut.

Let’s dive into the top junior prospects for this year’s upcoming season:

DaRon Holmes II | Dayton

DaDon Holmes II is a 6-foot-10 big man that has likely been given the ultimate green light this upcoming season for the Dayton Flyers after watching their exhibition game.

He excels as a finisher inside the paint as he is a powerful finisher around the rim and is one of the top dunkers in all of college basketball. Defensively he really protects the rim while also showing the ability to defend out in space.

With some flashes of improved perimeter skills, we could be looking at a breaking season out of Holmes.

Trey Alexander | Creighton

Trey Alexander is a 6-foot-4 guard that will be taking on a much bigger role for Creighton after losing two key departures in Ryan Nembhard and Arthur Kaluma.

Alexander is a smooth shot-maker that can score it from all around the perimeter. This past season he shot 41% from three on good volume which is very encouraging heading into his junior year. If he’s able to show he has more playmaking chops then he will have a case as a potential first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Trevon Brazile | Arkansas

Trevon Brazile is a 6-foot-10 forward looking to get back to where he was before he suffered a season ending ACL injury early last season.

Brazile is an athletic big man that can make some exciting, explosive plays around the rim. He’s efficient as a finisher and is a lob threat at all times. Although it’s on low volume, Brazile is shooting 35.5% from three in his college career, which is very impressive given his athletic tools. Defensively he can make some exciting plays but still has some areas he needs to clean up for a big man. Despite being a junior, the potential is still very enticing.

Wooga Poplar | Miami

Wooga Poplar is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard that will be expecting a bigger role for the Miami Hurricanes after the departures of Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller as both players are now in the NBA.

He showed a lot of enticing flashes as a shooter and high flying finisher. His vertical pop really stands out, especially in the open floor where he’s able to run the floor and get to the rim. He can also serve as a spot-up shooter as he nearly shot 38% from three this past season.

Poplar has shown some self-creation chops but still has room to grow as a creator in the half-court.

Ajay Mitchell | UCSB

Ajay Mitchell really had a breakout year last season for UCSB. The 6-foot-5 lead guard is one of the best playmaking mid-major guards you will watch all college season long. Mitchell started to find himself on scouts radar during his conference tournament run and NCAA tournament appearance.

The smooth lefty finishes so well around the rim with his floater and crafty layups. Mitchell is still trying to develop his 3-point jumper as he shot below 30% from three last season which is way below average for a lead guard. An improved jumper could skyrocket his name up draft boards.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.