QuoteWith spring practice in the books and the second transfer portal window closed, it's time to kickstart our summer series evaluating 2024 positional unit rankings.

Top 10 defensive line/edge unit in 2024:

3. Georgia
After several straight seasons with multiple 1st Round NFL Draft picks, the Bulldogs' defensive line took a step back in 2023 —

 The unit projects to be much more effective this fall, though, as Kirby Smart's defense will be spearheaded by a versatile front with experience, upside and depth. The Dawgs bring back super-seniors  Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse on the interior, while Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Christen Miller, who flirted with transferring this spring, will be important rotational pieces.

Former 5-star Mykell Williams is a breakout candidate, as he's transitioning from 3-4 end to edge and is seen as a potential Top 5 pick.

6. Ole Miss
Pete Golding has an embarrassment of riches in the trenches this season, as Ole Miss' defensive line features a combination of returnees and star transfer additions.

Rebels return end Jared Ivy, tackle JJ Pegues and end/edge Suntarine Perkins — who combined for 25 tackles for loss last season — while bringing in Florida pass rusher Princely Umanmielen and Texas A&M tackle Walter Nolen —

9. Tennessee
Vols have our nation's best pass rusher in junior James Pearce, a potential Top 5 NFL Draft pick next April. Pearce had 10 sacks and a 19% pressure rate — which was No. 3 nationally among all rushers per PFF. They also return senior tackle Omari Thomas, senior end Bryson Eason, senior Elijah Simmons, senior Dominic Bailey and senior Omarr Norman-Lott, a former Arizona State transfer who flashed in a reserve role in 2023.

QuoteIt is NBA Draft Combine week, which means it is a perfect time to debut my 2024 NBA Draft Big Board:

3. F Ron Holland, G-League Ignite
6-7 | 200 pounds | July 2005

2023-24 Stats: 14 games. 33.6 minutes. 20.6 points. 6.6 rebounds. 3.2 assists, 0.7 blocks. 2.5 steals. 44.3% FG. 24.0% 3P. 75.7% FT.

Ron Holland holds the positional size, length, and fluidity that you look for in a wing

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2024 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0; my top 30 ahead of the NBA Draft Combine
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by:
Jamie Shaw
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about 1 hour
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JamieShaw5

NBA Draft (Adam Silver)
NBA Draft, Adam Silver (Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
It is NBA Draft Combine week, which means it is a perfect time to debut my 2024 NBA Draft Big Board.

Sunday was a big day for teams that did not make the NBA Playoffs as they held the NBA Draft Lottery. The 14 teams who will be selecting first in the upcoming NBA Draft were selected for which order they would pick. The Atlanta Hawks won the night, earning the No. 1 overall pick. They were followed, in order, by the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and the Detroit Pistons to round out the top five.

In total, 78 players were invited to the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. The combine takes place from May 12-19 in Chicago. Throughout the week the players will take part in various drills, testing, medical exams, scrimmages, measurements, and team interviews. This is a big week for all players involved and it signifies that the June 26-27 NBA Draft is just over six weeks away.


2024 NBA Draft homepage on NBA.com

Let's start with the debut of my 2024 NBA Draft big board.

1. C Alexandre Sarr, Perth (NBL)
7-1 | 215 pounds | April 2005

2023-24 Stats: 27 games. 17.3 minutes. 9.4 points. 4.3 rebounds. 0.9 assists. 1.5 blocks. 0.4 steals. 52% FG. 71% FT.

In an NBA Draft that lacks high-end talent, Alexandre Sarr's upside puts him in a tier of his own. With a look at his fluid athleticism, positional size, and the offensive flashes, his two-way potential is intriguing. The defense you see plays out now, with his ability to move his feet and slide and the natural rim protection (1.5 blocks in 17.3 minutes). The offense is raw, but he shows flashes of touch with some undeveloped comfort dribbling the ball in space. The totality of his game is still unrefined, and there is a lot of room between Sarr's current production and his high ceiling, but as things continue to develop for him, there are a lot of positives to work through.


2. F Stephon Castle, UConn
6-6 | 215 pounds | November 2004

2023-24 Stats: 34 games. 27.0 minutes. 11.1 points. 4.7 rebounds. 2.9 assists. 0.8 steals. 0.5 blocks. 47.2% FG. 26.7% 3P. 75.5% FT.

Stephon Castle is a gamer. The 6-foot-6 guard is at his best when the ball is tipped and the bright lights are on. After a prep career that saw Castle playing exclusively on-ball. He proved to be an excellent connector and secondary ball-handler for UConn this season. As a big-framed guard, Castle is able to touch the paint consistently off the bounce and he makes good reads in traffic. The jump shot is the swing skill. He has never been a knockdown shooter, but this season he was consistently below average from three. On the positive side, the form looks ok and he shot over 75 percent from the free throw line on the season. There are positive markers. Where Castle shined was on defense. He used his big frame, instincts, and toughness to guard up and down a lineup. A secondary ball-handler, who is a quick processor, and perhaps the best perimeter defender in this draft has a lot of upside...if the jump shot can come around.


