SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 24: Jaedon LeDee #13 of the San Diego State Aztecs shoots the ball against Nick Townsend #42 of the Yale Bulldogs during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 24, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
58 players were taken in the 2024 NBA Draft. An Aztecs All-American was not one of them.
Jaedon LeDee, the reigning Karl Malone Award winner as the nation's best power forward, went undrafted. Unfortunately, this was not a major surprise. NBA teams have concerns about LeDee's age (24 years old puts him on the older side of eligible draftees) and size because he fits right in the middle between power forward and wing. However, what teams do love about LeDee is his strength and effort.
At 6'9" and 240 pounds he is a powerful human being. Coming from a defense-first program like San Diego State he is a willing defender who can wear down opposing players. In the pre-draft process he had workouts with multiple teams, including the Warriors, Suns, Cavaliers, and Nets, Jaedon will have offers to sign as a free agent. That course might end up working in his favor because instead of having to go to the team that takes him, LeDee can look for the situation most beneficial for his game and choose to sign there.
Former Aztec Keshad Johnson, a guard who was a big part of their Final Four club before transferring to Arizona, also went undrafted but is expected to sign a free agent deal.
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