Sarr's name is written in pencil for now as Atlanta's front office -- which was preparing to pick somewhere closer to the teens than at No. 1 -- does its due diligence and dives deep on who to snag here at No. 1. He's a 7-footer with potential to be a defensive anchor and upside to grow into more, but Zaccharie Risacher could be in the mix here as well.

We'll see what the Wizards do here at No. 2, but the early buzz emanating from Chicago during combine week was that they may be eyeing Risacher, thus the pick here. He's a big wing who has improved as a shooter and is turning heads of late after scoring 28 last week for JL Bourg in a playoff game.

Clingan was one of the most impactful bigs in college basketball the last two seasons, and he helped key UConn's title run this last postseason with a star turn as a defensive monster. He plays with great anticipation and his length affects how teams attack inside, making him an interesting if slightly out of the box pick for the Rockets here to pair next to Alperen Sengun.

Armed with picks Nos. 4 and 8, San Antonio is in a spot here with its first pick to take one of the Kentucky guards -- Sheppard or Rob Dillingham -- or international guard Nikola Topic. I'm going with the first player mentioned. Sheppard aced the testing at the Combine with a 42-inch max standing vertical that ranked tied for first. Paired with a stellar freshman season in which he displayed shooting and defensive potential, he could be a perfect plug-and-play for the Spurs' backcourt to build around next to Victor Wembanyama.

Detroit was brutal in a lot of areas last season, but shooting in particular is a glaring hole on this team's roster. Knecht is a killer shooter in catch-and-shoot and spot-up situations and also adds an element of scoring punch and playmaking to a Pistons roster that lacks some punch.

There was just as much scuttlebutt centered around Salaun at the combine as there was any other prospect despite Salaun being one of the few not in attendance. He had a 19-point game in the French league playoffs and looked as good as he has all season in doing so with deep 3s and an aggression we've not seen much. He could be a surprise pick in a wide-open top 10, and his range probably starts around No. 4.

Castle winds up a surprise slipper in this mock, which benefits the Trail Blazers. He's remained steadfast in his desire to play point at the NBA level after making sacrifices at UConn, but the fit next to Scoot Henderson as a secondary playmaker and defensive stopper makes too much sense and provides too much value.

Instead of taking Sheppard in place of Topic, San Antonio stumbles into a gift in which it lands both at No. 4 and No. 8. Topic profiles as a lead facilitator which could push Sheppard into a secondary playmaker and shooting role. The two could instantly upgrade what was a lackluster Spurs playmaking attack last season.

In a league dominated by power wings with big frames, Memphis swings for a huge upside prospect in Buzelis to pair with Ja Morant. Buzelis has a huge frame and immense potential to grow into a versatile forward who can dribble, pass and shoot.

Holland's range starts at No. 1 in this draft, so him falling all the way to No. 10 would register as a surprise. The former No. 1 recruit showed improvement with G League Ignite last season and presents long-term star potential as a big wing with real defensive upside.

Strong candidate to be a late-riser in this process. George shot 40.8% from 3-point range and rated in the 92nd percentile as a catch-and-shoot weapon as a freshman at Miami last season, per Synergy data. Huge frame and does a little of everything that will have NBA teams intrigued.

Few who had a better combine week than Carter, who broke a combine record in the 3/4-court sprint and tied for the best max standing vertical leap at 42 inches. He's coming off a Big East Player of the Year season for Providence and has shown the improvement as a shooter that could make him a ready-made 3-and-D weapon with playmaking to boot.

You have to do some projecting here to buy into Furphy because of his limited role at Kansas and hit-or-miss production, but he can shoot it great from anywhere on the floor and has the ball skills to be an attacker off the bounce as well. Could be a nice long-term insurance plan in the event Malik Monk leaves Sac-town.

Walter showed all the tools that made him a five-star prospect during his one season at Baylor with an array of athleticism and quick-trigger shooting that makes for an easy NBA projection. He'll need to improve his shooting and touch overall, but at 19 years old with his track record as a gunner, I'd buy into him here at the back of the lottery.

