The 2024 NBA draft kicked off tonight in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It was a different picture than 2023 when generational talent Victor Wembanyama was the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall. There were multiple players with a shot at the top pick but in the end, the Atlanta Hawks made the choice to take Zaccharie Risacher with the first pick.
Risacher made it two years in a row with top picks from France, following in Wembanyama's footsteps. He was the first of multiple French talents to go in the first round, including at No. 2 with Alexander Sarr.
Trades were a fixture throughout the first round. After the draft began, Minnesota made the biggest move with a trade with San Antonio up to No. 8 for Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham.
There were some surprises in the first round as 30 picks went off the board. Here's how they graded out:
NBA Draft:Every pick and full order at USA Today's NBA draft hub
Risacher is not the most polished prospect in this draft but has the size, shooting, ball handling, and off-ball movement to grow into a productive player. He can defend multiple positions but will need to improve on his strength and scoring at the rim.
Grade: B+. The Hawks went with the player with likely the highest ceiling in the class. At 19, he'll add shooting to the 17th-best three-point shooting team in the NBA and offer help along Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Sarr was often considered for the No. 1 pick by many experts thanks to his impressive wingspan, size, and athleticism. He's a very good defender and passer but lacks polish on offense as a shooter or finisher.
Grade: A-. Washington needs help at multiple positions but Sarr helps out the league's worst scoring defense. The Wizards ranked last in the league in rebounds and fourth-worst in blocked shots, two of Sarr's best qualities.
One of two likely Kentucky first-round guards, Sheppard is an excellent shooter and good playmaker who hustles hard on defense despite his smaller frame.
Grade: B. Houston ranked 23rd in the league in three-point percentage and 25th in assists last season. Sheppard should immediately help in both ways within the backcourt rotation.
Castle is arguably the best ready-made prospect in this draft. His mix of ideal size, excellent defense, and playmaking overcome his streaky shooting to make an instant impact.
Grade: A. If the Spurs want to compete as soon as possible with Wembanyama, Castle is an ideal pick. He can step in immediately and make an impact on both ends of the court. The Spurs now have a top-tier young defender in the frontcourt and backcourt.
Holland's athleticism translates well on defense and finishing at the rim. He's a good passer and can move off-ball pretty well, too, but needs to improve as a shooter and against 1-on-1 defenders.
Grade: B+. Detroit is without a head coach but they took one of the more versatile wings in the draft, especially on defense. He can create a solid core of youngsters in Detroit alongside Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
Salaun is a raw prospect but has the size (6 feet, 9 inches tall), wingspan (7 feet, 1 inch), and athleticism to develop into a great defender. Right now, he's a good enough shooter to not be a liability on that end.
Grade: B. He's raw but has a very high ceiling compared to the rest of the class. He will take time but Charlotte can take time with him alongside other young top picks like Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball.
Clingan's 7-foot-7 wingspan is the second-biggest in this class and he's a dominant presence in the paint on both ends of the court. He could struggle on perimeter defense and his free throw shooting is lacking at this point.
Grade: A-. The Trail Blazers allowed 57.8% shooting from inside the arc, worst in the league, and ranked third-worst in blocks per game. Clingan is one of the most complete players in the class and can have an instant impact on defense and offers a great pick-and-roll partner for Anfernee Simons.
Kentucky's other guard is another impressive shooter from deep and a skilled playmaker. But his size at 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds would make him one of the smallest guards in the league.
Grade: B. Dillingham lands with one of the best defensive teams in the league, reducing concerns on that end. His dynamic shooting should help Minnesota, who ranked 23rd in the league in three-point attempts per game last season.
Edey is an outlier among these prospects. He's the tallest (7 feet, 4 inches tall), longest (7 feet, 11 inch wingspan), and biggest (299 pounds) player in the draft. He's an intimidating presence in the paint on both ends but could be exposed as a perimeter defender.
Grade: C. Edey will help what was the second-worst shooting team in the league from inside the arc last year and Jaren Jackson Jr. eases concerns on defense. But this seems a bit high given the glut of wings who could help the team alongside the guard corps of Ja Morant, Marucs Smart, and Desmond Bane.
