2024 NBA Draft: Isaiah Crawford Is The Most Underrated Prospect

Every draft has a gem or two selected in the second round -- whether it's Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green or even Manu Ginobili. There are so many prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft that could end up serving as very good role players in the NBA.

A pick to be the steal of the second round is Isaiah Crawford out of Louisiana Tech.

Crawford is a 6-foot-6 wing that also possesses a 7-foot-1 wingspan which is ridiculously long for a wing. He specializes on the defensive end and the stats back it up. He averaged 2.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game showcasing he has elite defensive playmaking potential. At the next level, it’s clear that his calling card will be on defense as he possesses incredible versatility on that end.

The elite defensive prospect is more than just a defender, as he shot over 40% from behind the arc in his last two years of college. With that efficient shooting from deep and elite defensive versatility, he already has a clear-cut role in the NBA as a 3-and-D wing. Just about every NBA team desires to have a 3-and-D player on their roster to help surround their star players.

Although he could thrive as a strict spot-up shooter and versatile defender, he's also a solid playmaker who makes quick decisions with the ball. During his last two years of college, Crawford produced more than two assists per game, as he showed solid secondary playmaking chops. If he’s able to attack closeouts and occasionally create for teammates at the next level then his stock as a role player will absolutely skyrocket.

Although he did play for a mid-major school where his competition isn’t as elite and he was somewhat forced into a primary scoring option, he actually didn’t look too bad scoring the ball. Crawford averaged just over 16 points a game while shooting 49% from the field over his college career. The lengthy wing doesn’t do anything flashy but still finds ways to score it.

Crawford really is a jack of all trades as he’s a prospect who can defend, shoot, pass and score. It’s a bit confusing as to why he isn’t a consensus top 20 prospect as he’s everything that the NBA is looking for in today's game, but all it takes is for one team to fully buy into him and select him in the first round. If Crawford does happen to slip to the second round, then he could easily be the steal of the draft.