Whereas nearly all of gamers chosen within the 2024 NBA Draft had been from Energy-5 packages, abroad or G League Ignite, a number of mid-major conferences had been represented over the two-day occasion, with some former mid-major ties current over each rounds as effectively.
Even senior ESPN NBA insider and St. Bonaventure alum Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the mid-majors some love, giving a shout out to the Atlantic 10 Convention – calling it “mighty” amidst all of the draft evening chaos.
Right here had been all of the mid-major and former mid-major gamers taken on this 12 months’s draft:
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers, spherical 1, decide 17
Earlier than he was the SEC Participant of the Yr at Tennessee, Dalton Knecht was a junior school participant turned mid-major standout. Knecht spent two seasons with Northern Colorado, the place in his first 12 months, he averaged 8.9 factors per sport. By season two, nonetheless, Knecht took a big leap offensively, rising his common to twenty.2 factors per sport, in addition to including 7.2 rebounds per sport.
His play for the Bears over these two seasons in the end led him to Tennessee this previous 12 months, the place he performed a big half within the Volunteers’ NCAA Event run.
Knecht joins a Lakers group that misplaced within the first spherical of the Western Convention NBA playoffs. He’ll probably be a second-unit possibility for the group this upcoming season. Knecht was one in all two gamers chosen by the Lakers, the opposite being Bronny James, son of LeBron James. Knecht can be led by a first-time head coach in former NBA participant, podcaster and ESPN analyst JJ Redick, who will look to get the Lakers again in NBA Finals rivalry.
DaRon Holmes II, Denver Nuggets (by means of Phoenix Suns), spherical 1, decide 22
The primary participant immediately drafted from a mid-major college, DaRon Holmes II heads to the Nuggets with three collegiate seasons with Dayton underneath his belt. Holmes was Co-Atlantic 10 Participant of the Yr this previous season, sharing the consideration with Richmond’s Jordan King.
Holmes is the primary Flyer taken within the first spherical since 2020: Obi Toppin, who now performs for the Indiana Pacers, Holmes II helped lead the Flyers to this system’s first NCAA Event since 2017. Holmes II was the A-10 Rookie of the Yr in 2022 and along with Co-Participant of the Yr, gained Defensive Participant of the Yr this previous season as effectively.
On the draft, Holmes II bought a inexperienced room invite and was one in all simply 4 previous or current mid-major gamers taken within the first spherical. He joins a Nuggets group that fell a sport wanting advancing to the Western Convention Finals again in Could and gained a championship in 2023. He’ll function one other huge on a roster with three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, Aaron Gordon and DeAndre Jordan, and he can add a presence in stretching the ground for the Nuggets subsequent season.
Dillon Jones, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (by means of Washington Wizards), spherical 1, decide 26
Dillon Jones spent 4 seasons with Weber State and the Large Sky Convention, serving to lead the Wildcats to a 20-12 report this previous season. Jones took leaps all through his years at Weber State, going from averaging 8.2 factors per sport in his freshman 12 months to twenty.8 factors per sport his senior 12 months.
Whereas the Wildcats in the end misplaced within the quarterfinal spherical of the Large Sky Event again in March, Jones nonetheless had an in any other case monumental season, profitable Large Sky Participant of the Yr. This award solely added to his already spectacular collegiate profession, throughout which he additionally gained Large Sky Freshman of the Yr in 2021.
Jones joins a Thunder squad that captured the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention on this 12 months’s NBA playoffs. Though Oklahoma Metropolis misplaced within the second spherical to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the ceiling is excessive for a younger Thunder roster led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Rookie of the Yr finalist Chet Holmgren and mid-major alumnus Jalen Williams. Jones will add extra depth to a group that simply traded for Alex Caruso and can solely get higher as subsequent season approaches.
Baylor Scheierman, Boston Celtics, spherical 1, decide 30
Baylor Scheierman actually left his mark on the Summit League with South Dakota State. In 2022, he helped lead the Jackrabbits to an NCAA Event and gained Summit League Participant of the Yr earlier than transferring to Creighton for his closing two years of eligibility. In his first 12 months with the Jackrabbits, Scheierman averaged simply 6.0 factors per sport, whereas this previous season with the Bluejays, he averaged 18.5 factors per sport en path to a visit to the NCAA Event.
Scheierman joins one of the crucial favorable conditions within the NBA because the Celtics simply gained their 18th NBA Championship again on June 17. Whereas the Celtics’ lineup is fairly set with stars like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis, Scheierman will get a entrance row seat to a group that has been atop the Jap Convention for the previous couple of seasons that lastly bought over the hump this season.
Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto Raptors, spherical 2, decide 31
Much like Knecht, Jonathan Mogbo is a former junior school product turned now-NBA Draft decide. Following his neighborhood school stint, Mogbo spent a season with Missouri State earlier than discovering his touchdown spot with San Francisco this previous 12 months.
At Missouri State, Mogbo averaged 8.0 factors per sport. This 12 months with San Francisco, he averaged 14.2 factors per sport. He was additionally a power on the boards, averaging 10.1 rebounds per sport for the Dons. For his efforts this previous season, Mogbo was named the West Coast Convention’s Newcomer of the Yr.
Mogbo can be a part of a younger Raptors group nonetheless on the lookout for its identification in a post-Fred VanVleet (former mid-major star at Wichita State) and Pascal Siakam period. Mogbo can be positioned alongside gamers like R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley and budding star Scottie Barnes.