Measuring at just 6-foot-1 and 164.2 pounds, Dillingham came up shorter and smaller than hoped entering combine week that could push his stock down a smidge. How NBA teams view the measurements and the impact of his projection is still yet to be seen, but he's been downgraded from a potential top-3 pick to the mid-to-late lottery range.

Being a shot-maker at the guard spot in the NBA is a must; being one who can make TOUGH shots in the NBA is a plus. That's what McCain brings to the table. Electric shooting weapon who can make shots off movement, and a relentless rebounder for a guard his size.

Whether New Orleans takes this pick or defers it to L.A. remains to be seen, but for now, we're projecting the Pels to be taking No. 17 and selecting Cody Williams. Williams is a bit of a mystery box prospect, but the ascension of his older brother, Jalen Williams, into an All-Star producer should have NBA teams digging deep. He has ideal size, shoots it well and fits the mold of a power wing with multi-positional versatility.

Every team could put to use a player of Shannon's ilk -- a 6-foot-6 wing who can create off the dribble, shoot and defend. Orlando could put him to use as a role player next to Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs as an offensive-minded complement to both.

Playmaking, size and a disruptive force is what Collier brings to the table for a Toronto team that could stand to add all the above to its backcourt. Scottie Barnes is the alpha here with the Raptors, but you can't have enough offensive sparkplugs -- and Collier can be a game-changer as a downhill creator.

Few did better for their draft stock during the NCAA Tournament than da Silva, who shot it great from 3-point range, flashed his two-way versatility and impacted winning on both ends for Colorado. His defense and size coupled with his reliable jumper should make him a trendy riser late in the process.

A 7-footer with real talent as a floor spacer, Filipowski could work in tandem with Zion Williamson as a shooting complement and generally valuable addition in size. He did a lot of work as a playmaker at Duke as well and has the tools to be useful in numerous roles.

Carrington began the season ranked just inside the top 100 of his own recruiting class but heads to the draft as a possible top-30 selection after a big year at Pitt. He led the team in assists and finished second in scoring and minutes played.

Kolek spent his college career playing in Milwaukee for Marquette and stays close to begin his professional journey with the Bucks, who presumably have seen him as much as any other NBA team. High-level creator who led college in assists per game last season.

Edey was the best player in college basketball the last two years, and while there may be questions about his NBA fit (his shooting and his court coverage in space, in particular), there will likely be a team willing to bet on him somewhere in this range. With the Knicks owning No. 24 and No. 25, they can stand to roll the dice a bit with a big man with a big game in Edey who has had a strong pre-draft process.

Overall, Djrusic had a strong week in Chicago playing in the scrimmages at the combine by displaying real passing ability and feel for the game. This might be a bit earlier than some expect, but he's had a great year with Mega MIS in the ABA and looks like he belongs.

Washington could stand to take some big swings given its situation -- in the doldrums of the NBA standings for years -- and Edwards presents as one of the biggest available on the board. He's a 6-foot-7 wing who was active and aggressive at the combine after an up-and-down year at Kentucky with theoretical upside as a future starter.

Scheierman was one of the big winners of combine week after standing out in the scrimmages and moves into the first round of our mock for the first time this cycle. He's an older prospect but could produce instant value for a contenting Timberwolves team.

The modus operandi of Denver's front office over the years -- drafting the likes of Jalen Pickett and Nikola Jokic -- has been to lean into unconventional prospects. Jones is that. He was the best player in the Big Sky last season and produced like an All-American in four years at Weber State as a passer, defender and all-around Swiss army knife.

A raw prospect with tremendous upside, Missi is a potential lottery pick due to his size, skill and shot-blocking ability. He's a developmental-type prospect but the flashes of "wow" he put together at the end of the season became more frequent.

This is quite a bit later than where Klintman is expected to go, but there's reason to be a bit skeptical about his game. He's still young and has a great frame but he remains a work in progress and developmental prospect, which may not be as appealing for contending teams late in the 20s.

