5 Upperclass Returners with NBA Upside: The Wings
As they head back to the same digs as last year, these old heads are banking on continuity landing them on NBA radars
In trying to get a head start on the 2024 NBA Draft, the easiest place to start is always with the returners and the upperclassmen. From watching them play for several years, I am most familiar with their games and comfortable with their projections.
NIL has certainly changed college basketball and given an additional appeal to upperclassmen to stay in school a little longer. They can make money here — sometimes more money than the uncertain pathway that a two-way contract or the G-League route can guarantee. With that being the case, the lot of upperclassmen who have NBA-caliber games still floating around is increasing, meaning staring down rising freshmen year after year is an ineffective way to scout.
After diving into my favorite upperclassmen transfers last week, this week I’m taking a deep look at the juniors and seniors in college hoops who are returning to the same program they were with a season ago. For the transfers, the hopes of greater exposure by moving up a level, heading to a new system that will help their game pop, or playing against better competition on a nightly basis are what bring draft-based optimism in 2024. For these players we’re breaking down this week, it’s either about continuity being able to help their growth, additional reps coming their way within a familiar situation, or simply having more time on their side to win over NBA scouts and fix one small piece of their game.
Our last stop here is with the wings, a group of players whose versatility, shot-making and overall positional size can give them NBA roles in the future. Whose games are most scalable to success, and who still has something to prove before moving into the top-60 next season?
It’s worth noting that there are a few upperclassmen who will be receiving their own video breakdown and scouting report ahead of the start of the college basketball season. As such, they will not be mentioned or broken down here. Those players:
Trey Alexander, Creighton
Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
Oso Ighodaro, Marquette
Dillon Jones, Weber State
Bryce Hopkins, Providence
After transferring from Kentucky to Providence, sophomore Bryce Hopkins enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Friars. A physically strong and gifted 6’6” athlete, Hopkins thrived in Ed Cooley’s system as a positionless player who was afforded a long leash to do what he wanted in the half-court.
Hopkins is built and can guard up or down the lineup as a result, filling any spot from the 2 through 4 that his coaches want. He was great in rebound-and-run situations, and his penchant for physicality shows up in transition. He’s unafraid of contact (in fact, he often initiates it) and gets to the free throw line a ton.
In the half-court, Hopkins spends a lot of time isolating and sizing up his man before a move. He plays in the middle-third while facing up, or will get to the pinch post and then turn-and-face. Those uses likely won’t carry over to the NBA, so his quick decision-making, instant rips off the catch, and connective playmaking will all have to pop for him this year.
I do really like Hopkins’ potential on the defensive end, though. He’s strong and physical, blocks a lot of shots, makes solid rotations, and can be that valuable wing who holds his weight while playing up the lineup. He’s an undersized 4-man who could be a strong wing-stopper some day.
Now onto his third head coach in as many years, Hopkins is one of the most productive returners in the entire Big East and is poised to put up numbers once again. NBA scouts will be drawn to Providence to see freshman Garwey Dual, but while there the play of Hopkins can win them over.
We need to see more consistent spot-up shooting. I’d love for his form to get more fluid with work put in this summer, and for him to clean up the turnovers a tad. But Hopkins is incredibly productive — something NBA teams may be drawn to in some fashion.