The Athletic

We’re less than two months away from the NBA Draft, which means teams are starting to dive much deeper into the process and figure out their boards. Given that we finally have a real understanding of which players will and will not participate in the lead-up to draft day, it’s time to update this board. The NBA’s early-entry deadline has come and gone, with 242 players entering the NBA Draft process early. Last year, 283 players decided to test the waters. The year before, that number was 353. The reason we’re seeing a decrease is simple: As more players with extra COVID-19 years age out of college basketball, fewer players are eligible to declare early. There is also a bit of a cooling effect happening in this draft cycle. A larger-than-normal group of interesting draft-eligible prospects decided not to declare, including Duke big Kyle Filipowski, Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, Connecticut big Donovan Clingan and Florida wing Riley Kugel. All four of those players would have had a chance to be taken in the first round had they declared. Players make decisions using very different motivations, and there is never a one-size-fits-all explanation for why a rash of players decide to go back. However, one reason why is the perceived lack of strength in the 2024 NBA Draft.