Wes Langley's 2024 NBA Mock Draft: Debut

Round 1 Picks 16-30

Wes Langley follow @DraftUtopiaWes Last Updated: November 10, 2023.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jared McCain, PG, Duke
    
    
    Minnesota adds a successor to Mike Conley Jr. at point guard. Jared McCain is a true freshman at Duke that's versatile enough to play point guard or shooting guard. The 6-3 195, McCain is from Sacraemnto, California. The Centennial High School player is a true freshman at Duke now.
    
    
    
17. Indiana Pacers: Mackenzie Mgbako, PF, Indiana
    
    
    Indiana goes with a combo forward whose versatile enough to play both small forward and power forward at 17. Mackenzie Mgbako at 6-8 215, from Gladstone, New Jersey and Roselle Catholic High School is a freshman at Indiana this Fall.
    
    
    
    
    
18. Orlando Magic: Elmarko Jackson, PG, Kansas
    
    
    Orlando adds some depth at point guard. Elmarko Jackson at 6-3 195, is from Marlton, New Jersey He played High School basketball at South Kent High School before enrolling into Kansas this Fall.
    
    
    
19. Indiana Pacers: Zaccharie Risacher, SF, JL Bourg
    
    
    Indiana gets depth behind Bruce Brown at small forward. Zaccharie Risacher is a 6-9 200, international player that plays basketball in France.
    
    
    
    
    
20. New Orleans Pelicans: Nikola Topic, PG, Mega Bemax
    
    
    The New Orleans Pelicans have the option to swap first round picks with the Milwuakee Bucks if the Bucks first round pick is higher than the Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans can draft a true point guard to groom for the future. Nikola Topic is one player that New Orleans can groom for the future at point guard.
    
    
    
    
    
21. San Antonio Spurs: Baba Miller, SF, Real Madrid
    
    
    San Antonio gets a forward for depth here. Baba Miller is a 6-11 205 combo forward that can play both small forward and power forward. He's from Mallorca, Spain. He played for Liga EBA High School in Spain prior to joining Real Madrid. Real Madrid is the same powerhouse basketball team in Spain where Luka Doncic played.
    
    
    
22. New Orleans Pelicans: Melvin Ajinca, SF, Saint-Quentin
    
    
    Melvin Ajinca has ideal size for a small forward at 6-8 200. He's from France and plays for Saint-Quentin in France. New Orleans can gamble on him as a backup to Brandon Ingram in the late first round with this pick that the Pelicans own from the Los Angeles Lakers
    
    
    
    
    
23. Houston Rockets: Kel'el Ware, C, Indiana
    
    
    Houston gets a center for depth behind Alperen Sengun. Kel'el Ware is the best center on the board and makes a lot of sense at this point in the late first round. Sengun played the 4 at power forward when he was overseas. Despite adapting well to the NBA, depth behind Sengun is needed and that is where Kel'el Ware comes into play. The 7-0 230, big man is from North Little Rock, Arkansas. He also played at North Little Rock High School in his hometown prior to committing to Indiana.
    
    
    
24. Atlanta Hawks: Elliot Cadeau, PG, North Carolina
    
    
    The 6-1 180, Elliot Cadeau would make a good backup point guard to Trae Young. Getting a backup point guard that can come in and get some minutes when Trae Young is in foul trouble or injured is one area that the Atlanta Hawks can improve in. Elliot Cadeau is from West Orange, New Jersey and he played High School at Link Academy prior to enrolling at North Carolina.
    
    
    
    
    
25. Philadelphia 76ers: Adem Bona, PF, UCLA
    
    
    The 6-10 245, Adem Bona is versatile enough to play both power forward and center. He is from Ebonyi Nigeria which is his hometown. He played at Prolific Prep High School before joining Pinar Karsiyaka which was an International team that Bona played for prior to enrolling into UCLA last year in 2022. Philadelphia has one bonafide sueprstar in Joel Embiid and emerging star in Tyrese Maxey at point guard. The rest of this team needs more starpower and Bona is a player who could develop into a star power forward next to Joel Embiid in due time.
    
    
    
26. New York Knicks: Tidjane Salaun, PF, Cholet Basket
    
    
    The New York Knicks may move on from power forward Julius Randle down the road if he chokes in the NBA Playoffs again. Tidjane Salaun is a 6-9 207 power forward with the body and size of a small forward. He plays like a power forward though despite his size. This combo forward could end up adding another inch to get up to 6-10. He's improved his three point shot, but is still raw defensively. New York can develop him under Julius Randle for a year and then make Salaun their new starting power forward once he gets stronger while improving his defensive play.
    
    
    
    
    
27. Milwaukee Bucks: Trentyn Flowers, SG, Louisville
    
    
    The Milwaukee Bucks have Damian Lillard at point guard, Khris Middleton at small forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo at power forward, and Brook Lopez at center. Milwaukee has four high end starters in their starting five, but also have a glaring weakness at shooting guard, so Louisville shooting guard Trentyn Flowers whose also versatile enough to play small forward seems like an ideal fit for Milwaukee at 27.
    
    
    
    Trentyyn Flowers is a 6-9 180 small forward. With his size he may be a better fit at shooting guard, but he's versatile enough to play both spots. The former Jefferson, Georgia native played at Combine Academy in Georgia. He also joined the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL for a year prior to enrolling in Louisville.
    
    
    
28. Denver Nuggets: Mark Mitchell, SF, Duke
    
    
    Denver has Jamal Murray at point guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at shooting guard, Michael Porter Jr. at small forward, Aaron Gordon at power forward, and Nikola Jokic at center. Denver has the best starting five in the NBA as well as the luxury to take the best player on their board. I have Duke small forward Mark Mitchell at 27 on my board, but the Kansas City, Kansas native gets to stay in the midwest as a backup on the Denver Nuggets.
    
    
    
    Mark Mitchell is a 6-8 220 combo forward is form Kansas City, Kansas. This twenty year old forward is one of the older sophomores in the 2024 NBA Draft, but the former Sunrise Christian Academy forward is due to put everything together eventually which should allow him to become a first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
    
    
    
    
    
29. Portland Trail Blazers: Omaha Billiew, PF, Iowa State
    
    
    Omaha Billiew is a 6-8 215 power forward. You can argue that Iowa State's freshman also has the size of a small forward. This young combo forward has the versatility to play both small forward and power forward even though I think he projects better as a power forward in the NBA. The Waukee Iowa native played High School in his hometown at Waukee High School.
    
    
    
30. Boston Celtics: JJ Starling, SG, Syracuse
    
    
    Boston wraps up the first round with a combo guard. JJ Starling plays shooting guard at Syracuse complimenting Syracuse point guard Judah Mintz. The thing that makes JJ Starling stand out is his size at 6-5 205 along with the versatility to play both point guard and shooting guard. JJ Starling's hometown is Baldwinsville, New York. JJ Starling played at La Lumiere High School before enrolling into Syracuse this Fall. JJ Starling would be a good backup to Derrick White on my favorite NBA Team which happens to be the Boston Celtics.