The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, with France’s Zaccharie Risacher going No. 1 against the Atlanta Hawks.
What choices have been made? Which not? Here are Yahoo Sports’ full preliminary numbers for the first round.
1. Atlanta Hawks: Zaccharie Risacher, SF
Class A
Risacher’s combination of length and defensive versatility on the wing makes him a player who can step into any situation and contribute straight away. He’s more than just a catch-and-shoot threat and has shown progress as a facilitator when his shot isn’t falling.
Class A
This was Sarr’s favorite landing spot and he can come in right away and add some relief defensively with how well he protects the rim. Offensively, he possesses a fluid jumper in the pick-and-pop with the potential to spread beyond the three-point line.
Class A
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 bit undersized at 6-foot-4, but has a high IQ and solid foundation when it comes to a young, veteran guard coming into the NBA.
Class A
Castle was one of the best defensive guards in college during his one year at UConn and showed a much improved three-point shot during the pre-draft process. He has the edge as an elite two-way player in the NBA and can help anchor the defense alongside Victor Wembanyama.
Grade B
Holland averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in the G League for the Ignite this season. While he can be turnover-prone at times, his 6-foot-4 height and burst off the dribble and in transition still give him room to grow 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.
Grade: B+
Salaun has solid size at the wing position at 6-foot-1 and has really become more than just a catch-and-shoot threat along the perimeter. He worked to add muscle to his frame over the past season and his physicality on the court improved while playing for Cholet in the LNB Pro A league.
Class A
Clingan has the tools to be a long-term starter in the NBA and moves well for his 7-foot-1 size. He’s more than just a rim-running big and can throw a variety of options in the pick-and-roll, whether that’s sliding, rolling to the basket, locking up his man or popping out for a jumper.
Grade B
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 he’ll be electric in Minnesota, but his height at 6-foot-4 and 164 pounds is concerning for a leading guard in the NBA.
Grade: D
Edey can fill in immediately as a backup center and has the best post-up game 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.
Class A
Williams is one of the best defensive 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 at 19 he is further along in his development than his brother, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, was at his age.
Class A-
Buzelis shot sub-30 percent from three-point range during his lone season with the Ignite, but he has great size at 6-foot-1 and the ability to spread the floor. He can take players off the dribble with ease and possesses good footwork and ball skills on dribble handoffs on the wing.
Grade B
Topic has 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-1.
Class A-
Carter shot up the draft boards during the pre-draft process with how well he performed at the combine (maxing 42 inches vertical and breaking the combine record for the 3/4 field sprint). He is a hard-nosed guard who is great at turning defense into offense and is one of the best rebounding guards.
14. Washington Wizards (via Blazers): Carlton Carrington, G
Class A-
Carrington hit a late growth spurt and is now closer to 6-foot-1 at point guard, making him a latecomer in the draft. He still has huge upside at 18 and can come in right away with his fast pace and decent shot creation out of the pick-and-roll.
Grade: B+
Ware really took a leap in improvement from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a pick-and-roll big while pressuring the rim. His athleticism helps him guard the perimeter in transition and he has improved his ballhandling, allowing him to start the break on missed shots.
Class A
McCain is one of the best shooters in this draft, shooting 41.8% from three-point range and shooting the lights out at the combine in front of every NBA executive and scout. Though he’s undersized at 6-foot-1, Philadelphia knows exactly what it needs from him as a reliable shooter competing at a high level.
Grade: A+
Knecht was the leading 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, adding to his size and three-level scoring.
Class A-
The senior forward shot 40% from three-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 with the pick-and-roll option.
Grade: B+
Walter has solid size for a shooting guard at 6’1″ and showed promise during his freshman year at Baylor. His three-point shooting was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season at Baylor, but the distance in the NBA makes him look better for higher percentage shots.
Class A-
Tyson was one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 and can do a little bit of everything very well. He is strong on the ball, cuts well and finishes through contact, but his mobility in defense and ability to keep players in front still need some work.
Grade: B+
Missi still has a lot of room to grow after his first year at Baylor, but his moments defending the block and running the floor well in transition show promise as a big player in the NBA at 7-foot-1.
Grade: B+
Holmes could potentially 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.
Grade: B+
Johnson’s potential as a 6-foot-5 combo guard is very intriguing, and he’s a player who’s been in the gym with Rockets guard Jalen Green since the eighth grade. They have similar playmaking quirks, and Johnson is still an inexperienced prospect who could emerge as one of the best players in this draft in two to three years.
24. Washington Wizards (via Knicks): Kyshawn George, SG
Class A
George had a late growth spurt two years ago, shooting up from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-4. He still passes like a point guard, but plays more on the perimeter. His three-point shot is the most intriguing: he shot 41% from three off the bench during his one year at Miami.
Grade: B+
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 6ft 3in on the perimeter are what first stands out when he plays, and he is showing more signs as a balanced playmaker off the wing, ending his season in Germany for Ratiopharm Ulm on a high note.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Wizards): Dillon Jones, PF
Grade B-
Jones does a lot of little things really well, which is probably why the Thunder made a trade to get him. Jones reads the game sharply, dictates the tempo and plays to his advantage.
Class A
Shannon is a three-level scorer who has improved his three-point shooting over the course of his college career, finishing his senior season at Illinois shooting 36.2% from deep. He is an older, experienced guard at 23 who can come in and contribute right away for Minnesota.
28. Phoenix Suns (via Nuggets): Ryan Dunn
Grade B
Dunn was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season at 6-foot-1 and averaged 2.3 blocks and just under two steals per game during his sophomore season at Virginia. The biggest hole in his game is his three-point shooting, where he made just 20% of his attempts from deep last season.
Class A-
The fact that Collier fell so far down the roster after entering last college season as the No. 1 recruit in high school is shocking. The biggest hole in his game is his outside jumper and turnovers during his one year at USC. Where he does excel is in the open field, and he has great body control around the rim. With the distance and pace of NBA play, he could be a steal for the Jazz.
Class A
Scheierman’s shot creation and size as a perimeter player are what set him up in the first round. He is a four-year player from Creighton and averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a senior.
