Draft Digest Roundtable: Which Prospects that Withdrew from 2023 NBA Draft Will Rise Most in Upcoming Year?
While all eyes are on the 2023 NBA Draft, as well as the prospects set to be potentially selected, the past few weeks has been interesting as it relates to next year's draft. With the ability to to back to school and earn NIL money, along with the 2024 NBA Draft projected to be somewhat weak, over 150 early entry candidates have withdrawn from the current pre-draft process.
Whether it's college or international prospects, which prospects could do the most for their draft stock over the course of the next year after withdrawing ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft? The Draft Digest team makes their picks.
Derek Parker
For my money, I’d pick UCLA’s Adem Bona as one of the biggest potential risers for next year’s draft. With a second round grade in 2023, Bona was already one of the more underrated prospects in the cycle, with a physical but moderately savvy traditional scoring package.
Now, with multiple key pieces leaving the Bruins, the 6-foot-10 soon-to-be sophomore is sure to see a large uptick in production as one of the focal points of the team.He’ll likely see his stock soar due to ramped up production and a generally “weaker” 2024 cycle. But if he can tap into even an inkling of his stretch shooting, he’ll see his stock raise exponentially.
Nick Crain
While he probably made the right choice in going back to school, I truly believe Dillon Mitchell would have been a potential first rounder in the 2023 NBA Draft. That's purely based on upside and potential, not his freshman production. If he were to get in front of several teams during individual workouts and prove he has an outside shot, at least one franchise would have considered taking the swing.
Regardless, he's headed back to Texas where he will have another year to prove he's a lottery talent. A breakout season could see him landing early in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but he will need to be much more aggressive offensively and show he's more than just a lob threat.
Jam Hines
The first name that came to mind was Judah Mintz. He was a borderline consensus first rounder that’s equipped with the skills, tools and opportunity to not only solidify himself as 2024 first-round selection, but as a lottery pick.
His mix of shotmaking, pull-up shooting, acrobatic finishing and defensive playmaking (tied for the ACC lead in steals at 1.8 per game) are at the heart of his NBA appeal. Teams will be looking for him to continue his growth as a lead guard and increase his 3-point volume while raising his percentage (30% on 2.1 attempts per game).
Jordan Monaco
Judah Mintz stands out to me as a player who will be the biggest riser in next year’s class. He was a freshman this past season at Syracuse, where he dropped 16 PPG and 5 APG. He profiles similarly to Andrew Nembhard, and has a level of shot-making ability, self-creation, and craftiness that is rare to find.
Additionally, he’s an excellent playmaker out of drives and the pick-and-roll. This was evident statistically as well, with a 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio and a 27.3 assist rate. He plays physical for his size, can finish through contact, and draws fouls at an astounding rate (.452 FTr). Mintz also has fantastic touch around the rim, using a soft touch to finish 43% of his runners on 67 attempts this past season and 61% at the rim on 153 attempts.
Assuming he can prove he has the ability to play off-ball by improving his catch-and-shoot numbers, Mintz will be a dynamic offensive threat at the next level.
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