3. F Ron Holland, G-League Ignite
6-7 | 200 pounds | July 2005

2023-24 Stats: 14 games. 33.6 minutes. 20.6 points. 6.6 rebounds. 3.2 assists, 0.7 blocks. 2.5 steals. 44.3% FG. 24.0% 3P. 75.7% FT.

Ron Holland holds the positional size, length, and fluidity that you look for in a wing at the highest levels. He entered the season as a two-way-type that intrigues on-lookers as they evaluate his position. Holland is capable of defending guards, wings, and forwards, fluidly switching up and down a lineup throughout the course of a possession. He has natural instincts off the ball and slides his feet well on the ball. The lengthy 6-foot-7 Holland saw some struggles as an 18-year-old playing in the G-League, namely his shooting and decision-making. Things tightened up as the season wore on for Holland, but it was still a smaller sample size. Holland puts relentless pressure on the rim as he applies pressure off the bounce. He has a history of winning, having both a high school state title and a gold medal with USA Basketball. He has no problem being an alpha and he competes. There may be some question marks with Holland, certainly some things he needs to iron out, but in a draft filled with question marks, the consistent production, at his age, stands out.


4. C Donovan Clingan, UConn
7-2 | 280 pounds | February 2004

2023-24 Stats: 35 games. 22.5 minutes. 13.0 points. 7.4 rebounds. 1.5 assists. 0.5 steals. 2.5 blocks. 63.9% FG. 25.0% 3P. 58.3% FT.

You do not get a true feel for how big Donovan Clingan is until you stand in his vicinity. It is at that point you get the full understanding of what 7-foot-2, 280 pounds with a 7-foot-7 wing span truly looks like. Why he has jumped so high in this draft largely because of what he showed he is capable of during UConn's NCAA Tournament run. Clingan protects the rim with his size, but he also showed that he could move his feet in an effective way, namely in drop coverage making it difficult for guards to attack him with any type of clear path to the basket. Clingan will need to improve the shooting and he lacks base strength which allows him to get knocked off his spots on the block. However, Clingan showed intriguing flashes with his feel as a passer. He passed away from the help as UConn gave him the freedom to make reads in post-up and elbow situations. Clingan is not a finished product, but there has been a recent success with rim-protecting bigs who can process with the ball in their hands.


5. G Zach Risacher, JL Bourg (France)
6-8 | 210 pounds | April 2005

2023-24 Stats: 32 games. 22.0 minutes. 10.1 points. 3.8 rebounds. 0.9 assists. 0.8 steals. 0.5 blocks. 43.9% FG. 35.2% 3P. 74.0% FT.

Zach Risacher has a smooth shooting stroke, defensive upside, and some processing ability as a 6-foot-8 wing. He carries very valuable traits in today's NBA. The questions arise when it comes to his average athleticism and self-creation from the wing. While he has ball skills in the open floor, he does not put much pressure on the rim off the bounce and shows an uncertain handle at times in the half-court. Risacher had an up-and-down season, even as an 18-year-old playing EuroLeague basketball, his season was good enough to earn EuroCup Rising Star honors. With necessary growth, the defensive upside and shot-making open eyes with the positional size.


6. F Matas Buzelis, G-League Ignite
6-10 | 195 pounds | October 2004

2023-24 Stats: 26 gmes. 32.0 minutes. 14.3 points. 6.9 rebounds. 1.9 assists. 0.9 steals. 2.1 blocks. 44.5% FG. 27.3% 3P. 67.9% FT.

Matas Buzelis is a prospect I go back and forth on, and have since high school. On one hand, there is no denying his unique blend of size, fluidity, skill, and touch. On the other hand, his personal production has never translated to winning, on any level. In high school, he went through a 'big guard' phase, and in watching him play, his handle was not tight enough, his foot speed quick enough, or his shot efficient enough to be an effective perimeter player. One year in the G-Leauge has caused me to adjust the lens of my evaluation a little. Buzelis is 6-foot-10, why not look at him as a potential post-player, a spot where he can use his unique blend of touch, fluidity, skill, and size to gain an advantage over his defender? He will need to add weight and continue developing on defense, but as I continued to jump into film study, there is a clear pathway for Buzelis to find success as he continues to develop. Maybe this is a shot in the dark here, but in a draft with so many questions and capped player ceilings, this one has me intrigued.


7. F Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
6-6 | 215 pounds | April 2001

2023-24: 36 games. 30.6 minutes. 21.7 points. 4.9 rebounds. 1.8 assists. 0.7 steals. 0.6 blocks. 45.8% FG. 39.7% 3P. 77.2% FT.

