While a French star is at the top of many draft boards, the similarities between the 2024 NBA Draft and 2023 edition end there. Victor Wembanyama, as Rick Pitino once put it, ain’t walking through that door for the Atlanta Hawks this season, as the club has the first pick for the first time since 1975. They picked Hall of Famer David Thompson then, but he didn’t pick them, choosing instead to sign with the ABA’s Denver Nuggets.
This year there isn’t any worry about which league the top players will choose, but it also isn’t certain how the top picks will shake out. International prospects Zaccharie Risacher (France) and Alex Sarr (France), along with college players Reed Sheppard (Kentucky) and Stephon Castle (UConn), are among the top players in a draft that doesn’t have a no-doubt No. 1 prospect.
Also hanging over the draft is the question of where Bronny James will get picked, if at all. You may have heard of his famous father, who has said throughout the years that he’d like to play with his son before he retires. Recently, LeBron James‘ agent Rich Paul did say LeBron and Bronny aren’t a package deal.
For the first time, the NBA Draft will be spread over two days, with the first round Wednesday night and the second round Thursday, June 27, at 4 p.m. ET.
Round 1
Round 2
Click here for the full 2024 NBA Draft order and stay with Yahoo Sports for full analysis on all 30 first-round picks.
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Table of Contents
ToggleThe NBA Champion Boston Celtics closed the 1st Round by selecting Baylor Scheierman
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 32
School: Creighton
Height: 6′ 7″
Weight: 205
Scheierman’s shot creation and size as a perimeter player is what shot him inside the first round. He’s a four-year player out of Creighton and averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a senior.
The first USC player is off the board — not Bronny James — but Isaiah Collier, is headed to the Utah Jazz with the No. 29 pick
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 18
School: USC
Height: 6′ 5″
Weight: 210
The fact that Collier fell so far in the draft after entering this past college season as the No. 1 high school recruit is shocking. The biggest gap in his game is his outside jumper and his turnovers during his one year at USC. Where he does excel is in the open court, and he has great body control around the rim. With the spacing and pace of the NBA game, he could be a steal for the Jazz.
ACC All-Defense selection Ryan Dunn from Virginia is headed to Phoenix with the No. 28 pick
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B
Pre-Draft Rank: 41
School: Virginia
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 216
Dunn was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season with his length at 6-foot-8 and averaging 2.3 blocks and just under two steals per game during his sophomore season at Virginia. The biggest hole in his game is his 3-point shooting where he made only 20% of his attempts from deep this past season.
Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. headed to Minnesota
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 33
School: Illinois
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 225
Shannon is a three-level scorer who has improved his 3-point shot over the course of his college career, finishing his senior season at Illinois shooting 36.2% from deep. He’s an older, experienced guard at 23 who can come in right away and contribute for Minnesota.
The No. 26 pick is Dillon Jones out of Weber State (shoutout Dame Time) and he’s headed to Oklahoma City
Pacome Dadiet goest to the Knicks at No. 25, the 4th French player taken in Round 1
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 22
School: France
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 210
Dadiet is one of the youngest players in the draft, still just 18 years old, and will be a draft-and-stash development project for the Knicks. His size and strength at 6-foot-8 along the perimeter is what first stands out when he plays, and he’s showing more signs as a poised playmaker off the wing, finishing his season in Germany for Ratiopharm Ulm on a high note.
Kyshawn George goes No. 24 overall and is headed to Washington
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 11
School: Miami (FL)
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 205
George hit a late growth spurt two years ago and shot up from 6-foot-3 to 6-8. He still passes like a point guard but is playing more along the perimeter. His 3-point shot is what’s most intriguing, shooting 41% from 3 off the bench during his one year at Miami.
With the No. 23 pick the Bucks selected AJ Johnson
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Johnson’s upside as a 6-foot-5 combo guard is very intriguing and he’s a player who has been in the gym working out with Rockets guard Jalen Green since 8th grade. They have similar mannerisms as playmakers, and Johnson is still so raw as prospect but could end up being one of the best players in this draft two to three years down the road.
