NBA teams win on the margins. Big moves will take you far, but small moves around the edges will take you farther. Being able to find contributors on cheap contracts or late in the draft is huge for constructing a competitive roster. Gems like that can be found in any draft class if teams look hard enough. Let’s look at some guys in the 2024 class who are projected to go undrafted but could find a role in the league.
Boo Buie
Guard – 24 y/o – Northwestern
Point guard is probably the hardest position for youngsters to adjust to when they get to the NBA. Running an offense is a huge and difficult responsibility. If anybody in this class is ready for that task, it’s Boo Buie. Buie is a seasoned floor general who isn’t fazed by pressure. His passing vision is excellent and his IQ is through the roof. He’s as steady as it gets and can always be trusted to hold things down for his team. As a bonus, he’s a great shooter and a dogged defender.
There’s one large obstacle Buie must face, though. Making it in the NBA as a small guard is hard. Buie must be able to stay ahead of the curve defensively to avoid becoming a liability. If he can tread water on that end and keep his shooting numbers up, Buie could be the little engine that could.
Enrique Freeman
Forward – 24 y/o – Akron
Enrique Freeman is the ultimate energy four man. Crashing the glass is his calling card— he led the entire NCAA in rebounding in 2023-24 despite being just 6’7”. He does more than just grab boards, though. He’s an active and versatile defender who protects the rim from the weak side. During his five years at Akron, he made four all-conference defensive teams and won a defensive player of the year as well. On the other end, he finishes at a high level in a multitude of ways.
Freeman plays tough, works hard, and does the dirty work needed to win games. He performed well at the Draft Combine and will absolutely get looks from NBA teams. To succeed at the next level, he’ll need to improve in a couple areas. As a senior, he shot 37% from deep, but it was on just 1.5 attempts per game and he only made one three in his prior four seasons combined. Spacing is king in today’s NBA, and proving to be a consistently capable shooter would do wonders for Freeman’s status. The other hole in his game is his decision-making— he posted significantly negative assist-to-turnover ratios in every college season he played. Rotation players in the league have to be smart with the ball.
If Freeman can continue to develop his jumper and take better care of the basketball, he will find a role as a pro.
Michael Ajayi
Forward – 21 y/o – Pepperdine
Do-it-all wings are at a premium in today’s NBA. Role players playing big minutes in the playoffs are all able to do some of everything. Michael Ajayi is that type of guy. He’s very efficient from behind the arc. He can guard on and off the ball. He can put the ball on the floor and get a bucket. He can run the pick-and-roll. He rebounds the heck out of the ball. The only major knocks on Ajayi are that his finishing numbers leave more to be desired and that he only played one year at a D1 school so he is relatively unproven. Overall, though, he seems like a safe bet to be a decent player.
Boogie Ellis
Guard – 23 y/o – USC
The NBA is all about a bucket, and Boogie Ellis can give you plenty of those. The kid oozes confidence— he’s a professional scorer. That was evident in his performance at the G League Elite Camp where he scorched the nets and earned a call-up to the Combine. He’s an elite shooter on a high volume who is comfortable taking and making every type of shot.
Ellis’ biggest question mark is his position. He’s a score-first shooting guard in a point guard’s body. To stick in the big leagues, he’ll need to expand his playmaking capabilities and become a true combo guard. If he can’t do that, his scoring will be enough for him to have a long career in the G League or overseas.
Armando Bacot
Center – 24 y/o – North Carolina
Armando Bacot is a very interesting case. He was a phenomenal college player— he’s leaving North Carolina as the school’s all-time leading rebounder and second all-time leading scorer. He’s a top-tier traditional big man who dominates the glass, protects the rim, sets stonewall screens, and scores in the post. He has a little modern flair, too— he can pass out of the high post and switch on the perimeter decently well. Despite all that, he’s rarely talked about in draft conversations. Why? Maybe it’s his age. Maybe it’s his lack of standout athleticism. Maybe it’s just that centers like him aren’t glamorous. The answer isn’t clear, but what is clear is that Bacot is darn good at basketball and is worthy of a chance in the NBA.
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