The first-ever two-day edition of the NBA Draft wrapped up Thursday with the second round as teams cast their lots with prospects who they hope can blossom into contributors in the years ahead. History shows that the hit rate on prospects after the first round is slim, but gems can still be found, and there was plenty to unpack from the action.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected USC guard Bronny James at No. 55 overall, giving the son of LeBron James a chance to play on the same team as his father in the 2024-25 season. They would be the first father-son duo in NBA history to play together.
Among the other big-name players taken in the second round were former Duke big man Kyle Filipowski, ex-Kansas wing Johnny Furphy and former UCLA center Adem Bona. All three were regarded as candidates to be taken in the first round before slipping into the draft's second day.
There were a flurry of trades to accompany the action as teams maneuvered to take swings on their preferred prospects and worked to get their 2024-25 rosters in order. As with Wednesday's first round selections, there was again a heavy international flavor on Thursday.
More 2024 NBA Draft: Full coverage | Grades | Draft tracker | Trades
The Lakers take Bronny James
Bronny James missed the first eight games of his freshman season at USC after a serious offseason health scare. He returned to play in 25 games for the Trojans and will now get a chance to make history by playing with his father. The late start to his one-and-done campaign clouded the vision of what Bronny can at the next level, and it's unlikely he would've been selected if not for the influence of his father. Nonetheless, he ranked as the No. 28 overall player in the Class of 2023 and was regarded as a high four-star prospect by 247Sports. He's got a high basketball IQ, which is not shocking considering his pedigree. If all goes well, Bronny could develop into an NBA combo guard in the years ahead. -- David Cobb
Kyle Filipowski falls to Jazz
It didn't take long for former Duke star Kyle Filipowski to come off the board after he slipped out of Wednesday night's first round. The former five-star prospect was regarded as a likely first round selection when he declared for the draft, but there is some uncertainty over how he'll fit defensively in the NBA. He's not quite rangy enough to profile as a rim protector and may not have the quickness to handle dynamic wings on the perimeter. What Filipowski definitely has is an appealing offensive game. In Utah, he'll join a franchise that has bigs John Collins, Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler under contract. Utah also drafted a stretch forward last year in Taylor Hendricks, which makes Filipowski's path to early playing time a bit murky. But he was nonetheless a great value pick early in the second round. -- Cobb
Kentucky's Justin Edwards goes undrafted
Imagine telling someone around this time last year that Antonio Reeves would be selected before Justin Edwards. This is no knock on Reeves, as he was one of the most talented players in the sport last season. Edwards came into the season as a strong contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Instead, he went undrafted on Thursday. Edwards showed flashes of his five-star billing in his lone season with the Wildcats and there's still hope he can carve out a role in the NBA. With Edwards going undrafted, getting a guaranteed non two-way contract will be an uphill climb. -- Cameron Salerno