After making the No. 22 pick, Phoenix traded the draft rights to DaRon Holmes II to Denver
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 27
School: Dayton
Height: 6′ 10″
Weight: 235
Holmes could be that hybrid big with his polished interior scoring and improvement in his shot selection behind the arc, averaging 38.6% from 3-point range.
Baylor big man Yves Missi is headed to New Orleans
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 23
School: Baylor
Height: 7′ 0″
Weight: 235
Missi still has a ton of room for growth after his one year at Baylor, but the glimpses that he showed defending the block and running the floor well in transition scream upside as a rim-running big in the NBA at 7 feet.
Well travelled Jaylon Tyson from Cal — after transferring from Texas to Texas Tech and then Cal — is headed to Cleveland
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 28
School: California
Height: 6′ 7″
Weight: 215
Tyson was one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 and can do a little bit of everything really well. He’s strong with the ball, cuts well and finishes through contact, but his mobility on defense and ability to keep players in front still needs some work.
Baylor’s 2023-24 leading scorer Ja’Kobe Walter headed to Toronto at No. 19
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 19
School: Baylor
Height: 6′ 5″
Weight: 195
Walter has solid size for a shooting guard at 6-foot-5 and showed more promise off the bounce during his one year at Baylor. His 3-point shot was a little inconsistent over his freshman season at Baylor, but the spacing in the NBA will allow him better looks for higher-percentage shots.
Was it really that long ago? 😬
Colorado’s Tristan da Silva heads to Orlando at No. 18
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 20
School: Colorado
Height: 6′ 9″
Weight: 220
The senior forward shot 40% from 3-point range and has the potential to be that hybrid four in the NBA with his solid inside-out game and how well he gets to his spots out of the pick-and-roll option.
Lakers pick SEC player of the year, sharpshooting Dalton Knecht from Tennessee at No. 17
After a big slide, Dalton Knecht, the breakout star for the 2023-24 college basketball season is headed to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 8
School: Tennessee
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 213
Knecht was the best scorer in the SEC, averaging 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game at Tennessee. He’s one of the older players in the first round at 23 but can be a plug-and-play guy right away, contributing with his size and three-level scoring.
Duke star Jared McCain goes No. 16 overall to Philadelphia
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 17
School: Duke
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 197
McCain is one of the best shooters in this draft, shooting 41.8% from 3-point range and shot lights out at the combine in front of every NBA executive and scout. Even though he’s undersized at 6-foot-3, 197 pounds, Philadelphia knows exactly what it’s getting from him as a reliable shooter who competes at a high level.
Heat grab big body Kel’el Ware from Indiana
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 16
School: Indiana
Height: 7′ 0″
Weight: 242
Ware really made a jump in improvement from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a pick-and-roll big while putting pressure on the rim. His athleticism helps him guard the perimeter off the switch and he’s improved his ball-handling, starting the break off missed shots.
Bub Carrington out of Pitt is headed to Washington
With the pick they acquired earlier in the day in the Dani Avdija trade, the Washington Wizards added to their back court with an explosive scorer.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 15
School: Pittsburgh
Height: 6′ 5″
Weight: 190
Carrington hit a late growth spurt and is now closer to 6-foot-5 as a point guard, making him a late riser in the draft. He still has tremendous upside at 18 years old and can come in right away with his quick-twitch pace and decent shot creation off the pick-and-roll.
Krysten Peek goes OFF on the Grizzlies for picking Purdue star Zach Edey at No. 9
Devin Carter, son of 13-year NBA veteran Anthony Carter, is off to Sacramento
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 12
School: Providence
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 195
Carter shot up draft boards during the pre-draft process with how well he performed during the combine (42-inch max vertical and breaking the combine record for the 3/4-court sprint). He’s a tough-nosed guard who is great at turning defense into offense and is one of the best rebounding guards.
OKC makes first investment pick of the draft in Nikola Topic, who’s recovering from an ACL injury at No. 12
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B
Pre-Draft Rank: 9
School: Serbia
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 201
Topic suffered a partially torn ACL and they will have to be patient with his recovery. He is one of the best passers in this draft class, averaging 5.5 assists per game in Serbia, and has good size at the point guard position at 6-foot-6.
