Cam Christie is the only Big 10 freshman in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6’6″ guard made the conference’s all-freshman team and helped Minnesota to a 19-win season.
But what about his pro prospects? The MSR, during Monday’s ESPN 2024 NBA Draft Preview media call, asked the network’s NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks and NBA Draft Analyst Jeremy Woo for their thoughts on the 19-year-old Christie.
“I think he’s in an interesting spot. I think his range is in the late first to early second [round],” said Woo. “I think the key for him will be landing in a situation where he could develop and a place he feels good that will sort of invest in him and give him the time to improve.
“He may need to go to the D League to get the playing time he needs,” Woo surmised on Christie.
Among nine mock drafts (ESPN.com, The Athletic, The Ringer, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, NetScouts Basketball, CBS Sports, SB Nation, USA Today), only Yahoo Sports has Christie going in the first round to Minnesota at No. 27.
ESPN Draft Day Predictor, however, has Illinois shooting guard Terrence Shannon being selected by the Timberwolves with its first-round pick on Wednesday.
Marks added that the Wolves have a couple of free agents, and the team must decide to resign or let go. “They’ve got two big free agents with Kyle Anderson and Monte Morris,” he pointed out. “To keep them certainly comes with a significant penalty,” such as the luxury tax for going over the salary cap, noted Marks.
For the first time ever, the NBA Draft will be held over two days: Wednesday, June 26, and Thursday, June 27.