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Day 1 of the 2024 NBA draft featured several surprises outside the first four picks, with big-name prospects rising and falling to unexpected destinations. Meanwhile, a few NBA championship contenders landed some potential steals.
On that note, here are five of the first round's biggest winners.
Top 5 winners from Round 1 of 2024 NBA draft
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#5 Ron Holland II
NBA G League Ignite forward Ron Holland II's stock appeared to be slipping ahead of the draft. Once considered a potential No. 1 pick, he began dropping outside the lottery in some mock drafts. However, in the night's first real surprise, the Detroit Pistons took a swing on the athletic 6-foot-8 forward at pick No. 5.
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Touted as one of the draft's highest-upside players, Holland joins a league-worst (14-68) Detroit team seeking direction. According to newly hired Pistons president Trajan Langdon, Holland's relentless work ethic and two-way potential made it too difficult to pass up on him.
“High, high character human being. Works his butt off. He has the leadership piece, he has the high compete level piece, he has the winner piece to him,” Langdon said. “He’s got one of the biggest upsides of anyone in the draft.”
Over 14 regular-season outings with the Ignite, Holland averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.9 3-pointers per game, shooting 44.3%.
#4 Stephon Castle
UConn guard Stephon Castle landed in an ideal situation, getting drafted No. 4 by the San Antonio Spurs.
After expressing a desire to play point guard in the NBA, he joined a franchise lacking an established lead guard. Meanwhile, he gets to pair up with arguably the league's brightest young star, big man Victor Wembanyama.
Castle is heralded as one of the draft's top on-ball defenders. Over 34 games as a freshman, he averaged 11.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.5 bpg and 0.6 3pg, shooting 47.2%.
He should have a prime opportunity to reach his two-way potential with the Spurs and form a dynamic duo with Wembanyama.
#3 Rob Dillingham/Minnesota Timberwolves
Fresh off their first Western Conference finals appearance since 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded into this year's draft lottery. They shipped a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 Top 1-protected pick swap to San Antonio for the No. 8 pick, point guard Rob Dillingham.
Dillingham is billed as one of the draft's premier shot creators. He averaged 15.2 ppg on 47.5% shooting over 32 games during his freshman season with Kentucky.
Thus, Dillingham should add offensive firepower to Minnesota's backcourt, headlined by superstar shooting guard Anthony Edwards. He should also alleviate some pressure on 36-year-old veteran point guard Mike Conley, who could soon decline.
The move may be risky for the Timberwolves, given Dillingham's size (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) and the future draft capital it gave up to acquire him. However, he could help them get over the hump in the West.
#2 Zach Edey
Purdue star center Zach Edey's draft position was up in the air entering Wednesday. Many experts mocked the 7-foot-4 big man in the latter half of the first round. Instead, he jumped to No. 9, joining a Memphis Grizzlies team in dire need of a starting caliber big man.
Edey dominated in college, averaging a nation-best 25.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg and 2.2 bpg on 62.3% shooting over 39 games as a senior. His standout play earned him his second consecutive Associated Press Player of the Year award.
Time will tell if Edey has the quickness to keep up defensively in the NBA. If so, he could become a starter on a competitive Grizzlies squad, spearheaded by star point guard Ja Morant, poised to contend in the West.
#1 LA Lakers
The LA Lakers landed perhaps the draft's biggest steal, nabbing Tennessee sharpshooting wing Dalton Knecht at pick No. 17. The SEC Player of the Year was mocked as a lottery pick, with many analysts projecting him to get selected in the Top 10.
Instead, Knecht fell to LA, likely giving the veteran-heavy squad a much-needed shooting boost. Over 36 games in his senior season, he averaged 21.7 ppg and 2.6 3pg, shooting 45.8% and 39.7% from deep.
Meanwhile, the Lakers averaged only 11.8 3pg this past season, ranking 24th in the NBA. So, Knecht should make an instant impact getting open looks alongside superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James, assuming James remains with LA.
