Forty-two schools saw at least one player pick up a combine invitation, and 12 programs boast multiple participants. While the Wildcats and reigning back-to-back champion Huskies stand atop the leaderboard, other competitive programs like Baylor, Colorado and Creighton will be well-represented later this month at the showcase.
The race for the top overall draft pick is wide open for what many consider to be an abnormally weak class, but still plenty of high-end talent is available and will be on display at the combine.
Here are the college basketball programs with the most 2024 NBA Draft Combine invitations:
Each of these three Buffaloes has pro potential, but Williams stands atop his fellow Colorado products as one of the top guards in this draft class. The five-star signee delivered on his billing as an elite recruit, even though he missed extended time due to various injuries. When healthy, he was good for double-digit points and contributions throughout the stat sheet on a team that advanced to the second round of March Madness. Da Silva and Simpson, meanwhile, are veterans who improved on an annual basis and closed their college careers as Colorado’s top statistical leaders.
Kalkbrenner picked up a combine invitation but pulled out of the NBA Draft when he announced Wednesday that he will return to Creighton for a fifth season, making the Bluejays clear decision-deadline winners. The elite two-way star is back, but Creighton must still replace a pair of tremendous shooters in the backcourt. Alexander and Scheierman combined for five 3-pointers per game last season and manned two of the guard spots to an average of 36 points per contest. They project as second-round picks but are key losses for the Bluejays.
A pair of Duke stars headline the group of CBS Sports’ projected draftees immediately outside the lottery. Filipowski was always a reliable post presence for the Blue Devils and has a strong all-around game that should translate fairly well to the NBA, while McCain made a splash as a true freshman and carries tons of upside to the pro level. The latter scored 30 points in two of Duke’s four NCAA Tournament games to cap off a big lone year of college basketball in which he also logged five rebounds per game from the guard spot.
McCullar battled injuries all season but was Kansas’ best player when healthy. As a prolific scorer and the most important player on one of college basketball’s top teams, he has everything it takes to become a first-round pick. Furphy could also come off the board in the late first round, presuming he stays in the draft pool. The 6-foot-9 freshman guard/forward hired an NCAA-certified agent, allowing him to maintain college eligibility as he progresses through the draft process.
Beekman and Dunn were two of the only reliable scoring threats on a Virginia team that struggled mightily down the stretch and ranked 345th nationally in scoring offense. The former paced the Cavaliers in points (14.3) and assists (6.2) while the latter topped the team in rebounds (6.9) and field goal percentage (54.8%). Dunn has the better chances of landing in the first round next month as a 6-foot-8 guard, but Beekman is a well-rounded prospect, too.
James entered his name in the transfer portal while also submitting his name into the draft, and he picked up a combine invitation as one of the most intriguing prospects in recent history. His future is entirely unclear as his draft value largely hinges on the potential to team up with his father, LeBron James, in the NBA. Collier took a more traditional path as a one-and-done prospect and long projected as one of the first guards taken in the 2024 draft. He averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds during a terrific individual campaign on a struggling USC team.
Shannon Jr. finished just shy of Purdue’s Zach Edey in the race to become college basketball’s national scoring leader. He ranked No. 3 on the leaderboard at 23.0 points per contest as one of the most thrilling players to watch in March Madness, and in turn, the Illinois guard is likely in line for a first-round pick. Hawkins, meanwhile, entered the transfer portal but stated that his intention is “100% to stay in the draft” on the heels of an All-Big Ten campaign.
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