Williams' impressive length at 6 feet, 7 inches tall gives him the ideal tools as a defender but his slight frame (178 pounds) is cause for concern. He'll likely need to bulk up to handle NBA defenders and improve his shot.
Grade: B-. Size is a concern but he could develop into one of the better wings on the Jazz's roster. Utah finished in the bottom half of the league in shooting last year and Williams should help in that area.
Buzelis' size (6 feet, 9 inches tall) and passing make him an easy fit for most offenses in the NBA. His solid defense is another plus but needs to improve as a shooter.
Grade: B+. Buzelis was expected to go much higher than No. 11 so this is a great value pick for Chicago. He can slot in to help one of the worst perimeter defending teams in the league.
Topic is a big point guard and displays impressive playmaking and finish at the rim on offense. He needs to improve on defense and develop a better jump shot in the NBA.
Grade: A-. Topic is one of the best passers and playmakers in the draft despite his average athleticism. He will likely sit out this season but with the Thunder's young core they can take time to develop him.
Carter's 6-foot-9 wingspan at 6 feet, 2 inches tall gives him the tools for a great defender at guard. He's dynamic on offense as a good shooter, finisher, and passer but needs to get better against pressure defense.
Grade: A. The Kings have one of the more dynamic guards in the league in De'Aaron Fox and Carter would be a great running mate in the backcourt with him.
Carrington is one of the better jump shooters in the class who thrives from the midrange with playmaking skills as well. He'll need to improve at the rim and from outside and likely bulk up to handle bigger defenders.
Grade: B+. After getting interior and defensive help with Sarr at No. 2, the Wizards grab one of the best scorers in the draft. Washington was the 25th-ranked three-point shooting team in the league last year and Carrington should help from there and the mid-range as well.
Ware's athleticism in a 7-foot frame with a 7-foot-4 wingspan makes him an enticing prospect as a defender and dunker. He's a prolific three-point shooter as well. He needs to improve his effort and decision making as a passer.
Grade: B. Miami gets another athletic shot blocker and Ware could bolster one of the better three-point shooting teams. At this pick, though, the Heat could've gone with a scoring guard or wing to help with Jimmy Butler's future in doubt.
McCain's a ready-made shooter in pull-up and catch-and-shoot opportunities on offense. He can make most any pass and plays hard on defense but does lack an ideal first step and scoring at the rim.
Grade: A-. McCain can fit in easily with Philadelphia's offense as a pull-up shooter or pick-and-roll partner for Joel Embiid. If the 76ers end up packaging him for a star this summer, he provides upside as a young shooter for another team.
One of the top scorers from the NCAA tournament, Knecht's a knockdown shooter from three-point range and mover off-ball. He'll need to improve on the other end of the court to stick long-term in the NBA.
Grade: A. Knecht is a plug-and-play shooter who will help the Lakers who ranked 28th in three-point attempts per game last season. He has a low ceiling compared to other prospects but for a team looking to maximize LeBron James' final years, this is likely the best choice at this spot.
da Silva's lack of elite athleticism may hold him back at the NBA level but he's been a prolific shooter from deep, a good finisher at the rim, and a solid passer. He hustles hard on defense but his athleticism may put a ceiling on his NBA defense.
Grade: A-. Orlando finished last in the league in shots per game but with the fourth-best scoring defense. da Silva's offense could have an impact immediately and the Magic's strong defense can hide his weaknesses.
Walter's wingspan (6 feet, 10 inches) as a 6-foot-4 guard with a dangerous shot on offense is enough to look past his inconsistent play at Baylor. He has the ideal size for a modern backcourt defender.
Grade: B+. Walter is a prolific scorer and that'll especially help from outside, where Toronto ranked 27th in three-point shooting percentage last season. Toronto is in rebuild mode so they can take time to iron out his inconsistency.
Tyson was a prolific scorer in Berkeley last season but needs to show that wasn't a fluke due to shouldering a higher scoring load. He's a good finisher at the rim but lacks the length and explosiveness on defense.
Grade: C-. Cleveland needs help on offense but with the prospects still left on the board, Tyson is a curious choice that feels like a reach. His shotmaking will help the 20th-ranked scoring offense at the least.