Did Donovan Clingan find a perfect fit in Portland?
Hometown Chicago kid Matas Buzelis picked by the Bulls out of the G League Ignite
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A-
Pre-Draft Rank: 6
School: G League Ignite
Height: 6′ 9″
Weight: 209
Buzelis shot the ball under 30% from 3-point range during his one season with the Ignite but has great size at 6-foot-9 and the ability to space the floor. He’s comfortable taking players off the dribble and has good footwork and ball skills in dribble hand-offs on the wing.
Jazz take Cody Williams out of Colorado at No. 10
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 14
School: Colorado
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 190
Williams is one of the best defending wings in this class with how well he can guard positions 1-4 and has great drop coverage on the switch. He needs to get stronger with the ball but is farther along in his development at 19 than his brother, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, was at his age.
Zach Edey off the board at No. 9 to Memphis
The two-time national player of the year is headed to Memphis after a standout career at Purdue.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: C
Pre-Draft Rank: 29
School: Purdue
Height: 7′ 4″
Weight: 300
Edey can come in right away as a backup center and has the best post-up game out of any center in the draft, averaging 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season. His limitations are in the pick-and-roll, where only 8% of his made baskets came in that set, and defensively he doesn’t have the foot speed to guard the switch, forcing him to be more of a drop coverage center.
Spurs take Rob Dillingham, ship him to Minnesota in quick trade
The Timberwolves are trading a 2031 unprotected first and a protected 2030 pick swap to the Spurs for Dillingham, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/jTMUQlhsrh
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2024
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B
Pre-Draft Rank: 13
School: Kentucky
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 176
Dillingham is one of the best guards with the ball in his hands and can get downhill and put pressure on the rim. There’s no doubt that he’ll be an electric pairing alongside Wembanyama, but his size at 6-foot-2, 164 pounds, is a little concerning for a lead guard in the NBA.
Storylines to continue watching throughout the 2024 NBA Draft
Donovan Clingan is the second UConn Husky off the board in the lottery
Two-time national champion and star UConn big man Donovan Clingan is headed to Portland and could make for a formidable front line with 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton with the Blazers.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 5
School: Connecticut
Height: 7′ 2″
Weight: 265
Clingan has all the tools to be a long-term starting center in the NBA and moves well for his size at 7-foot-2. He is more than a rim-running big and can throw a lot of different options in the pick-and-roll, whether that’s slipping, rolling to the basket, pinning his man or popping out for a jumper.
Tidjane Salaün goes to Charlotte at No. 6, as 3rd French player off the board
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B+
Pre-Draft Rank: 7
School: France
Height: 6′ 9″
Weight: 212
Salaun has solid size at the wing position at 6-foot-9 and has really become more than just a catch-and-shoot threat along the perimeter. He’s worked this past season to add muscle to his frame and his physicality in the lane improved while playing for Cholet in the LNB Pro A league.
Pistons take Ron Holland II from G League Ignite
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: B
Pre-Draft Rank: 10
School: G League Ignite
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 203
Holland averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in the G League this season for the Ignite. Although he can be turnover prone at times, his size at 6-foot-8 and his burst off the dribble and in transition still gives him room for growth in the NBA at just 18 years old. His movement off the ball needs some work and he sometimes clogs the lane with his attempts to get to the rim.
Spurs add Stephon Castle to Victor Wembanyama and young core
The Big East freshman of the year led freshmen in the conference in scoring and assists on his way to helping UConn to a second-straight national title.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 3
School: Connecticut
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 215
Castle was one the best defending guards in college hoops during his one year at UConn and showed a much improved 3-point shot during the pre-draft process. He has upside as an elite two-way player in the NBA and can help anchor the defense alongside Victor Wembanyama.
Rockets go backcourt with Kentucky sharpshooter Reed Sheppard
Sheppard brings elite college (blue) bloodlines to Houston after starring at Kentucky in the footsteps of his dad Jeff Sheppard, the Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 NCAA Tournament, on the Wildcats’ way to a national title that year
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 4
School: Kentucky
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 187
Sheppard shot over 52% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game and will be more of a combo guard at the NBA level. He’s a little undersized at 6-foot-2 but has a high IQ and a solid floor when it comes to a young, skilled guard coming into the NBA.
