NEW YORK — The Atlanta Hawks selected French forward Jacques Rissacher with the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Rishachar became the second consecutive international prospect – and fourth overall – to be taken with the NBA’s top pick. He follows fellow Frenchman Victor Vembanyama, who went No. 1 to the San Antonio Spurs in last year’s draft.
Italian big man Andrea Bargnani was taken first overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2006, while the Houston Rockets took Hall of Fame center Yao Ming with the top pick in 2002.
“It’s a blessing, you know,” Rishacher said. “Very exciting. There are so many emotions and feelings right now. I don’t know what to say, but it’s definitely special. I’m very blessed.”
Rissacher, 19, played for JL Bourg in France’s LNB Elite League last season and averaged 11.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in both the EuroCup and French League contests. He is the son of longtime French professional basketball player Stéphane Rissacher, who won a silver medal with the French national team at the Olympic Games in 2000.
“I’m really excited about what’s going to happen,” Rishachar said. “I just want to do my best to help the team. I just feel like I can help a lot. I’m willing to do anything to be able to get on the court with those great players ”
The 6-foot-9 forward stood out during the draft process, and Atlanta — which moved up from the 11th pick to the top spot in the NBA draft lottery last month — used its first No. 1 pick in the lottery era on him. Now, Rishaer will move into the frontcourt alongside breakout forward Jalen Johnson with the Hawks, who enter the offseason with a lot of questions about the future of their star-filled backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
The Hawks will also look to improve on the defensive end, where they struggled last season in defensive efficiency (27th overall), defense vs. on-ball screens (24th), transition defense (29th) and field goal percentage vs. layups allowed. Dunks (26th).
Fellow Frenchman Alex Sarr, also 19, was taken by the Washington Wizards at No. 2, while Kentucky guard Reed Shepard went to the Houston Rockets at No. 3.
“It shows how much talent we have in France,” Sarr said. “I’m really excited for Zach. I think our national team is going to be really good.”
C’est la France Frère 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
– Wemby (@wemby) 27 June 2024
During his opening remarks, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver congratulated the Boston Celtics on winning the 2024 NBA title – to the applause of several thousand fans gathered here – and commented on how the Celtics have done well by drafting each of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Made my own team. No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 and 2017 drafts.
Silver’s comments came with an ironic twist, as the draft was being held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn — home of the Nets, the team that sent picks to the Celtics as part of the trade that brought Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Browns. And became Tatum. Here in 2013.
Unlike last year’s draft, with the obvious selection all the way to Wembanyama, this year it was a much more involved process, with Risacher, Sarr, Shepard and UConn center Donovan Clingan going with Atlanta’s top selection before landing on Risacher. Discussed possible options. ,
After the Hawks took Rischer, Washington selected Sarr, a versatile 7-foot forward who has long drawn comparisons to longtime NBA star Al Horford, with the second pick, as was widely expected, the first true pick. The stage was set for a dramatic moment when the Rockets went on the clock.
Houston, who had the third pick because they acquired it from the Nets in the 2021 James Harden trade, took Shepard — the sharpshooter who hit 52% of his 3s with the Wildcats — to add to a growing young talent base with the Rockets. Added to. That includes guard Amen Thompson, forward Jabari Smith Jr. and center Alperen Sengun.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Shepard, who is listed at 6-foot-2, is the fifth player shorter or shorter to be selected in the top three of the NBA draft in the last 30 years. He is also the third Kentucky guard to be taken in the top five of the NBA draft, joining John Wall (2010) and De’Aaron Fox (2017).
That means another Texas team, the San Antonio Spurs, was on the clock with the fourth pick in this year’s lottery — their first of two, with the eighth pick. The Spurs drew a huge cheer in the Brooklyn crowd with the arrival of two-time defending national champion UConn guard Stephen Cassel.
With the fifth selection, the Detroit Pistons became another team with some intrigue, as several teams were potentially looking to trade up to draft Clingan, the top defensive player in this draft. Ultimately, however, the Pistons remained patient and selected 6-foot-7 forward Ron Holland II, who had spent the previous season with the G League Ignite.
The Charlotte Hornets then continued the French connection at the top of the draft by taking Tidjane Saluan, a tall, lanky, 6-foot-9 forward who spent the previous season playing for Charlotte Basket in France.
This left Clingan on the board for the Portland Trail Blazers, who were hoping to land a center with the seventh pick, and they were able to get him there.
Drafting Clingen also raised further questions about the future of other members of the Trail Blazers, including centers DeAndre Ayton and Robert Williams, as part of a deal with the Wizards to trade the 14th pick that evening. Portland continued to remodel its roster after the . For forward Deni Avdija.
The Minnesota Timberwolves then made it to the Western Conference Finals, trading a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick in a swap with the Spurs for the rights to the eighth pick in the draft – a pick that Minnesota held. Catch big-time scoring guard Rob Dillingham from Kentucky.
The Memphis Grizzlies missed out on moving up to get Clingan, then grabbed Purdue center Zack Eddy – the 7-foot-4 national player of the year – with the ninth overall selection. The Utah Jazz then selected Cody Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, with the 10th overall pick.
The Chicago Bulls then drafted Windy City native Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick, who played for the G League Ignite, before Oklahoma City drafted Serbian point guard Nikola Topic, who had a partially torn Has a torn ACL and may miss the entire season. 12th selection.
Sacramento then took Providence guard Devin Carter – son of longtime NBA guard Anthony Carter – with the 13th overall pick.
The Wizards (although the selection was officially made by Portland) completed the lottery with the 14th selection, taking 6-foot-4-inch guard Bub Carlton “Bub” Carrington of Pittsburgh.
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