These 6 NBA Rookies Can Outperform Their Draft Positions in Their First Season

While the 2024 NBA Draft class is considered by many to be a weaker class, there are always players who far exceed their original draft position and prove to be a bargain for other franchises.

Bub Carrington, the one-and-done player out of Pittsburgh, has shown early signs of becoming an immediate impact guard for the rebuilding Washington Wizards. While the Wizards also selected Alex Sarr with the No. 2 overall pick, Carrington (the No. 14 pick) was the superior prospect during Summer League.

Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht was taken by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 17th pick and is already looking like a steal in the draft. He is a true catch-and-shoot player who can score from all sides of the court.

With the 2024-25 season just around the corner, Yahoo Sports takes a look at six rookies who could give their team a boost even if they’re not a top pick in the draft.

Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards

Concept lock: No. 14

The Wizards are likely to enter the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes in next year’s draft. They’re a very young team and lack star talent in a competitive Eastern Conference. That means Carrington, 19, should get all the reps he needs as a rookie, playing on a team with little pressure to win right away and compete for a playoff spot.

Carrington exuded confidence in his first real NBA test of the summer, nearly notching a triple-double in his first Summer League outing. He finished the tournament averaging 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and San Antonio guard Stephon Castle may be early favorites for Rookie of the Year, but Carrington could be an outsider with the amount of playing time he’ll see this season.

Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat

Concept lock: No. 15

The Heat do a great job of identifying players who fit a specific role on the team, and it appears they may have found their version of Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II in this year’s draft. Ware was a dream in the pick-and-roll during Summer League, and NBA space gives him the flexibility to find the seams and use his footwork to get to his spots.

Lively played a strong supporting role as a rookie alongside Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, and Ware could be a similarly young center for the Heat with his rim protection and great hands around the basket, playing alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. There were three centers selected ahead of Ware in the draft (Sarr at No. 2, Donovan Clingan at No. 7 and Zach Edey at No. 9), and Ware could be the most productive big in this draft class with how well his game translates to the modern NBA.

Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers

Concept lock: No. 17

Knecht going out of the lottery and all the way to No. 17 was a huge gift for the Lakers. He can be immediately plugged in with his experience and how well he shoots the 3-ball. Lakers fans will be excited to see LeBron James and Bronny James take the court as the NBA’s first father-son duo, but it’s Knecht who will likely see immediate playing time as a rookie and become a reliable shooter off the bench for the Lakers. Knecht led the SEC in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game while shooting just under 40% from the 3-point line during his final season.

“The NBA brings a different pace and definitely a lot more physicality,” Knecht told Yahoo Sports in July. “And with my experience at Tennessee and my whole career, I continue to trust my shot and myself.”

AJ Johnson, Milwaukee Bucks

Concept lock: No. 23

Bucks fans may have been scratching their heads when Johnson’s name was called with the 23rd pick after he averaged just 2.9 points and 8.3 minutes for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s National Basketball League last season. But taking a swing at the 6-foot-5 point guard with a high ceiling and great instincts at 19 might be worth it. Johnson looked much more confident as the primary ball handler during Summer League, averaging 11.2 points through five games.

The Bucks already have a solid core led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, so Johnson will have room to develop and grow into his slight frame. Johnson has been training with Rockets guard Jalen Green since he was in eighth grade and looked great over the summer, getting reps in the gym with Paul George and holding his own during coach Rico Hines’ UCLA runs.

Terrence Shannon Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves

Concept lock: No. 27

Shannon was one of the top rookies during Summer League, exuding confidence in his shot creation and passing with his new team. The chemistry with No. 8 pick Rob Dillingham was evident, as both rookies could be key players in the second unit for this talented Timberwolves team.

The 24-year-old shooting guard from Illinois totaled 44 points in his first two Summer League games in July and averaged just two turnovers in his four games. Older players are always gambled on in the draft, but at No. 27, the Timberwolves valued experience. Scouts and the front office have seen Shannon’s continued development, and he figures to be a player who can contribute right away.

Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz

Concept lock: No. 29

Collier was the No. 1-ranked recruit coming out of high school, but couldn’t get things going at USC with the offensive system and backcourt chemistry issues alongside Boogie Ellis and Bronny James. Collier’s outside shot remains an area of ​​development and could be a reason he fell toward the end of the first round; he shot just 33.8% from 3-point range his freshman year.

Collier is a better downhiller than any guard in the rookie class, and the extra cap space in the NBA could give him more playmaking opportunities next to Keyonte George, last year’s standout rookie out of Utah. The Jazz are being patient in their rebuilding process, so expect their young players to see plenty of playing time this season.