Tyler Kolek, New York Knicks (by means of Portland Path Blazers), spherical 2, decide 34
Maybe probably the most well-known former mid-major star within the draft, Tyler Kolek spent the final 12 months lighting up the Large East at Marquette, main the Golden Eagles to the Candy 16 after being named Large East Participant of the Yr and the Most Excellent Participant on the Large East Event.
Earlier than becoming a member of the Golden Eagles, Kolek spent a season with George Mason within the A-10, the place he averaged 10.8 factors per sport. In his quick time with the Patriots, he was named A-10 Rookie of the Yr in 2021.
Kolek will be a part of the Knicks who simply added one other star in Mikal Bridges, which can solely additional New York’s possibilities of making one other deep run within the Jap Convention. Kolek can be one other guard possibility in a possible second unit for the Knicks, presumably having the possibility to contribute off the bench like Miles McBride, Valuable Achiuwa or Alec Burks, relying on how free company shakes out.
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (by means of New York Knicks), spherical 2, decide 38
Ajay Mitchell spent his complete collegiate profession with UC Santa Barbara, securing a number of accolades like Large West Freshman of the Yr in 2021 and Large West Participant of the Yr in 2023.
Mitchell was a 1,463 point-scorer throughout his time with the Gauchos, averaging 11.6, 16.3 and 20.0 factors per sport in his three seasons within the Large West. Mitchell was a part of one NCAA Event run throughout his time with Santa Barbara, shedding to Baylor as a 14-seed throughout March Insanity in 2023.
Like fellow mid-major draftee Dillon Jones, Mitchell will be a part of a Thunder group with plenty of future upside because of their younger, however gifted roster. Jones will provide another choice in a budding franchise with a number of remaining future draft picks. Off the bench and alongside Jones, he could have an opportunity to assist redefine a franchise that hasn’t seen an NBA Finals look for the reason that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden days.
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies, spherical 2, decide 39
Jaylen Wells spent two seasons on the Division II stage with Sonoma State till he made his strategy to Washington State for a 12 months. This previous season, Wells led the Cougars to their first NCAA Event look since 2008. Wells averaged 12.6 factors per sport in his lone 12 months at Washington State.
Wells is one in all 4 gamers who was drafted by the Grizzlies, who come off considerably of a transition season with their star participant Ja Morant getting suspended after which injured, and different key contributors like Marcus Sensible and Brandon Clarke sustaining accidents as effectively. This coming season, although, Wells can be a part of a restored Memphis group, able to return to being a power within the Western Convention.
Antonio Reeves, New Orleans Pelicans (by means of Orlando Magic), spherical 2, decide 47
Earlier than he was enjoying for the Wildcats for the ultimate years of John Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky, Antonio Reeves spent three seasons with Illinois State, the place averaged 7.2, 12.4 and 20.1 factors per sport in every of his years there. In his two seasons at Kentucky, Reeves averaged 14.4 and 20.2 factors per sport.
Reeves heads to a New Orleans group that simply traded for an additional sturdy piece in Dejounte Murray. With Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram additionally on the roster, Reeves can be a part of a possible power within the Western Convention this upcoming NBA season.
Tristen Newton, Indiana Pacers, spherical 2, decide 49
Doubtlessly probably the most embellished of the mid-major draftees, Tristan Newton is a two-time NCAA Champion at UConn, proving to be an enormous a part of the Huskies’ run over the past two seasons. Earlier than all that, Newton spent three years within the American Athletic Convention with East Carolina the place he averaged 11.0 factors per sport, 8.7 factors per sport and 17.7 factors per sport in his three seasons with this system.
Newton joins a Pacers group scorching off an Jap Convention Finals look the place Indiana was in the end swept by the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. Newton can be one other addition to a younger group led by Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner — a group able to get proper again into rivalry within the Jap Convention.
Enrique Freeman, Indiana Pacers, spherical 2, decide 50
Enrique Freeman’s mid-major tenure was actually one for the books, attaining an excellent deal all through his 5 seasons at Akron. Not solely did he lead the Zips to 2 Mid-American Convention championships in 2022 and 2024, Freeman was the NCAA rebounding chief this 12 months.
He was the MAC participant of the Yr, made the First Workforce All-Mac and made the MAC All-Defensive Workforce for the fourth straight season. Freeman will definitely go down as one of the crucial dominant MAC gamers in current historical past.
Like Newton, Freeman joins the Pacers who, once more, can be a power to be reckoned with within the Jap Convention throughout the 2024-25 marketing campaign. Freeman’s skills on each side of the ball will add much more depth to Indiana’s younger roster.
Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (by means of Detroit Pistons), spherical 2, decide 53
An NCAA champion this previous season at UConn, Cam Spencer spent the early elements of his collegiate profession at Loyola (Maryland) after which Rutgers earlier than touchdown in Storrs. At Loyola, he was a double-figure scorer in every of his three seasons with the Greyhounds, averaging 10.0 factors per sport, 10.2 factors per sport and 18.9 factors per sport throughout these three years. He was First Workforce All-Patriot League at Loyola in 2022.
At Rutgers, Spencer averaged 13.2 factors per sport after which at UConn this previous season, he averaged 14.3 factors per sport.
Like Wells, Spencer joins a younger Grizzlies group that earlier than an injury-ridden 2023-24 NBA season, was a power within the Western Convention, battling groups within the playoffs. With Morant and Co. again from damage, that places the Grizzlies again within the dialog as probably the greatest groups within the West. Spencer will deliver championship expertise together with him to Memphis this upcoming season.
