Five players who will outperform their 2024 NBA Draft results

The 2024 NBA Draft gets underway Wednesday night, with the first round taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The second round will take place Thursday afternoon at ESPN's Seaport District Studios in New York.

The 30 players selected Wednesday will have reached the pinnacle of the basketball world and reap the financial rewards that come with being a first-round pick.

There are, however, players who won't hear their name called who will go on to have impactful NBA careers.

Here are five players likely to be selected in the second round or signed as undrafted free agents who in time will be viewed as 2024 draft class steals.

Kevin McCullar Jr.

The one player on this list who could be selected Wednesday is McCullar, although most mock drafts have him going in the second round. One reason for that is a knee injury the former Kansas star suffered this past season which required surgery and kept him from competing at the NBA combine. There's plenty to like about McCullar, but what stands out is his mid-range scoring and tireless motor.

McCullar, who measured just over 6-foot-5 at the combine (without shoes), is also a plus defender who can guard multiple positions thanks to his 6-foot-9 wingspan.

Jamal Shead

Shead would qualify as undersized for an NBA point guard, but what he lacks in height (just over 6-foot at the combine) he makes up for with strength and toughness. The former Houston star is a ferocious on-ball defender and excellent playmaker. In his final three college seasons, Shead recorded 654 assists and just 227 turnovers. His quickness and power allow him to get in the paint and finish through contact, but he'll have to continue to evolve as a shooter. Shead made 88 three-pointers the last two seasons, but those makes came at just a 30.9 percent clip.

Antonio Reeves

Shooting and scoring are valuable traits in the NBA and Reeves excels at both. He scored 2,350 points during his college career, knocking down 306 three-pointers. This past season at Kentucky, Reeves averaged 20.2 points per game and converted 84-of-188 attempts from beyond the arc (44.7 percent). The Chicago native has good size for a shooting guard, measuring 6-foot-4 1/2 with a 6-8 wingspan at the combine. The big question for Reeves will be how he expands his game at this next level, as there's improvement to be made as a defender, rebounder and facilitator.

Reece Beekman

The former Virginia standout is a pure point guard and elite defender. He had better than a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in four years at Virginia and set a school record with 228 steals. A two-time ACC defensive player of the year, Beekman has a 6-foot-7 wingspan and is a menacing on-ball defender and equally disruptive off the ball. He's also more explosive athletically than many realize. Beekman improved his scoring each year at Virginia but was just a 31.9 percent three-point shooter and will have to continue to work on his shot.

Jalen Bridges

Bridges project as a prototypical NBA 3-and-D wing. His 6-foot-10 wingspan and plus athleticism make him an appealing prospect defensively who should be able to guard either forward slot. Bridges is also an excellent shooter. As a senior at Baylor, he made 73 three-pointers at a 41.2 percent clip. But Bridges also showed an ability when overplayed on the perimeter to put the ball on the deck and get to the rim. Additionally, he's an underrated rebounder, especially on the offensive glass.