Round 2 NBA mock draft: Why the Blazers, Pacers and Spurs are teams to watch

For the first time in the history of the league, the NBA draft has been broken out to two days, as the second round of the Class of 2024 begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN on Thursday.

Day 1 of the draft featured back-to-back international picks at the top of the board, the Minnesota Timberwolves trading into the top 10 and several interesting picks and trades throughout. What’s in store for Day 2? Let’s talk through the biggest questions heading into Round 2, and project picks Nos. 31-58 with an updated mock draft.

Who are the best players still on the board? Which team is set up to have an intriguing Round 2? And which under-the-radar prospects could turn into steals? ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo are here to help navigate you through these uncharted waters, with the help of their top 100 rankings:

NBA draft coverage:
Givony & Woo: Round 1 winners, surprises
Top 100 rankings | Best available players
Full draft order | Trades recap | More

Who’s the most interesting team on Thursday?

Givony: The Portland Trail Blazers hold the Nos. 34 and 40 picks, giving them significant say in how the first 10 picks play out. After selecting Donovan Clingan No. 7 and trading the No. 14 pick, it’s unlikely the team has two, or even one, roster spot available for whoever they pick in Round 2, which will make it interesting to see what they do with these picks. They could use a two-way contract on one of them, and possibly trade another.

Woo: After the first night, the Indiana Pacers are still holding all three of their second-rounders — Nos. 36, 49 and 50 — and likely won’t use all of them, making them an interesting barometer for where the value of these picks falls in this draft. The 36th pick might be a spot to roster a player they really like, or it could be a trade spot or priority two-way contract situation. The range of possible outcomes here highlights the general nature of the second round — teams will largely be targeting players willing to take two-ways, and players unwilling to take them will inevitably fall.

Who’s an under-the-radar prospect you really like who’s likely to be picked Thursday?

Givony: Tucked away in the WCC, Jonathan Mogbo has one of the more unique stories in this draft class. He told ESPN he was a 5-foot-9, 125-pound combo guard entering high school, and had zero Division I offers when he graduated, sending him to the junior college route at 6-foot-7, 180 pounds. He transferred from Independence Community College in Kansas to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to Missouri State before eventually landing at the University of San Francisco this summer, where he now stands 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds.

Mogbo lit up NBA teams’ analytics models, filling up the stat-sheet averaging 19.5 points, 14.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per-40 minutes. He stands just 6-foot-6 barefoot, but is intriguing to teams with his explosiveness around the rim, playmaking ability creating for others, and defensive upside with his 7-foot-2 wingspan.

Woo: Ajay Mitchell of UC Santa Barbara left a good impression after his positive showing at the combine, and I’m curious to see where he lands. His playmaking feel and size are an interesting combo, he shot the ball better than expected in team workouts, and he is the type of guard who might look better alongside more talented teammates.

Which likely Round 2 pick will have the biggest impact on his team next season?

Givony: Adem Bona will have a major impact in every practice he plays in and in every minute he gets in the G League or NBA next season, as there isn’t a harder playing prospect in this draft. His combination of mobility, length, power and intensity gives him considerable potential on the defensive end, as he could likely help whatever team drafts him with the way he hedges ball-screens, flips his hips to recover back and protect the rim, and flies around with his 7-foot-4 wingspan and 40-inch vertical leap.

Woo: Jamal Shead has been one of the toughest floor leaders in college basketball the past few years and might find his way into bench minutes somewhere — and potentially hang onto them. Shead has been projected by some scouts to make a Jose Alvarado-like impact as an energy player off the bench, and it wouldn’t shock me if he helps some team in some capacity.

Looking at your Round 2 mock, what’s your favorite team and player fit you’ve projected?

Givony: Juan Nunez to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 48. He is arguably the best pick-and-roll playmaker in this class. He’s an absolute magician who makes creative, decisive reads and picks apart defenses with spectacular vision and flair. He’ll have to improve his shooting to play heavy minutes alongside Victor Wembanyama down the road (he’s likely to be stashed in the Euroleague for the next year or two), but players with his size and playmaking aren’t easy to come by, making him someone a team like the Spurs will want to draft and develop long term.

Woo: We have Cam Spencer coming off the board to the LA Clippers at No. 46, a situation that would make a ton of sense for both parties. Spencer, one of the draft’s most intense competitors, would land on a playoff-level roster where he can play off of stars, launch 3s and immediately deliver useful spot minutes in an ideal context.

Round 2 mock draft

Adem Bona, C, UCLA | Age: 21.2

Kyle Filipowski, PF/C, Duke | Age: 20.6

Johnny Furphy, SG/SF, Kansas | Age: 19.5

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Cam Christie, SG, Minnesota | Age: 18.9

Tyler Kolek, PG, Marquette | Age: 23.2

Tyler Smith, SF/PF, G League Ignite | Age: 19.6

Bobi Klintman, SF/PF, Cairns (Australia) | Age: 21.3

Jonathan Mogbo, PF/C, San Francisco | Age: 22.6

Jaylen Wells, SG/SF, Washington State | Age: 20.8

Kevin McCullar, SF, Kansas | Age: 23.2

Pelle Larsson, SG, Arizona | Age: 23.3

Justin Edwards, SG/SF, Kentucky | Age: 20.5

Jamal Shead, PG, Houston | Age: 21.9

Ajay Mitchell, PG, UC Santa Barbara | Age: 22.0

Harrison Ingram, SF/PF, North Carolina | Age: 21.5

Cam Spencer, SG, UConn | Age: 24.2

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Cam Spencer’s NBA draft profile

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Melvin Ajinca, SG/SF, Saint-Quentin (France) | Age: 19.9

Juan Nunez, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany) | Age: 20.0

Oso Ighodaro, PF/C, Marquette | Age: 21.9

Antonio Reeves, SG/SF, Kentucky | Age: 23.5

Nikola Djurisic, SG/SF, Mega MIS (Adriatic League) | Age: 20.3

KJ Simpson, PG, Colorado | Age: 21.8

Jalen Bridges, SF, Baylor | Age: 23.1

Keshad Johnson, PF, Arizona | Age: 23.0

Bronny James, PG/SG, USC | Age: 19.7

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Ulrich Chomche, PF/C, NBA Academy Showcase (Africa) | Age: 18.4

Enrique Freeman, PF/C, Akron | Age: 23.9

Ariel Hukporti, C, Melbourne (Australia) | Age: 22.2

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.

Jeremy Woo is an NBA analyst specializing in prospect evaluation and the draft. He was previously a staff writer and draft insider at Sports Illustrated.