Sarr is a high-energy, versatile frontcourt prospect who should be the second straight French player to go first overall in the NBA Draft. Think Jaren Jackson Jr. but without the established 3-point shot. Is Sarr a can't-miss player? No. But Atlanta would be smart to grab him after looking into the first pick unless, of course, the front office decides to move it for any number of reasons — most notably veteran help.

Nobody had Sheppard projected as a one-and-done lottery pick before the season started — but that's what he'll be after shooting 52.1% from 3-point range in his lone season at Kentucky while earning CBS Sports National Freshman of the Year honors. Yes, I recognize this is higher than most have Sheppard going next month. But I'm a big believer in his ability to flourish as a lead guard and elite shot-maker, and I do not think his lack of size will prevent him from being special.

Risacher is among the candidates to go No. 1 overall, which by definition makes him a reasonable option for Houston at No. 3. He's a 6-8 wing who is shooting 56.1% from 3-point range in France this season. That he's doing this despite not turning 20 years old until next April is another thing working in Risacher's favor.

Topic is an 18-year-old point guard from Serbia with great positional size who has already been a professional for multiple years. If you watched the Spurs at all this season, you know the need for a lead guard is real. There's no guarantee Topic will be available at No. 4, but if he is he'll be among the obvious targets for San Antonio.

Is Buzelis a reliable 3-point shooter like he seemed to be during his senior year of high school (43.1%) or a below-average 3-point shooter like he was this season for the G League Ignite (27.3%)? How front offices answer that question will determine whether the 6-11 forward goes inside or outside of the top five of this draft. Either way, falling outside of the top 10 seems unlikely considering Buzelis has undeniable upside and real star-potential, and, for what it's worth, he would also fill a positional need for the 14-win Pistons.

Castle projects as a combo guard at the next level with nice positional size and all of the intangibles you could want. At UConn, he was comfortable just fitting in and taking tough defensive assignments while impacting winning despite arguably being the Huskies' best prospect. The main concern is an unreliable jumper that led to the Castle shooting just 26.7% from 3-point range this season, but everything else is in place for him to be a difference-maker alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Charlotte.

Clingan was a monster in the NCAA Tournament while helping UConn win a second straight national championship. The only real thing preventing him from being an ideal big in the modern-NBA is a reliable jumper. But everything else — an ability to block and alter shots, switch comfortably onto smaller players, etc., — is pretty easy to see and why Clingan could be a great long term fixture in the middle for Portland.

Walter entered Baylor with the reputation as one of the world's best amateur prospects and had a productive freshman year even if he didn't quite meet expectations in his one season with the Bears. The 6-5 guard averaged 14.2 points per game while helping Baylor secure a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He would make a nice building block in Charlotte next to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Arguably no player helped his stock this past season more than Knecht. The former JUCO standout (who also spent two years at Northern Colorado) was fabulous in his fifth year of college basketball at Tennessee — averaging 21.7 points while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range on 6.5 attempts per game while earning SEC Player of the Year honors. Knecht should be one of the most impactful rookie offensive players in the NBA next season, and he could play a role in getting the Grizzlies back to the Western Conference Playoffs after this season was derailed by Ja Morant's 25-game suspension and injuries up and down the roster.

Dillingham was one of two projected top-10 picks coming off of Kentucky's bench this season for reasons that remain confusing. Regardless, most evaluators now believe he'll be the latest guard to shine in the NBA after not really doing it as much as his talent suggested he should've in one year at Kentucky. I agree with them. But Dillingham measuring only 6-1 (without shoes) at the combine is likely to create some skeptics at the top of the draft.

Considering the Heat are forever shopping Tyler Herro, and don't seem thrilled with Jimmy Butler, adding a young guard in anticipation of a roster-shakeup might be the move. Collier spent a pretty forgettable one season at USC, where he lost more than he won and shot just 33.8% from 3-point range. Still, the top-ranked recruit from the Class of 2023 still possesses all of the things that made him the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2023 and is worth a serious look this deep in this draft.

