With the NCAA and other leagues worldwide officially in full swing and the NBA season about 25 percent complete, NBA scouts are now hard at work looking for their teams’ next potential star and core pieces. As a part of Sports Business Classroom’s 2024 NBA Draft series, we are highlighting potential traditional big men that your favorite team may want to add to their roster this coming draft.  

In the ’80s, ’90s, and even 2000s, the typical big man grabbed rebounds, protected the rim, and attempted most of their shots in the paint. Nowadays, a typical big man can do these things, plus shoot the three-ball, defend the perimeter or even be a primary playmaker. We have classified the “traditional big man” by what position the majority of their minutes come from and whether they possess two of the three aforementioned “traditional” skills to a high degree (rebounding, rim protection, rim scoring, etc.)

For example, Joel Embiid would fit as a traditional big man, even though he can shoot and knock down free throws at an elite clip. Domantas Sabonis, even with some elite high-post playmaking skills, would also be considered traditional.

While the class of 2024 may not have the star power of a Victor Wembanyama, it has a plethora of talent coming up, especially in the big man category. Standing on top of the list is Alexandre Sarr, a mobile big man who has the potential to become one of the league’s most versatile bigs on both ends of the floor. 

2024 Traditional Big Men Rankings

Potential First Round Picks:

  1.     Alexandre Sarr – Perth Wildcats (NBL Australia)
  2.     Aaron Bradshaw – Kentucky
  3.     Donovan Clingan – UConn
  4.     Kel’el Ware – Indiana
  5.     Adem Bona – UCLA
  6.     Kyle Filipowski – Duke
  7.     Izan Almansa – G-League Ignite

Potential Second Round Picks:

  1.     Baye Fall – Arkansas
  2.     Yves Missi – Baylor
  3.     DaRon Holmes II – Dayton
  4.     Zvonimir Ivisic – Kentucky
  5.     Oso Ighodaro – Marquette
  6.     Felix Okpara – Ohio St.
  7.     Hunter Dickinson – Kansas
  8.     Ugonna Onyenso – Kentucky
  9.     Zach Edey – Purdue

Undrafted/G-League:

  1.     Jevon Porter – Pepperdine
  2.     Yohan Traore – UCSB
  3.     Aday Mara – UCLA
  4.     Kwame Evans Jr. – Oregon
  5.     Ryan Kalkbrenner – Creighton
  6.     Henry Coleman – Texas A&M
  7.     Clifford Omoruyi – Rutgers
  8.     Omaha Biliew – Iowa St.
  9.     Jamarion Sharp – Mississippi

Sarr not only brings forward elite defensive potential as a mobile rim protector and his ability to cover a lot of area with his 7’5” wingspan, but he also has the base skills necessary to develop into a legitimate three-level scorer. At only 18 years old and standing at 7’1”, he has displayed the ability to throw down vicious dunks overtop the defense, as well as calmly knock down shots from beyond the arc. 

Just behind Sarr, Aaron Bradshaw is a talented freshman who recently made his NCAA debut after returning from a foot injury. Like Sarr, Bradshaw could be a three-level scorer and elite rim protector at the next level. The pool of first-round big men continues with sophomores Kel’el Ware, Adem Bona, Donovan Clingan, and Kyle Filipowski, who all pulled their names out of the 2023 NBA Draft and opted to return to college basketball. They are all showing out for their respective schools in their second seasons, and each is earning first-round buzz.

The second round holds even more intriguing big-man prospects, from elite fourth-year players to freshmen with high potential but less current productivity. Baye Fall of Arkansas has yet to get many minutes for the Razorbacks. His size, mobility, and athleticism make him a notable prospect for NBA teams to watch as a long-term developmental piece. 

Zvonimir Ivisic is another fascinating prospect. Standing at 7’2, Ivisic models his game after Kevin Durant while bringing that high IQ European playstyle. He joined Kentucky after a season overseas last year and has yet to debut.

Yohan Traore is a name to keep a close eye on as a potential undrafted pickup. He is having a breakout sophomore season with UC Santa Barbara after transferring from Auburn. He may be a smaller big at only 6’10″ without a three-point shot, but he has a developing mid-range game and plays with energy.

Finally, Aday Mara is also a polarizing prospect at 7’3” combining an old-school post-game with a modern touch of playmaking. His passing skills will make him a name to watch if undrafted, potentially for a two-way contract.