2024 NBA Draft: Who Are the Top Ten NBA Prospects in the Big 12?
The 2024 NBA Draft is as wide open as any draft class has been in recent history. However, that shouldn't be mistaken for meaning that there's a lack of talent. Surely, there are multiple players in this class that will likely become All-Stars, starters, and other valuable role players.
Let's take a look at some of the top prospects in the Big 12 for the upcoming season.
List Sorted Alphabetically by Last Name
Omaha Biliew, Iowa State (#33)
Biliew, the 6-foot-8 wing, has one of the most interesting stories in college basketball. Additionally, the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year is versatile defensively due to his length, strength, and high motor. He is also a threat in transition, and has shown potential both driving and stretching the floor -- both of which are key areas of growth for this upcoming season. Watch for the No. 13 overall recruit in the 2023 class to make an impact this season for the Cyclones.
Johnny Furphy, Kansas (#10)
Furphy is a 6-foot-9 guard from Melbourne, Australia. He recently re-classed to the class of 2023 and was considered the No. 35 overall recruit in the 2024 class prior to the switch. Furphy moves fluidly for his size and is comfortable with the ball in his hands -- both as a driver and a passer. Additionally, he also uses his length defensively to stunt drivers and block pull-up jumpers. Lastly, he converted 39.3% of his attempts from three this past season for the Centre of Excellence in Australia. Perhaps someone who's not being talked about enough, Furphy has legitimate potential to be a significant contributor for Kansas this season as a freshman.
Tyrese Hunter, Texas (#4)
Hunter is a 6-foot junior guard for the Longhorns. He's capable of operating out of the pick-and-roll offensively and has some range from beyond the arc -- converting 34% of his attempts from three on 4.4 attempts per game this past season. He also shot 80% from the free-throw line this past season, indicating potential room for growth as a shooter overall. Lastly, he finished 63% of his attempts at the rim (99 attempts) this past season, indicating that being undersized has not impacted his finishing ability. Hunter had 11 points, 4 assists, and shot 2 for 5 from three in the Longhorns' first game this past Monday.
Elmarko Jackson, Kansas (#13)
Jackson is a 6-foot-3 freshman guard and was the No. 20 overall recruit in the 2023 high school class. He's known for his ability to create rim pressure and his speed as a driver. A few X-factors include shooting both in the midrange and from beyond the arc and whether or not he can take his playmaking to another level to be a true primary ball-handler. He has defensive potential due to his length as well, and Jackson finished with 8 points and 5 assists in Kansas' first game this past Monday.
Kevin McCullar, Kansas (#15)
McCullar, now a graduate senior, is a 6-foot-7 guard who excels on the defensive end. He is one of the best defensive playmakers in the class and finished with a 3.7 steal-percentage and a 2.6 block-percentage by the end of the season, making for a 6.3 "stock" percentage. His two biggest areas of growth are his three-point shooting and improving his ball-handling and decision-making on drives. He's off to a hot start thus far in both areas, going 4-of-7 from beyond the arc and recording five assists to go along with 22 points in Kansas' first game.
Yves Missi, Baylor (#21)
A standout player at Prolific Prep, Missi is a 7-foot freshman for the Bears and is the No. 42 overall recruit in his 2023 high school class. Missi is a fluid mover for his size, which is evident when rolling off pick-and-rolls and in transition. He's also a savvy defender and he's valuable both rotating from the weakside and defending in the pick-and-roll. He recorded 10 points, two steals, and two blocks in Baylor's first game against Auburn this past Tuesday.
Dillon Mitchell, Texas (#23)
The 6-foot-8, 205 pound sophomore was the No. 8 overall recruit in the class of 2022 and considered likely to be a one-and-done at Texas. While Mitchell tested the waters in 2023 and was likely to be drafted, he returned with the idea of boosting his draft stock. He has one of the most impressive verticals in college basketball and is a great finisher, especially in transition. He finished 79% of his 87 attempts at the rim this past season with 34 of those attempts being dunk attempts. He has one of the more clear draft stock X-factors in this class, which is his ability to hit (and at least attempt) catch-and-shoot threes. Regardless of his impact offensively, Mitchell is a versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions.
Joseph Tugler, Houston (#25)
One of the more raw freshmen on this list, Tugler is a 6-foot-8 player with a self-reported 7-foot-5 wingspan. He's extremely versatile defensively due to his combination of lateral quickness, length, and strength. Finding where he fits in offensively, whether that is as a play-finisher, short-roll playmaker or somewhere else will be crucial for him during his time at Houston. An incredible article on Tugler here, which also includes a quick report on Milan Momcilovic, an under-the-radar Iowa State commit who could make noise as an NBA prospect as well.
Milos Uzan, Oklahoma (#12)
Uzan is a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard who can play both on or off-ball. He shot 40% from three last season on 2.2 attempts per game while also having a 20.8 assist-percentage. He also finished 61% of his attempts at the rim and 36% of his midrange attempts last season. Uzan could be in line for a breakout season.
Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor (#4)
Last but certainly not least on this list is Ja'Kobe Walter. The Link Academy product is always impacting the game in one way or another, and his work ethic shows up on the court. He has the NBA size, length, athleticism, and potential in numerous areas. Walter is a smart off-ball cutter offensively, can hit catch-and-shoot threes with enough consistency, is elite at attacking closeouts, and has even shown the ability to create his own shot both as a driver and as a shooter off the dribble. Defensively, he's active off-ball -- especially as a help defender at the nail -- and has the functional athleticism to be a good on-ball defender as well.
The five-star recruit dropped 28 points and had three offensive rebounds in Baylor's game against Auburn this past Tuesday, which included going 4-of-7 from beyond the arc and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. The freshman has legitimate lottery upside.
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