Williams is the brother of Oklahoma City standout Jalen Williams — but taller and a lot more heralded at the same age. He needs to add weight and continue to develop as a 3-point threat, but there are reasons to believe he'll do both things in time. If he eventually pops, Williams would be a steal in this draft after averaging 11.9 points in his one season at Colorado.

Among the things Filipowski needed to do this season to improve his stock is make a higher percentage of 3-point shots to show that he can truly be a stretch-big at the next level. He did it. The 7-foot center made a respectable 34.8% of the 3.1 3-pointers he attempted per game while helping Duke make the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. That's 6.6 percentage points better than what Filipowski shot from beyond the arc as a freshman, which should solidify his status as a top-15 pick.

Holland skipped college to play for the G League Ignite — but it didn't go too well even though he averaged a team-high 20.6 points. The problem is that Holland only shot 24.0% from 3-point range and was the face of a team that finished 2-32. Both things are concerning — but I remain open to the idea that this 18 year-old wing still has plenty of time to get to a point where his production matches his potential.

McCain lived up to his reputation as an elite shooter in his one season at Duke, where he averaged 14.3 points while making 41.4% of the 5.8 3-pointers he attempted per game. Considering the Heat are forever shopping Tyler Herro, and don't seem thrilled with Jimmy Butler, adding a young guard who can shoot in anticipation of a roster-shakeup might be the move.

For a Sixers franchise in win-now mode, adding a 23 year-old like da Silva who can guard his position and reliably make 3-pointers should be preferable to adding a teenager who needs time to develop. The 6-9 forward should be a plug-and-play addition for basically anybody on Day 1.

Carter, the son of a former NBA player, is the reigning Big East Player of the Year after averaging 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals in his second season at Providence. He's a terrific competitor, elite defender and improved shooter who could theoretically fill a rotation spot for a playoff team as a rookie.

Kansas coach Bill Self recently said he expects Furphy to remain in the draft because he's going to be a first-round pick. I agree with the Hall of Fame coach. Furphy, an unusually long guard, comes from a family of athletes in Australia and just shot 46.6% from the field and 35.2% from 3-point range while starting 19 times for the Jayhawks.

Salaun should be the third French player to go in the top 20 of this draft. He's a wing with size who is an emerging shooter and plus-defender with a good motor. At this point in his career, he's more of a spot-up shooter than an off-the-bounce shooter. But Salaun is still only 18 years old, point being there's plenty of time to expand his game on both ends for a Toronto franchise that's still likely multiple years from competing in the Eastern Conference again.

Carrington won't turn 19 years old until nearly a month after the draft, making him one of the youngest players available. The 6-5 guard was merely a borderline top-100 prospect coming out of high school, but he quickly showed enough promise as a shooter and passer with good positional size to emerge as a reasonable first-round option.

Missi is an incredible physical specimen who is excellent at the rim on offense and in possession of enough athleticism, size and strength to excel defensively. The 7-footer from Cameroon would be fortunate to land in New Orleans, where he could support Zion Williamson and eventually serve as a suitable replacement for Jonas Valanciunas.

Kolek has some obvious issues as an NBA prospect, most notably a lack of athleticism relative to what's desired from lead guards. Still, at 6-3, Kolek is adequately sized for his position, terrific in pick-and-rolls, an A-plus passer and reliable 3-point shooter. Needless to say, Phoenix needs help at point guard. Kolek could provide some help.

McCullar's season came to an unfortunate end early because a nagging knee injury that derailed Kansas' season — but before that he was clearly KU's best player while averaging a career-high 18.3 points per game in his fifth year of college. He's an elite defender at his size and should be, at the age of 23, a solid plug-and-play option for a Milwaukee franchise that doesn't need to waste any more of Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime years.

As incredible as Edey was at Purdue over the past two years, he remains a divisive NBA prospect with what appears to be a pretty big range. He could go in the lottery or slip into the 20s. Either way, Edey would be a sensible option for the Knicks if he's still available at this point in the draft considering they could be on the verge of losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

Edwards was the highest-ranked prospect in Kentucky's top-ranked recruiting class but was largely disappointing all season. He finished sixth on the team in points, sixth on the team in scoring and averaged roughly as many turnovers as assists. Is he worth a flier at this point in the draft by a New York franchise with back-to-back picks? Sure. But Edwards did very little at UK to suggest he should be selected anywhere close to where most had him projected six months ago.

