Rivals Roundtable: NBA Draft first-round takeaways

The 2024 NBA Draft's first round is in the books and there are few people on Earth that are more familiar with the American prospects that were selected than Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan. The duo has been following most of this year’s draft class since their respective sophomore years in high school and provide some insight in the form of a roundtable discussion of three draft-related topics below.

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“As a guy that watched a lot of Stephon Castle in high school and college, his blend of size, skill, work ethic and disposition will play well in the NBA. There are few guards in the country that impact games in as many ways as the 6-foot-5 Castle, who is capable of defending almost anyone. I also feel he’s a better three-point shooter than he showed in his 34-game college sample size. His versatility on both ends is well documented and I don’t think he’s even close to maxed out from a skill development standpoint. Spurs fans will be surprised by just how gifted a rebounder he is as well.” – Cassidy

“I still believe in Isaiah Collier and think his game is best suited for the NBA, maybe better than anyone else drafted in Wednesday night. His fall from grace was due in large part to injuries and Andy Enfield’s system, which it turns out has been bad for lots of prospects. Collier has the total package as a lead guard to thrive in the league and I thoroughly expect him to have a double-digit career.” – Jordan

“I’m not saying Isaiah Collier is a lock to be an NBA star, but I was pretty surprised by how far he fell in a mediocre draft class full of prospects with question marks. I’ve always viewed the strong, sturdy Collier as a safe play because of how much of his game translates to any level. Collier, who was selected 29th by the Jazz, gets downhill as well as any guard in the draft and is one of the surest at-the-rim finishers in the class. I thought he took some strides as a shooter post-injury last season as well. Sure, there are some question marks about his range and his body, but I assumed a high-floor guy such as Collier would be a premium in a field stocked with prospects that are less than sure things.” – Cassidy

“Honestly, Kyle Filipowski. His sophomore year wasn’t great but in this draft it was still worthy of the first round. Teams were hesitant because he took a significant step back in the toughness department this season, but, again, a 7-footer that can stretch the defense and operate in the post efficiently isn’t easy to come by. For him to get the green room invite and leave embarrassed at the night’s end was surprising to say the least.” – Jordan

“Maybe I’m missing something because I haven't watched him live in more than a year, but I was a little taken back by the Bucks’ selection of A.J. Johnson with the No. 23 pick. Johnson was incredibly raw as a high school senior and averaged 2.8 points per game in 25 outings in the NBL last season. I understand Johnson is just 19 and the pick was about long-term upside, but unless you view Johnson as a possible future all-star – which I guess is possible based on size and raw tools – there were much safer bets left on the board at 23.” – Cassidy

“Bub Carrington definitely went higher than I anticipated even with a decent amount of momentum coming in. I just didn’t think he’d shown enough to be a lottery pick. First round? In this draft, yes, but that was a head scratcher for sure. That said, at 18 he’s one of the youngest prospects in the draft and the thought process behind most front offices is to develop this year. Having him in the stable makes sense, but the lottery part threw me off.” – Jordan