The 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm is fast approaching, and several G League highlights are eager to hear their names announced during this exciting two-day event.
In total, 14 notable players from the G League are focused on increasing their draft stock in the weeks leading up to the selection. Among them, six standout talents from G League Ignite are prominent names within the pre-draft discussions. Additionally, eight other players who played in the G League last season are honing their skills with the same dreams of reaching the NBA.
Fans can catch the 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm on June 26 at 8 PM ET and June 27 at 4 PM ET, available on ABC and ESPN.
Abdullah Ahmed
Height: 6’10”
Position: C
Age: 20
Team: Westchester Knicks
A 6-foot-10 center hailing from Egypt, Ahmed was drafted by the Westchester Knicks as the sixth overall pick in the 2023 NBA G League International Draft. The young player averaged 4.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game over the course of 27 games during the 2023-24 season. He showcased his talent with five games recording 10 or more rebounds and 2 or more blocks, including a standout performance with 16 rebounds and 4 blocks on February 22 against Windy City. As an early entrant in the NBA Draft, Ahmed carved out a significant role in the Westchester lineup, logging 20-plus minutes in nine of the last 15 games after only surpassing that mark in three of his first 12 appearances.
2023-24 Season Averages: 27 GP, 4.9 PTS, 5.8 REB, 0.3 AST, 1.1 BLK, 0.2 STL, 48.2 FG%
Izan Almansa
Height: 6’10”
Position: C
Age: 19
Team: G League Ignite
Nineteen-year-old Almansa signed with Ignite in June 2023, joining fellow OTE alum Tyler Smith. He debuted with an impressive stat line of 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. Just two weeks later, he achieved his first double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the South Bay Lakers. Throughout the season, Almansa scored in double figures 25 times, including five games with over 20 points and seven double-doubles. He impressed with his playmaking from the post, recording 3 or more assists in nine games and multiple blocks eight times.
2023-24 Season Averages: 48 GP, 10.5 PTS, 7.2 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.8 BLK, 54.3% FG%
Matas Buzelis
Height: 6’10”
Position: F
Age: 18
Team: G League Ignite
Standing tall at 6-foot-10, Buzelis exhibited his versatile skill set throughout the Ignite season. He averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks in a total of 34 games, shooting 45.3% from the field. His impressive 2.1 blocks per game ranked him tied for fourth in the G League. The 19-year-old standout scored 20 or more points in seven games and nailed at least two 3-pointers in eight games, finishing the Regular Season with six double-doubles.
2023-24 Season Averages: 34 GP, 14.1 PTS, 6.6 REB, 1.9 AST, 1.0 STL, 1.9 BLK, 45.3% FG
Thierry Darlan
Height: 6’8″
Position: G
Age: 20
Team: G League Ignite
In March 2023, Darlan etched his name in history as the sixth graduate from the NBA Academy and the third from NBA Academy Africa to sign with Ignite. Over the course of 45 games, he averaged 5.4 points and frequently contributed with over 10 points in scoring, also registering multiple steals on nine occasions. This summer, Darlan excelled in the Basketball Africa League, finishing eighth in scoring with an average of 17.7 points per game for his local Bangui Sporting Club and also ranked eighth in rebounding with 8.7 per game.
2023-24 Season Averages: 45 GP, 5.4 PTS, 3.7 REB, 0.8 AST, 0.6 STL
Ron Holland
Height: 6’8″
Position: F
Age: 18
Team: G League Ignite
Initially weighing several NCAA options, the 6-foot-8 Holland made the bold decision to go pro, joining Ignite. During both the Showcase Cup and Regular Season, he led his squad in scoring with an impressive average of 19.5 points, along with averaging 2.4 steals and 6.7 rebounds per game. His versatility was evident, having scored at least 20 points and grabbed a minimum of 5 rebounds in 15 games, including eight outings with 25 or more points. Even though he missed some games toward the end of the season, Holland led Ignite in scoring on 13 occasions and recorded 2 or more steals in 20 of his 29 appearances.
2023-24 Season Averages: 29 GP, 19.5 PTS, 6.7 REB, 3.1 AST, 2.4 STL
Djordije Jovanovic
Height: 6’7″
Position: F
Age: 21
Team: Ontario Clippers
Hailing from Montenegro, the 21-year-old Jovanovic began his basketball journey in Serbia. Initially with Partizan Belgrade in the Serbian ABA League, he later played for their affiliate team, OKK Dunav, in the KLS. During the 2021-22 season, he showcased his talent…rebounds per game.
### Player Profiles
**1. Teafale Lenard Jr.**
– **Height**: 6’8″
– **Position**: Forward
– **Age**: 21
– **Team**: Texas Legends
Teafale Lenard Jr. kicked off his basketball journey at Snyder High School in Jersey City, NJ, before showcasing his talent at Middle Tennessee State. In his sophomore season, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game, landing a spot on the Conference USA All-Defensive Team. His 61 blocks rank as the fourth-highest in a season in the program’s history, and he recorded 12 games with multiple blocks and steals—leading all Division 1 players.
The South Bay Lakers selected Lenard as the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA G League Draft, only for his rights to be traded to the Texas Legends in exchange for the first overall pick, Jack White. Throughout 24 games in the Showcase Cup and regular season, he averaged 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, with highlights including a 24-point and 7-rebound performance in February against Sioux Falls.
**2023-24 Season Averages**: 24 GP, 4.6 PTS, 2.1 REB, 1.0 AST, 1.0 BLK, 0.9 STL, 41.1 FG%
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**2. Malique Lewis**
– **Height**: 6’8″
– **Position**: Forward
– **Age**: 19
– **Team**: Mexico City Capitanes
At just 19, Lewis made a splash in the 2023 NBA G League International Draft, where he was selected first overall by the Mexico City Capitanes. During his season, he averaged 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game across the Showcase Cup and regular season, securing four double-doubles. His rebounding average ranked fourth on the team, and he showcased significant shooting talent, hitting three or more three-pointers in five games.
