NBA Draft prospects 2024: Final big board of top 60 players overall, ranked with player comparisons

The 2024 NBA Draft is here.

While this draft class may not have a crowned jewel like Victor Wembanyama, there are still more than enough prospects who will carve out a role in an NBA rotation and make an impact.

International stars like Alexandre Sarr, Nikola Topic and Zaccharie Risacher and college basketball standouts like Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard are all worth getting familiar with. There are also a few headliner names like Zach Edey and Bronny James, who will surely draw a spotlight wherever they end up on draft night.

As you get ready to watch the next generation of talent cross the stage and shake commissioner Adam Silver's hand, The Sporting News has you covered with a final top-60 big board for the 2024 NBA Draft class below.

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NBA Draft prospects 2024: Big board of top 60 players

1. Alexandre Sarr, Perth Wildcats (NBL, Australia)

• Age: 19
• Position: Center
• Height: 7-0

Sarr has had an interesting journey leading up to becoming our No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. The French native played two seasons in the Overtime Elite development league before taking his talents to Australia's NBL Next Stars program.

Sarr fits the mold of a modern-day center who is capable of more than just running rim-to-rim. He's long and athletic, and the combination of his shot-blocking and budding perimeter skills make for a limitless ceiling.

Sarr held his own playing professionally for the Perth Wildcats, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game.

2. Nikola Topic, Crvena zvezda (ABA, Serbia)

• Age: 18
• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-6

Topic has been diagnosed with a partially torn ACL in his left knee, but his No. 2 ranking on our big board is based on his talent when healthy.

Topic is a pick-and-roll maestro who can score in the paint at will. The 6-6 guard is an elite passer who plays as physically as his size suggests. He's not as shifty as most players at his position, but he has downhill speed and plays with a calmness that every team could use in their floor general.

Topic's lingering knee injury forced him to miss a big chunk of his season with Crvena zvezda. Before his injury in January, he posted impressive averages of 18.4 points and 7.1 assists per game for Mega Basket, which is also in the world-renowned Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA).

3. Stephon Castle, UConn

• Age: 19, Freshman
• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-6

Castle was one of the breakout stars of the NCAA Tournament, helping lead UConn to its second-consecutive National Championship. The 6-6 guard defends at a high level, can score at the rim off the dribble and create for others.

He showed even more versatility during March Madness, playing off the ball and doing some dirty work in the paint on both ends of the floor. He wants to play point guard at the NBA level, but his ability to impact the game with or without the ball makes him an easy fit on almost any team.

If Castle irons out his jump shot, he has the potential to be the best guard in this class.

MORE: How Castle boosted his draft stock in 2024 NCAA Tournament

4. Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

• Age: 23, Senior
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6-6

Knecht established himself as one of the nation's most consistent three-level scorers, averaging 21.7 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting from deep. There isn't a shot he can't make — he's confident shooting off of movement, off the catch and off the dribble. His size and strength will help his scoring ability translate to the NBA level seamlessly.

Knecht's 37-point clinic in Tennessee's Elite Eight loss to Purdue should leave a lasting memory in the minds of NBA scouts.

5. Zaccharie Risacher, JL Bourg (LNB Pro A, France)

• Age: 19
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6-9

Risacher falls right in line behind Victor Wembanyama (and Sarr) as the next generation of French prospects to grace the NBA. Competing in the same league as Wemby before he was taken No. 1 overall in 2023, Risacher has boosted his draft stock tremendously as a fluid, sharp-shooting forward.

Risacher was streaky from beyond the arc for JL Bourg but still shot a respectable 35.2 percent from 3 in 32 LNB Pro A games. Averaging 10.1 points as a teenager in one of the best leagues in the world is still no easy feat.

With his shooting, length and activity on defense, Risacher will be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in this draft.

6. Ron Holland, G League Ignite

• Age: 18
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6-7

Holland was sidelined down the stretch of the G League Ignite's season with a right thumb injury. The Ignite struggled all year, but Holland still showed plenty of flashes as to why he was in the preseason conversation for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick.

The 6-7 forward is one of the best, most versatile defenders in this class. His energy and motor are unmatched on both ends of the floor and on the glass. He has active hands to come up with steals and blocks, and he does damage as a scorer in transition and off of timely cuts.

Even without a reliable jumper or shot-creation skills, Holland averaged 20.6 points per game for the Ignite. That's a good sign for when his offensive game develops down the line.

7. Donovan Clingan, UConn

• Age: 20, Sophomore
• Position: Center
• Height: 7-2

Clingan put on a two-way clinic in the NCAA Tournament, anchoring UConn to its second straight national championship. His performance against Illinois in the Elite Eight was the most dominant defensive game of March Madness. The Illini only had two made field goals when Clingan was on the floor going into the final 10 minutes of a 30-point blowout.

The UConn sophomore is a massive presence at 7-2, 282 pounds with a reported 7-7 wingspan. He's an elite shot blocker, rebounder and lob catcher who has the rim-running ability to hang in the NBA. His strong pre-draft process has him firmly in the discussion to go No. 1 overall.

MORE: Why Clingan ranks higher in NBA Mock Drafts than Edey

8. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky

• Age: 19, Freshman
• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-2

Sheppard was the biggest riser on draft boards over the season, but some of his weaknesses were glaring in Kentucky's first-round loss in March Madness. He is still one of the most reliable two-way players in the country.

Sheppard's size (6-2, 182 pounds) and athleticism may not jump off the page, but he's a lights-out shooter, connective playmaker and hard-nosed defender who always makes the right play. The 19-year-old guard averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 52.1 percent from 3 on 144 attempts. Defensively, his 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game are hard to fathom for a player of his stature.

Sheppard is the type of winner who could morph into any role on any roster.

9. Matas Buzelis, G League Ignite

• Age: 19
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6-9

Buzelis is a versatile floor-stretching forward who possesses plenty of upside on both ends of the court. He didn't score at the level expected with the Ignite this season, averaging 14.3 points on .445/.273/.679 shooting splits over 26 games, but the tools are there to be a perimeter threat.

Buzelis is a fluid athlete with a smooth shot. He showed some promise and improvement on the defensive end, guarding multiple positions while averaging 2.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. The 19-year-old is still a work in progress, but he is the type of prospect who fits today's positionless NBA.

10. Rob Dillingham, Kentucky

• Age: 19, Freshman
• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-3

Dillingham has a case as the best pure scorer in this draft class. The 6-3 combo guard exploded onto the scene in his freshman season at Kentucky despite coming off the bench. He averaged 26.1 points and 6.6 assists per 40 minutes, which is a better indication of his potential given he only played 23.3 minutes per game.

Dillingham is a blur with the ball in his hands and changes pace quickly with an elite handle. He's a creative shot creator, confident shooter and tough-shot maker. His size is a concern on the defensive end, but his offensive tools are so developed that he could help any team that needs a microwave scorer off the bench.

MORE: Sheppard, Dillingham make 'freshman mistakes' in Kentucky's March Madness loss

Updated 2024 NBA Draft big board

Take a look at The Sporting News' 60-best prospects in the 2024 draft class heading into the NBA Draft Lottery.