The 2024 NBA Draft kicked off with a significant French presence as Zaccharie Risacher was selected with the 1st overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks. This selection marks Risacher as just the fourth international player in NBA history to be chosen No. 1 overall.
The complete draft board for the 1st round of the 2024 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
Which pick is your favorite? 🤔
2nd Round: Thursday, 4pm/et, ESPN pic.twitter.com/L94k3V6Zg4
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Following closely, the Washington Wizards picked Alex Sarr as the 2nd overall selection, further emphasizing the dominance of French talent in this year’s draft. The trend continued with Tidjane Salaün being picked 6th, and Pacôme Dadiet going 25th, showcasing a remarkable representation of French players in the first round. This follows the notable trend set by last year’s first pick, Victor Wembanyama, also from France.
One of the most anticipated moments of the draft was the potential selection of LeBron James’ eldest son, Bronny James. LeBron has publicly expressed his desire to share the court with his son in the NBA. However, Bronny went undrafted in the first round, adding suspense to the second round of the draft night, which is set to continue tonight.