Players like Max Strus and Jaime Jacquez walked so that Dalton Knecht could run. The 6-foot-6 wing was one of college basketball's most consistently big scorers this season. He averaged 24.9 points during SEC play while shooting 41.1 percent from three on 7.4 attempts per game. Questions arise on the defensive end and with his passing. While he gives effort guarding the ball and is a lengthy and explosive athlete, he would lose interest at times leading to easy buckets for opponents. While he scored at such an easy clip, he did average 1.8 assists to 1.7 turnovers per game. Even with that, there should be very few questions concerning Knecht's offensive game translating to the NBA. He has the look of a plug-and-play guy ready to contribute early.

9. G Robert Dillingham, Kentucky
6-2 | 170 pounds | January 2005

2023-24 Stats: 32 games. 23.3 minutes. 15.2 points. 2.9 rebounds. 3.9 assists. 1.0 steals. 0.1 blocks. 47.5% FG. 44.4% 3P. 79.6% FT.

There might not have been a player who brought more electricity to the floor than Robert Dillingham. He was assured to go on an exclusive scoring stint at some point throughout the course of every game. He is a dynamic shooter with a confident release and excellent balance once he steps within 35 feet of the rim. Dillingham also has a crafty handle and footwork and his bag possesses counters upon counters off the bounce. He would also have a tendency to get tunnel vision toward the rim and, while making good reads, the accuracy of his passing – at times – was too late or off-target. Then there is the defense. While John Calipari was able to put up with some offensive miscues, there were games when Dillingham was unplayable because of his defense. He has a very thin frame which could lead to concerns as well. But Dillingham thrived in Kentucky with limited minutes, and there is a lot of league value in a player who can consistently bring juice off the bench. While he may be a polarizing player in the eyes of some, there is no denying his offensive capabilities among his peers in this draft class.

12. G Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
6-2 | 180 pounds | June 2004

2023-24 Stats: 33 games. 28.9 minutes. 12.5 points. 4.1 rebounds. 4.5 assists. 2.5 steals. 0.7 blocks. 53.6% FG. 52.1% 3P. 83.1% FT.

There is no denying two things that Reed Sheppard does as well as anyone in this draft class. At 6-foot-2 he has incredible basketball instincts, and he can shoot the lights out of the basketball. Past that there are some questions. He does not put much pressure on the rim in the half-court and had a lot of turnovers when asked to be a primary ball handler or make a play for others going north/south. His defensive instincts as a ball-hawk in space created a lot of wow plays, but he struggled at times to guard the ball against the more athletic guards in the SEC, and his off-ball defense and positioning, in the half-court, led to some easy looks for the opposing team. Sheppard is a high-level connector, taking what he is given and not forcing plays. The shooting pulls gravity from day one, and NBA spacing could help as he tightens his game. Will he be able to get to carve out his spots and develop the handle to get to them? His height, weight, and length measurements will be interesting as well. Sheppard was one of the very best shooters in college basketball this season. By all accounts, he is also a competitor.

17. C Kel'el Ware, Indiana

Profile | 7-0 | 235 pounds | April 2004

2023-24 Stats: 30 games. 32.2 minutes. 15.9 points. 9.9 rebounds. 1.5 assists. 0.6 steals. 1.9 blocks. 58.6% FG. 42.5% 3P. 63.4% FT.

Quote from: Hog66 on Yesterday at 09:13:36 pmTheyre going to be aerating the greens next week, the 21st I think. Give it a week or so after that and the course should be in really, really good shape. They've done a bunch of work on drainage and the fairways. Bunkers are good, plenty of sand but they don't have the manpower to rake them daily and too many players won't rake them after playing out. If I catch a crappy lie in a bunker I play "rake and place " lol.

#3 an easy hole and #8 is a typical par 3, just keep your tee shot on the left half of the green. The right side is really close to the pond and the ball tends to want to bounce right.

# 9 and #18 are shorter par 5's and birdies are possible. Even an occasional eagle if you can cut the corner on 18. I know you give me a little grief for playing my home course almost exclusively, but it really is a tough and fun layout. A hard course to master.

Right now I'm driving it great. I've toned it down a bit but making great contact and really hitting it straight. I hit 12 of 13 fairways Saturday and half the greens in regulation.

Of course I had 34 putts lol

Stupid game

Quote from: jbcarol on Today at 08:01:38 am@TiptonEdits

NEWS: Utah State transfer big man Great Osobor (@GreatOsobor), the Mountain West POY, has committed to Washington, following his coach Danny Sprinkle, his agent @GeorgeLangberg of GSL Sports Group tells @On3sports.

Also considered Louisville and Texas Tech.

https://on3.com/college/washington-huskies/news/utah-state-transfer-big-man-great-osobor-commits-to-washington

Quote from: Salty spork on Today at 07:55:13 amI don't think that is what bothers us either.


It seems that most folks are just mad that their team cannot keep up with the joneses.

If we have a completely unregulated pay system, then we have locked in a situation where a dozen or fewer teams have a shot and that will never change. There is a reason that pro teams have drafts. If we are making college ball pro, there needs to be a draft. If they aren't students, then which college they don't attend doesn't matter.