Questions were already being asked about the overall talent level of the 2024 NBA Draft, with few players emerging as true talents.
Now, in the last month, three of the top prospects on most boards have been injured: Alexandre Sarr, Nikola Topic and, most recently, Isaiah Collier.
Collier injured his hand in USC’s Wednesday game against Washington State and will likely be out for four to six weeks, an obvious blow to his potential stock.
The 6-foot-3 guard was already sliding a bit due to inefficiencies and turnover issues, likely due to increased screening from the opposition. Now he’ll be out for weeks with little time to repair that image afterward.
In his second game with EuroLeague Red Star, Topic suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out of action for approximately six weeks.
The two were probably the top two point guard prospects on most boards, with Collier showing pure scoring prowess and Topic showing gaudy ABA numbers due to his length and stop-and-go style .
And then there’s Sarr, potentially the No. 1 prospect on many NBA boards, who suffered a minor hip strain that will keep him out for two to three weeks.
It’s incredibly unfortunate timing for all three, who would be within striking distance of moving into the top spot with strong finishes to the season. Although they played enough to have solid evaluations, strong finishes in their respective seasons could have done a lot for their draft stock.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook And Follow us on twitter to stay up to date with all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the cover.
