For the second year in a row, a Frenchman is the first to shake hands with commissioner Adam Silver, number 1 in the NBA Draft. In 2023 it was Victor Wembanyama at Spurs, in 2024 And Zaccharie Risachercalled by Atlanta Hawks, winger from Bourg, son of art, one of the many in this Draft. So the France rejoices again and confirms himself in a historic moment of manna from a basketball point of view: there are 3 transalpines in the top 6, with the long Alex Sarr at the 2 for the Washington Wizards and the wing from Cholet Tidjane Salaun at the 6 for the Charlotte Hornets. On the podium, with the 3The Houston Rockets they call Reed Sheppardguard from Kentucky, son of Jeff seen in Treviso at the end of the 90s.
Lots of emotion for both Risacherboth for Sarr, the latter returning from a year in Australia, with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL, who will find his compatriot Bilal Coulibaly in the capital. With the 4 The Spurs they choose the guard Stephon Castle from UConn, someone who will be able to lend a hand at Wemby, while the 8 they give it to Minnesota Timberwolves who bet on the talent of Rob Dillingham, a quick guard, small but with considerable talent, also from Kentucky. And then the giants: alla 7 Portland who loves Donovan Clinganthe big boy from UConn also with Italian origins for his deceased mother (Stacey Porrini) while at the 9 the Memphis Grizzlieshunting for a center, they bet on the Canadian Zach Edeydonor of the last three NCAA seasons but with doubts in the NBA.
The Top 10 has been closed since Utah pointing at the twig Cody Williams, brother of Thunder’s J-Dub, a still raw project. Speaking of Thunder, Oklahoma City he doesn’t let it slip away with the 12 Nikola TopicSerbian playmaker from Red Star who is out of action due to a knee injury but has considerable potential, while at 11 the Chicago Bulls they bet on Matas Buzelisan all-rounder with clear Lithuanian origins, returning from a year with the G-League Ignite. In tears at the moment of choice, he was a Chicago boy who grew up in the Windy City. About Ignite and taking a step back, to 5 the Detroit Pistons they unexpectedly call Ron Hollanda winger with notable athletic skills but still all to be formed: he will theoretically be a teammate of Simone Fontecchio to the Pistons.
The other names. THE Kings at the 13 they are aiming for Devin Carter, ready player with great defensive skills at guard; at the 16 the 76ers they add attack and shooting with Jared McCainwinger from Duke, while at 17 JJ Redick’s new Lakers take a white striker-shooter like Dalton Knecht, which fell compared to forecasts; the Magic at the 18 they take the flexible wing Tristan Da Silva, German of Brazilian origins, and will share the locker room with the Wagner brothers; from Baylor the guard comes out Walterat the 19 to the Raptorsand the Cameroonian center Yves Missiat the 21 for the Pelicanswhere he will replace Valanciunas.
Finally the NBA champion Celtics at 30 they take a white shooter with a great physique as the lefty Baylor Scheiermanwhile at 29 The Utah Jazz they call Isaiah Collierguard with great physical potential, partner of Bronny James at USC. Already Bronny, sure protagonist at second round of the draft which will be staged on Thursday 27 June from 10pm, Italian time.
The first round of the 2024 draft
1 – HAWKS: ZACCHARIE RISACHER
Wing, 2.04, Bourg (FRA), 2005, France
Centre, 2.11, Perth Wildcats (AUS), 2005, France
3 – ROCKETS: REED SHEPPARD
Guard, 1.87, Kentucky (NCAA), 2004, USA
4 – SPURS: STEPHON CASTLE
Guard, 1.96, Connecticut (NCAA), 2004, USA
Wing, 1.99, Ignite (G-League), 2005, USA
6 – HORNETS: TIDJANE SALAUN
Wing, 2.04, Cholet (FRA), 2005, France
7 – BLAZERS: DONOVAN CLINGAN
Center, 2.17, Connecticut (NCAA), 2004, USA
8 – SPURS (at TWOLVES): ROB DILLINGHAM
Guard, 1.84, Kentucky (NCAA), 2005, USA
Center, 2.24, Purdue (NCAA), 2002, CANADA
Wing, 1.99, Colorado (NCAA), 2004, USA
11 – BULLS: MATAS BUZELIS
Wing, 2.04, Ignite (G-League), 2004, USA
12 – THUNDER: NIKOLA TOPIC
Guard, 1.97, Red Star (SRB), 2005, Serbia
Guardia, 1.87, Providence (NCAA), 2002, USA
14 – BLAZERS (to WIZARDS): CARLTON “BUB” CARRINGTON
Guard, 1.96, Pittsburgh (NCAA), 2005, USA
Center, 2.13, Indiana (NCAA), 2004, USA
Guard, 1.91, Duke (NCAA), 2004, USA
17 – LAKERS: DALTON KNECHT
Guard, 1.95, Tennessee (NCAA), 2001, USA
18 – MAGIC: TRISTAN DA SILVA
Wing, 2.06, Colorado (NCAA), 2001, Germany
19 – RAPTORS: JA’KOBE WALTER
Guard, 1.92, Baylor (NCAA), 2004, USA
20 – CAVALIERS: JAYLON TYSON
Guardia, 1.98, California (NCAA), 2002, USA
21 – PELICANS: YVES MISSI
Center, 2.13, Baylor (NCAA), 2004, Cameroon
22 – SUNS (at NUGGETS): DA’RON HOLMES II
Center, 2.07, Dayton (NCAA), 2002, USA
Guard, 1.94, Illawarra Hawks (NBL), 2004, USA
24 – KNICKS (to WIZARDS): KYSHAWN GEORGE
Guardia, 1.99, Miami (NCAA), 2003, Switzerland
25 – KNICKS: PACOME DADIET
Guardia, 2.02, Ulm (Germany), 2005, France
26 – WIZARDS (to THUNDER via Knicks): DILLON JONES
Guard, 1.94, Weber State (NCAA), 2001, USA
27 – TIMBERWOLVES: TERRENCE SHANNON JR.
Wing, 1.98, Illinois (NCAA), 2000, USA
28 – NUGGETS (to SUNS): RYAN DUNN
Wing, 2.03, Virginia (NCAA), 2003, USA
29 – JAZZ: ISAIAH COLLIER
Guard, 1.90, USC (NCAA), 2004, USA
30 – CELTICS: BAYLOR SCHEIERMAN
Wing, 2.01, Creighton (NCAA), 2000, USA
Bronny James: “I’m not just LeBron’s son”
