2024 NBA Draft: LA Lakers, Detroit Pistons, among biggest winners and losers
Loser: High School Class of 2023
The 2023 recruiting class out of high school seemed to be littered with talent. However, at least in the top 15, it hasn’t shaked out to be that way. Take a look at a quoted tweet from Kevin Sweeney, staff writer at Sports Illustrated:
8/15 top-15 recruits from 2023 stayed in the draft... four landed in the top 15, three others in the first round, one (Justin Edwards) undrafted. Of the other seven, three hit the portal, four stayed at their first school.
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) June 27, 2024
Overall, a pretty brutal high school class of 2023. https://t.co/PlT7vwWZZD
Kevin hits the nail on the head here. Justin Edwards, who was ranked third overall as a five-star recruit, just went undrafted. Only eight of the top 15 recruits stayed in the NBA Draft and many struggled to find a consistent role in the collegiate ranks.
Just a year ago, Omaha Biliew looked the part of a first-round NBA Draft pick. However, he would play a limited role at Iowa State, averaging a modest 2.4 PPG in only 20 games. Biliew has now transferred to Wake Forest.
Xavier Booker, another NBA hopeful a year ago, would struggle to see the floor too, averaging just 3.7 PPG and 9.2 MPG in a limited role at Michigan State. How about another one? Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 big out of UCLA, also had first-round buzz a year ago, only to average 3.5 PPG in a limited role on the Bruins.
Next. WTE Big Ten power rankings for 2024-25. WTE Big Ten power rankings for 2024-25. dark
The fact of the matter is simple: the class of 2023 has underwhelmingly underperformed. The upside, nonetheless, can still be there if the right buttons are pushed under the right system. Sometimes, all it takes is a couple of years to flourish -- and only time can tell with that.