Up-and-Coming NBA Stars Ready to Break Out in 2024

We recently witnessed the NBA Draft on June 22^nd, and the up-and-coming talents drafted amongst the elite of professional basketball have the skillset to be future superstars.  

Today we’ll take a closer look at the top first-round prospects to stem from this year’s class, and considering the top-15-ranked players from the 2023 Draft each possess the potential to become the next big thing in basketball, it could go down as one of the strongest draft editions in decades. 

Victor Wembanyama 

San Antonio Spurs (No.1 Overall Pick)   

We haven’t witnessed such an extreme magnitude of hype surrounding an NBA prospect such as Victor Wembanyama in many years. Many have referred to him as ‘the best prospect since LeBron James,’ and in all fairness, this sentiment could be an understatement. 

Selling himself at the draft wasn’t difficult, and with the Spurs receiving the No.1 pick, his destination was already confirmed because nobody believed another player would get picked above him. He’s 7-foot-5-inches with an 8-foot wingspan, which makes him the tallest and longest player in the NBA as soon as he was drafted. 

We’ve seen sizes similar, but players like Tacko Fall simply can’t perform to the NBA’s pace-and-space style. But what’s different about Victor, you may ask? 

For starters, he’s exceptionally fluid on the court for a man of his stature, he’s displayed an ability to defend on the perimeter, and his speed from end-to-end of the court is something else. Moreover, he delivered an 82% free throw line accuracy, shows an endless gas tank, is a team player, and has made countless three-pointers from challenging positions.    

The San Antonio Spurs could be in for a real treat. While at the Mets in the French Pro League, he collected almost every award possible – MPV, Best Young Player, Best Defender, Top Scorer, and Best Blocker; is there anything he can’t do? 

Brandon Miller 

Charlotte Hornets (No.2 Overall Pick)   

Brandon Miller was expected to be a No.4 or No.5 pick, but the Charlotte Hornets had other ideas. And it’s difficult to argue their selection as he’s undoubtedly worthy of his top-five prospect positioning. 

Miller is a lengthy tall wing that can deliver three-pointers in masses, and we hope that those promo codes offered by Caesars Sportsbook will become helpful when backing Miller to hit over his 3-point total. He can additionally deliver impressive passes and is, without question, a respectable shooter. The only question is, can he become a long-term 40% shooter in the NBA? 

Scoot Henderson

Portland Trailblazers (No.3 Overall Pick)   

Another player we can bet on making a huge impact is Scoot Henderson. Most believed he’d go to the Hornets as the overall No.2, but the Trailblazers hit the jackpot when the former G League Ignite standout remained available for their No.3 selection. 

After refusing a career in college basketball, Miller became the NBA’s developmental program – G League Ignite – and he sure did deliver. Rewatching his past performances will have you in awe, as these highlights are brimming with moments of excellence that eventually positioned him as a point guard prospect the entire NBA was paying attention to.    

Amen & Ausar Thompson 

Amen – Houston Rockets (No.4 Overall Pick)   

Ausar – Detroit Pistons (No.5 Overall Pick)   

The Thompson twins gave no forgiveness to their mother, standing at 6’7 with a 7-foot wingspan. Jokes aside, this pair of ginormous guards display impeccable athleticism and broken jump shots worthy of anyone’s attention. Amen boasts the potential to evolve into the NBA’s most athletic player next season; he’s unselfish, provides creative assistance to his teammates, and is unstoppable when attacking the rim. Ausar isn’t athletic, but is notably the greater shooter of the two, handles the ball tightly, and is defensively more effective than his brother. 

Of course, there are concerns with any draft prospect besides Wembanyama. And with Amen, he isn’t the prettiest shooter. However, his first step and ball-handling ability are ludicrous, even as a low scorer. In addition, Ausar isn’t the greatest shooter, but the upside here is that once the Pistons refine his shooting, he could become a monster at both ends of the floor.

Conclusion

The 2023 NBA Draft was one of the most exciting in recent memory, with a number of top prospects with the potential to become future superstars. Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, and the Thompson twins are all players to keep an eye on as they begin their NBA careers.

Wembanyama is the clear-cut number one prospect in this year’s draft, and he has the potential to be a dominant force in the league for years to come. Miller is a versatile wing who can score from the perimeter and create for others, while Henderson is a dynamic point guard with a high ceiling. The Thompson twins are both athletic freaks with a lot of potential on the offensive end.

It will be interesting to see how these players develop over the next few years, but there is no doubt that they have the potential to be special and it will be fun to watch these players develop and compete at the highest level.