NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Where do Bridges, Missi & Walter Sit with the Draft a Week Away?
The 2024 NBA Draft is one week away, and teams are gearing up to make their selections next Wednesday, June 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Let’s look at where all the various media outlets have Baylor’s three probable selections – Ja'Kobe Walter (Fr.), Yves Missi (Fr.) and Jalen Bridges (Sr.) – being taken.
Previous Edition (May 27): NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Did the Bears Stock Rise after NBA Combine?
Ja’Kobe Walter (Guard, 6’5): 14.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 34.1 3P%, 79.2 FT%
- ESPN: No. 13 Kings
- CBS: No. 18 Magic
- Yahoo: No. 12 Thunder
- NBA Draft.net: No. 13 Kings
- The Ringer: No. 19 Raptors
- The Athletic: No. 22 Suns
- SB Nation: No. 25 Knicks
SicEm365 basketball insider Ashley Hodge noted earlier this week that Walter will likely be in the 6-to-12 pick range and that he doesn’t anticipate him dropping below No. 19.
Walter, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year, has the potential to be the fourth consecutive Bear to be selected within the top 16 of the draft, joining Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (No. 9, 2021), San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (No. 9, 2022) and Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (No. 16, 2023).
The Kings at No. 13 would be a great landing place for Walter, especially if Sacramento lost guard Malik Monk to free agency. Monk is one of the top bench scorers in the NBA and narrowly missed winning the Sixth Man of the Year award this season. Not having Monk on the roster could give Walter an early opportunity to be a microwave scoring option off the bench.
Other good fits for Walter would be the Jazz (No. 10), Thunder (No. 12), Heat (No. 15) or Magic (No. 18). If he doesn’t land on a contender and gets selected by a struggling franchise – the Trail Blazers (No. 7, No. 14) or Bulls (No. 11) – it might not be an ideal first few years in the association winning-wise. Still, he’d be able to get a good amount of immediate playing time.
Yves Missi (Center, 6’11): 10.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.5 BLK, 61.4 FG%, 61.6 FT%
- ESPN: No. 24 Knicks
- CBS: No. 24 Knicks
- Yahoo: No. 21 Pelicans
- NBA Draft.net: No. 17 Lakers
- The Ringer: No. 21 Pelicans
- The Athletic: No. 19 Raptors
- SB Nation: No. 22 Suns
Draft writers consistently predict Missi being selected in the 17-to-25 range of the first round. The 6-foot-11 center’s game translates to the modern NBA as a vertical lob threat, a rim protector and an athletic big man who can run and space the floor.
If Missi were to be selected by the Lakers (No. 17), Raptors (No. 19), Pelicans (No. 21) or Suns (No. 22), he’d more than likely have an opportunity to make an impact in his first NBA season, especially if he lands in New Orleans who intends to part ways with current starting center Jonas Valanciunas.
Several other mock drafts have Missi going to the Knicks with the 24th pick. The Cameroon native already put on a show earlier this year at Madison Square Garden, dropping a double-double and collecting five blocks against No. 21 Duke.
New York will be an interesting team to monitor this offseason because backup center Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. If he were to leave, that could open the door for Missi to see some early playing time behind starter Mitchell Robinson. However, one of the downsides of the Knicks is that head coach Tom Thibodeau plays a notoriously short rotation and gives his starters extended minutes.
Jalen Bridges (Forward, 6’7): 12.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 41.2 3P%, 82.3 FT%
- ESPN: No. 53 Pistons
- CBS: Second Round
- Yahoo: No. 48 Spurs
- NBA Draft.net: Undrafted
- The Ringer: No. 41 76ers
- The Athletic: No. 52 Warriors
- SB Nation: Second Round
Bridges has the perfect build for a 3-and-D wing in the modern NBA and would be a great second-round pick for whatever team selects him.
The Fairmont, West Virginia native held a pre-draft workout with the Golden State Warriors earlier this month and would be an ideal fit in head coach Steve Kerr’s offensive system, which revolves around spacing and three-point shooting.
The Warriors are loaded with guards next season but don’t feature much depth at forward. There would potentially be a clear path to early playing time if Bridges ended up in the bay, especially if Golden State moves on from veteran forward Andrew Wiggins.
The Warriors have already shown a willingness to play older college players, drafting Indiana fourth-year forward Trayce Jackson-Davis last year with the 57th overall pick. Jackson-Davis played in 68 games this season, averaging 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 16.6 minutes per game.