Missi has the frame (7-foot-2 wingspan at 6 feet, 11 inches tall) and athleticism to be an impact defender in the paint and on the perimeter while catching lobs on offense. He will need to cut down on fouls in the NBA and is a liability at the free throw line.
Grade: B. Missi is one of the more raw prospects at the position in this draft but his defense should help one of the worst three-point defending teams in the league. The 31-year-old Jonas Valančiūnas took the majority of the minutes at center last season so Missi is a developmental piece for the future.
Holmes II is arguably the best shot blocker in this class. Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and the agility to move around on defense makes him an easy fit on that end. On offense, he needs to cut down on turnovers and prove his jump in shooting percentages last year wasn't a fluke.
Grade: B+. Holmes II is a versatile scorer who can fit in well in the frontcourt rotation alongside three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Denver doesn't need him to produce right away but he can grow into a contributor.
Johnson is a quick guard with a big frame with a 6-foot-9 wingspan at 6 feet, 4 inches tall. He's very inexperienced and has a thin frame. His first step and ball handling show promise, though.
Grade: D. Milwaukee selected one of the most raw players in the draft 10-20 selections ahead of where he was expected to fall. If they wanted a long-term investment, the likes of Kyshawn George or Pacome Diadet were still on the board here, as were ready-made contributors at guard like Tyler Kolek or Ryan Dunn.
George is an NBA-ready catch-and-shoot threat with creativity as a playmaker, something he picked up playing point guard before a growth spurt moved him to the wing. He didn't play significant minutes at Miami, though, and need to improve on defense long-term.
Grade: B. The Wizards went with another prolific shooter with their third pick of the first round. George can bolster scoring on the wing after Carrington does so in the backcourt.
Dadiet is impressively strong given his age (18) and 6-foot-8 frame. He's an instinctive scorer with proven ability at the rim and from deep. He's not a lockdown defender nor playmaking passer.
Grade: C+. Dadiet won't be asked to do too much offensively on a team with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Julius Randle. His shooting off the dribble will be welcome but the Knicks could've used another shot creator or defender. His defense isn't up to coach Tom Thibodeau's standards at this point.
Jones' size - 6 feet, 6 inches tall with a 6-foot-11 wingspan at 237 pounds - pairs well with his playmaking abilities to give him a unique skill set. He's an attacking finisher at the rim and rebounder but doesn't have elite athleticism nor a reliable jump shot from deep.
Grade: D. Jones is one of the older wings in the class and wasn't expected to go until the mid- to late-second round. Can he produce similarly in a reduced role in Oklahoma City? There were younger and/or higher-ceiling options available at this spot.
One of the older wings in the draft, the 23-year-old Shannon improved as an efficient scorer from the free throw line as a senior. He's a proven defender as well with athleticism and bulk to handle NBA scorers.
Grade: B+. Minnesota's ready to contend after a trip to the conference finals last season. Shannon fits well within the Timberwolves' defensive ethos and can produce on offense in an efficient role.
Dunn is arguably the best defender in this class, even at the rim as a 6-foot-6 wing player thanks to his 7-foot-2 wingspan. He's limited as a shooter but can finish at the rim with authority.
Grade: A-. On a team with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Dunn won't need to contribute much on offense. He can instead shine on defense for a team looking to contend in the Western Conference.
Collier was inconsistent in his one season with the Trojans but shows flashes of impressive playmaking with the frame to bully smaller defenders. He's a streaky shooter and needs to play more controlled and disciplined to avoid turnovers at the next level.
Grade: B. Collier is a stark contrast to Utah's first pick (Williams) in regards to his strength and physicality. His aggressive playmaking can bring some upside in the backcourt rotation.
Scheierman will be limited as a defender in the NBA but his versatility as a shooter from nearly anywhere on the court should translate. He's a good playmaker and rebounder as well to give him a good toolkit on offense at the wing.
Grade: B+. Boston had one of the best defenses in the league last season so that'll hide Scheierman's weaknesses on that end. He is a ready-made shooter set to come off the bench for the defending champions.
Date: June 26-27, 2024
Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: ABC, ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+, fuboTV
How to watch:Catch the 2024 NBA Draft with a fuboTV subscription
*Rankings via Jeff Zillgitt's latest mock draft
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