Lewis’s impressive performance earned him an invitation to the NBA G League Elite Camp in Chicago ahead of the NBA Draft Combine.
**2023-24 Season Averages**: 50 GP, 8.4 PTS, 5.8 REB, 1.3 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.1 BLK, 49.2% FG
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**3. Isiaih Mosley**
– **Height**: 6’5″
– **Position**: Forward
– **Age**: 24
– **Team**: Rip City Remix
Growing up in Missouri, Mosley earned the title of Mr. Show-Me Basketball, reflecting his excellence at Snyder High School, where he averaged 23.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a senior. He began his college career at Missouri State, achieving First Team All-MVC honors twice during his tenure and averaged 20.4 points as a junior. He wrapped up his college career at Missouri with an average of 9.6 points in 14 games.
Mosley was picked 8th overall by the Greensboro Swarm in the 2023 NBA G League Draft, with additional stints at the Rip City Remix and Wisconsin Herd during the season. His averages for the year settled at 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds across 13 regular season games with the Herd.
**2023-24 Season Averages**: 19 GP, 3.8 PTS, 1.9 REB, 1.4 AST, 0.4 STL, 43.1 FG%
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**4. David Muoka**
– **Height**: 6’10”
– **Position**: Center
– **Age**: 23
– **Team**: Long Island Nets
Muoka’s basketball journey began in Hong Kong before attending prep school in Canada, eventually landing at Lamar University. In his sophomore year, he was crowned Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, showcasing averages of 5.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks. He concluded his collegiate career at UNLV.
Selected as the third overall pick by the Capital City Go-Go in the 2023 NBA G League Draft, Muoka showcased his potential in 38 games with the Long Island Nets, averaging 4.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. His notable performances included 13 games with multiple blocks, highlighted by two games with six blocks each. He played a crucial role for the Nets during their playoff run, averaging 8.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in that span.
**2023-24 Season Averages**: 38 GP, 4.5 PTS, 5.0 REB, 0.6 AST, 1.3 BLK, 58.5 FG%
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**5. Pavel Savkov**
– **Height**: 6’7″
– **Position**: Forward
– **Age**: 22
– **Team**: Birmingham Squadron
Savkov hails from Russia and spent a significant portion of his early career developing with Spain’s Baskonia club. During the 2022-23 season, he averaged 13.1 points and 2.1 rebounds over 10 games with the reserve team while converting over 39% of his shots from beyond the arc.
In the 2023 NBA G League Draft, Savkov was selected 6th overall by the Birmingham Squadron. Throughout 13 appearances during the Winter Showcase and regular season, he averaged 3.2 points while hitting over 42% from three-point territory in about six minutes of play per game. After his season with Birmingham, he continued his career in Spain with Guuk Gipuzkoa Basket, averaging 4.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
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These young talents highlight the depth and promise present in the G League, showcasing their skill sets and readiness to leave their mark in the world of professional basketball.### Player Profiles: Promising Talents in the G League
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#### Babacar Sane
– **Height:** 6’7″
– **Position:** Forward
– **Age:** 20
– **Team:** G League Ignite
After wrapping up the 2022 BAL season, Sane joined Ignite in October of the same year. In his debut season, he made a notable impact, averaging 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds over 41 games. The 6-foot-7 forward exhibited flashes of his athletic potential, notably achieving a double-double against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in January, where he contributed 17 points and set an Ignite team record with 18 rebounds, along with a career-high of three made 3-pointers. His second season with Ignite saw a significant uptick in performance, with averages of 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds across 31 games, featuring eight outings with 15+ points and two double-doubles.
**2023-24 Season Averages:** 31 GP, 10.6 PTS, 5.7 REB, 0.7 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.5 BLK, 44.5% FG
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#### Tyler Smith
– **Height:** 6’11”
– **Position:** Forward
– **Age:** 19
– **Team:** G League Ignite
Smith joined Ignite in June 2023 and quickly made his mark. This past season, the 19-year-old averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds, spanning both the Showcase Cup and Regular Season. With seven games where he scored over 20 points, he led the Ignite in scoring with a total of 589 points. Smith demonstrated his versatility on the court, proving he can score from beyond the arc, in the mid-range, or as a roll man. Notably, he hit 60% of his left corner 3-pointers during the Regular Season and showcased effective pick-and-pop skills as the season progressed.
**2023-24 Season Averages:** 43 GP, 13.7 PTS, 5.1 REB, 1.3 AST, 1.0 BLK, 36.0% 3PT
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#### Bryson Warren
– **Height:** 6’3″
– **Position:** Guard
– **Age:** 19
– **Team:** Sioux Falls Skyforce
After two successful seasons with Overtime Elite, Warren entered the 2023 NBA G League Draft, where he was selected 13th overall by the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Throughout 27 games of Showcase Cup and Regular Season play, he averaged 6.9 points in just 17.4 minutes per game, including six performances with 15+ points. The 19-year-old guard showcased his long-range shooting ability, connecting on multiple 3-pointers in 11 different games during the season.
**2023-24 Season Averages:** 27 GP, 6.9 PTS, 1.8 AST, 1.4 REB, 0.6 STL, 80% FT%
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These young talents are making waves in the G League, and their development will be exciting to follow as they work towards reaching their potential. Whether through scoring, rebounding, or defensive prowess, each player is carving out their path. Keep an eye on them as their journeys unfold in professional basketball!
