Atlanta Hawks select Risacher first overall in NBA draft

The French Revolution has arrived in the NBA.

French winger Zaccharie Risacher, 19, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Risacher, who was projected as one of the top defenders in this year’s rookie class, will join a once-exciting Hawks franchise that has stumbled in recent years despite the promise of star point guard Trae Young.

His selection marks the second consecutive year that the first selection in the general classification has come from France.

Last year, the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama first overall. Wembanyama, who was widely considered a potential franchise-changing talent, delivered on that promise by unanimously winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

French compatriots Alexandre Sarr and Tidjane Salaun quickly followed Risacher’s selection.

Sarr, a 7-foot-1 center who recently played in the Australian NBL, was selected second overall by the Washington Wizards. Salaun, a 6-foot-10 forward, was taken sixth overall by the Charlotte Hornets; he recently played in the French LNB. Later in the first round, the New York Knicks selected another French-born player, Pacôme Dadiet,

Their selections have entered NBA history on several occasions.

This is the first time in NBA history that international players have been selected in the top two picks and the first time that three international players from the same country have been selected in the top 10 of an NBA draft .

Most of the excitement occurred less than 24 hours before the draft, as the New York Knicks went all-in, trading a series of draft picks and veteran player Bojan Bogdanovic to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges.

Bridges, a 27-year-old wing, is known for his defense, although he slumped a bit after leaving the Phoenix Suns for Brooklyn two years ago. His move across the East River links him with a handful of former teammates and friends from his alma mater, Villanova University.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver opened the evening by honoring the recent deaths of two NBA giants, Bill Walton, who died May 27 at age 71, and Jerry West, who died June 12 at age 86.

Walton was a two-time NCAA champion and two-time NBA champion, once with the Portland Trail Blazers and one with the Boston Celtics, a walk-on big man whose career was derailed by injuries. But he became well-liked as a personality off the field and on the mic, especially as he sought to energize the college game in his later years.

West, a singularly driven competitor, was one of the greatest players in the storied history of the Los Angeles Lakers and the league. A three-time inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, he won just one championship as a player but contributed nine as a basketball executive, building dynasties with the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.

West also holds a singular honor: he is the inspiration for the NBA logo.

2024 NBA Draft First Round Selections:

1. The Atlanta Falcons, Zacharie Risacher

2. The wizards of Washington, Alexandre Sarr

3. Houston Rockets, Reed Sheppard

4. San Antonio Spurs, Stephon Castle

5. Detroit Pistons, Ron Holland II

6. Charlotte Hornets, Tidjane Salaun

7. The Portland Trail Blazers, Donovan Clingan

8. San Antonio Spurs, Rob Dillingham (Traded to Minnesota)

9. Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Edey

ten. Utah Jazz, Cody Williams

11. Chicago Bulls, Matas Buzelis

12. Oklahoma City Thunder, Topic Nikola

13. The Sacramento Kings, Devin Carter

14. Portland Trail Blazers, Carlton Carrington (Traded to Washington)

15. Miami heat, Kel’el Ware

16. The Philadelphia 76ers, Jared McCain

17. The Los Angeles Lakers, Dalton Knecht

18. Magical Orlando, Tristan da Silva

19. Toronto Raptors, Ja’Kobe Walter

20. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Jaylon Tyson

21. New Orleans Pelicans, Yves Missi

22. Phoenix suns, DaRon Holmes II (Traded to Denver)

23. Milwaukee Bucks, AJ Johnson

24. New York Knicks, Kyshawn George (Traded to Washington)

25. New York Knicks, Pacôme Dadiét

26. The Wizards of Washington, Dillon Jones (Traded to Oklahoma City)

27. Minnesota Timberwolves, Terrence Shannon Jr.

28. Denver Nuggets, Ryan Dunn (Traded to Phoenix)

29. Utah Jazz, Isaiah Necklace

30. Boston Celtics, Baylor Scheierman