France goes 1-2 as Alex Sarr heads to Washington with the No. 2 pick
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 2
School: France
Height: 7′ 0″
Weight: 224
This was Sarr’s preferred landing spot and he can come in right away and add some relief defensively with how well he protects the rim. Offensively, he has a fluid jumper in the pick-and-pop with the potential to spread past the 3-point line.
Risacher heads to Atlanta as 4th international No. 1 pick in the 21st century
The Atlanta Hawks are looking overseas to help them back get into the playoff picture, with a star backcourt, featuring Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Yahoo Sports Commentary
Draft Grade: A
Pre-Draft Rank: 1
School: France
Height: 6′ 10″
Weight: 210
Risacher’s combination of length and defensive versatility on the wing makes him a player who can come into any situation and contribute right away. He is more than just a catch-and-shoot threat and has shown improvement as a facilitator when his shot isn’t falling.
Bronny James might be be the biggest name in the draft, but where will he get picked?
Zaccharie Risacher, the projected No. 1 pick, is living in the moment
Victor Wembanyama was still the name on the tip of everyone’s tongue at Tuesday’s NBA Draft availability, even though he’s no longer the star of this particular show. Such is life when Wednesday’s first round of the draft lacks spice and recognizable names.
But it’s also the case when players in the running for the first pick — Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher — hail from France as well, thus following in Wembanyama’s footsteps.
Sarr has repeatedly declined invitations to work out for the top-pick-holding Atlanta Hawks, which was confirmed by Hawks general manager Landry Fields on the radio earlier in the day.
That leaves Risacher. But in drafts where there’s no clear-cut first pick, anything can happen.
Risacher has long been on the professional radar. He and Sarr go back, playing against each other when they were in their early teens, but Risacher has made a jump over the last year. He’s a 6-foot-9 forward who turned into a lockdown shooter after seemingly struggling at the Nike Hoop Summit a year ago.
Read the full story here.
Reed Sheppard threw his mom a real special birthday party this year… 🥳
She’ll soon watch him get drafted to the NBA… 8pm/et on ABC & ESPN! pic.twitter.com/cdHjImlJWZ
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 26, 2024
First look at the NBA Draft looks
How does the draft order shake out in our latest mock?
Check out the full mock draft here.
Knicks’ OG Anunoby to return on five-year, $212.5 million deal: Report
The New York Knicks are having a very good week.
Knicks star OG Anunoby intends to re-sign with the team on a five-year, $212.5 million contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Anunoby reached unrestricted free agency by declining the player option for the final season of the four-year, $72 million contract he signed with the Raptors in December 2020. Three years after inking that agreement — a period that saw Anunoby average 16.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, shooting 38.2% from 3-point range and emerging as one of the league’s most versatile defensive stoppers — Toronto traded him to the Knicks in exchange for forward RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley.
Wizards acquire No. 14 pick overall
The Washington Wizards are trading F Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers for Malcolm Brogdon and the 14th pick tonight and 2029 pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/inF8ezNZtL
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
Big pre-Draft trade sends Mikal Bridges across town
The New York Knicks have acquired Mikal Bridges from the crosstown and division rival Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks are sending five unprotected picks to the Nets for Bridges (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031) in addition to a protected pick New York had acquired from Milwaukee, in addition to multiple second round picks and pick swaps.
Bridges, who Brooklyn acquired in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix, just finished his 6th NBA season in which he averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on 43.6% from the floor and 37.2% from 3-point range.
The Knicks go deeper into the Villanova national championship roster — bringing Mikal Bridges to join his old teammates and close friends Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVencenzo. pic.twitter.com/G544CT02zI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
The 2024 NBA Draft is here
The 30 NBA Teams will look to the future over the next two days in the 2024 NBA Draft which looks much different form previous years as in addition to there not being a runaway No. 1 pick, the draft has also been split across two nights. Teams will have five minutes to make their selections in the first round and four minutes per pick in the second round. That is a change from two minutes in previous years.
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