Two Frenchmen were taken No. 1 and No. 2 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night – and a third was taken No. 6 overall – as international prospects and non-college talent made their mark near the top of the lottery. The first college player off the board was a former Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, who became No. 3 overall to the Houston Rockets.
When the Atlanta Hawks selected Zacharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick, it’s been two straight years since a French prospect was taken with the first selection after the San Antonio Spurs selected 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama last year. Risacher’s compatriot Alex Sarr became No. 2 in Washington, making the duo the first international prospects to be selected consecutively with the top two draft picks in NBA history.
The Spurs finally chose UConn keeps Stephon Castle at No. 4 to team up with Wembanyama before the Detroit Pistons rounded out the top five by taking Ron Holland from the G League Ignite.
Opinions and evaluations of the 2024 NBA Draft class will vary widely; the lack of consensus on the top prospects created plenty of intrigue Wednesday night. Holland, the fifth overall pick, was among the biggest surprises, as his rise corresponded with Donovan Clingan’s fall to No. 7. A star of UConn’s title run, Clingan was considered a potential top-five pick before falling to the Portland Trailblazers. A two-time national college player of the year Zach Edey left the board two picks later at No. 9 to the Memphis Grizzlies after an incredible run leading Purdue.
It was an eventful evening full of twists and turns, and the draft is not over yet. The action continues with second-round selections Thursday afternoon. For now, here are some takeaways from the first round as well as all of the picks 1-30 below.
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LA is being robbed
Most draft evaluators gave Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht a top-10 grade after he won SEC Player of the Year and led the Volunteers to their second Elite Eight performance. However, the sharpshooting winger slipped all the way to the Los Angeles Lakers at 17th overall. General manager Rob Pelinka said the franchise “never imagined” Knecht would be available there, but he was, and the The Lakers capitalized by grabbing a potential immediate contributor who ranked much higher on the team’s draft board. With Los Angeles in win-now mode given the states of stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster, Knecht could provide some early help. As a 23-year-old with refined offensive skills, Knecht is the type of player who can get buckets in the league from day one.
Cal’s final class in Kentucky gains momentum
John Calipari’s final season at Kentucky ended in disappointment as the Wildcats suffered a crushing loss to No. 14 seed Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Calipari left for the Arkansas job after the season, but Wednesday brought two final points to his Kentucky resume. Single guards Sheppard (No. 3 to the Rockets) and Robert Dillingham (No. 8 to the Minnesota Timberwolves via the Spurs) added two final lottery picks to Calipari’s haul during a 15-year career at UK . Both players are undersized and came off the bench for the Wildcats, but proved their mettle as high-octane offensive options and were rewarded Wednesday night.
Edey has his chance
Edey’s potential as an NBA player has long been a source of debate. While he has dominated college basketball to a level rarely seen in modern times, big men of his ilk are a rare breed in the NBA. The Grizzlies are betting that the 7-foot-4 center’s size and skill set will translate. Although he was ranked 23rd in CBS Sports’ NBA draft prospect rankings, Memphis took a hit on Edey at No. 9. He has a glaring need at center, and Edey should have a chance to contribute immediately as the franchise looks to return to the playoffs behind its talented core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Edey won’t be asked to be a star, but he will need to provide toughness and physicality. Without a 3-point shot in his arsenal — and with limited defensive versatility — Edey’s margin for error will be slim. But going to Memphis ensures he’ll have a fair opportunity to prove he belongs.
News Source : www.cbssports.com
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