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2024 NBA Mock Draft: Colorado freshman goes in lottery, compared to $160 million star

By Andrew Hughes

A freshman on the Colorado basketball team is projected to be a lottery pick in a 2024 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
A freshman on the Colorado basketball team is projected to be a lottery pick in a 2024 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Colorado basketball freshman Cody Williams was projected by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman to be selected within the first 14 NBA draft lottery selections next June in his 2024 NBA mock draft. Wasserman compared Williams to the Portland Trailblazers’ recent $160 million investment, Jerami Grant.

“Cody Williams has made some strong first impressions with his open-floor finishing, slashing, touch around the basket and defensive effort,” Wasserman wrote. “His three-ball looks capable but shaky, and he needs to be stronger with the ball, weaknesses that suggest he’s more of a longer-term project than an immediate upgrade for an NBA team.

“At 6’8″, though, his potential scoring versatility and defensive tools could eventually mirror Jerami Grant’s. Between the five-game sample size at Colorado and his big senior year in high school, Williams has flashed that always-enticing combo of guard skills and wing-stopper tools.”

Wasserman had Williams going to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were projected to receive the No. 9 pick via the Los Angeles Clippers; a clear sign the Bleacher Report writer has no trust in James Harden helping L.A. at all.

Colorado basketball features several stars in Boulder and in the NBA

Williams is actually the developing third wheel in Boulder at the moment, with CU’s championship hopes resting with sharpshooting veterans KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva — who are both averaging 14.8 points or more on >40% 3-point shooting. Together, the trio give the Buffs a Big Three who can lead Colorado to postseason success in their final Pac-12 season.

At the NBA level, CU has several starters across the league and a potential All-Star. Derrick White is the exact fit of the latter description, while also falling into the former category along with Spencer Dinwiddie and Alec Burks.

Across the board, Colorado is dominating the hoops world at the moment. Just as Coach Prime is about to steal the show ahead of the transfer portal opening in December.

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