Holmes is the rare top-55 high school prospect who enrolled at an Atlantic 10 school. He's a reasonable option at this point in the draft in part because of the way he's gone from a non-shooter upon enrolling at Dayton to a real stretch-the-floor threat as a third-year player who made 38.6% of the 3-pointers he attempted this season.

Klintman is a two-way wing from Sweden who should be able to alternate between both forward spots. He initially declared for the 2023 NBA Draft after one year at Wake Forest but ultimately withdrew to pursue a professional opportunity in Australia. With another year of development under his belt, and not many great options in the 20s, Klintman will have a better chance to get a guaranteed contract in this draft than he did last year.

Holmes is the rare top-55 high school prospect who enrolled at an Atlantic 10 school. He's a reasonable option at this point in the draft in part because of the way he's gone from a non-shooter upon enrolling at Dayton to a real stretch-the-floor threat as a third-year player who made 38.6% of the 3-pointers he attempted this season.

Some consider Dunn a high-floor/low-ceiling prospect who has the potential to be an elite defender who guards multiple positions but will maybe never amount to much on offense. I don't completely disagree with the sentiment. But using the 29th pick in a weak draft on a high-IQ, high-energy player who projects as the best versatile defender in this draft doesn't seem like the type of thing a franchise would regret.

Ighodaro doesn't project as the type of big who will stretch the floor because he never even took 3-pointers at Marquette. But the 6-11 athlete is a versatile defender and lob threat who could be a real weapon in Boston, where 37 year-old Al Horford averaged 26.8 minutes per game this season.

Risacher brings great size and length to the wing with encouraging fluidity on his outside shot. Like any young international prospect, Risacher will need time to develop the physicality required to thrive in the NBA. In the absence of an obvious headliner from the class, he's as deserving as anyone to be taken No. 1 overall.

Sarr is an athletic rim protector with upside as a perimeter defender. His 3-point shooting percentages leave something to be desired. But for a young player of his size, he's ahead of the curve offensively in how he's flashed the ability to handle the basketball and create shots.

Topic is a big European guard with a nifty handle and natural passing instincts. It's easy to envision him facilitating out of the pick-and-roll. Whoever drafts him may need to be patient with his 3-point shot but will be getting a player with tantalizing offensive upside.

If you don't think Sheppard is a lottery-level player, it's because you haven't watched much Kentucky basketball and are relying on the same stereotypes as the evaluators who pegged him as the fifth-best player in his own signing class at UK. He's an elite defender, elite shooter and one of the best passers in college basketball.

Buzelis hasn't shot it great from 3-point range for G League Ignite, but he's shown a well-rounded offensive game and is making an impact on the defensive end. In a draft class full of rangy wings with potential versatility, he is arguably the most well-rounded of the bunch.

If you want to nitpick, Williams has turned the ball over a lot and hasn't rated as one of Colorado's top defenders during his freshman season. But his offensive efficiency has been off the charts, and he's got all the physical tools and talent needed to potentially develop into an NBA All-Star.

Castle is a big, versatile guard capable of facilitating the offense or playing off the ball. He also rates as UConn's No. 2 defender behind only 7-4 Donovan Clingan, according to evanmiya.com. From an intangibles perspective, it's remarkably impressive to see a freshman making such valuable contributions to the reigning national title winners.

Salaun is demonstrating encouraging proficiency as a 3-point shooter overseas, suggesting his floor would be as a rotational 3-and-D wing. If the flashes he's shown as an attacker and finisher translate to the next level, then he could be a dynamic NBA playmaker.

Walter hasn't been the world's most efficient offensive player in his lone season of college basketball, but he's shown all the tools which made him a five-star prospect. He's athletic and rangy, and his excellent free-throw shooting suggests there is long-term shooting upside.