The Atlanta Hawks choose Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher first overall in the NBA Draft

The NBA is experiencing the French Revolution.

French wing The Atlanta Hawks picked Zaccharie Risacher, 19, as the first overall choice in the 2024 NBA draft.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• On Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks picked French wing Zaccharie Risacher as the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
• Risacher’s selection marks the second-straight year that the first selection has come from France, following the San Antonio Spurs’ selection of Victor Wembanyama first overall last year.
• The Washington Wizards picked Alexandre Sarr, another French talent, second overall.
• NBA commissioner Adam Silver began the night by remembering the recent losses of two NBA legends: Bill Walton, who died on May 27 aged 71, and Jerry West, who died on June 12 at 86.

Risacher, regarded as one of the finest defenders in this year’s rookie class, will join a once-exciting Hawks team that has struggled in recent years despite the potential of star point guard Trae Young.

His selection represents the second consecutive year that France has produced the top overall selection.

Last year, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama first overall. Wembanyama, who was generally regarded as a potential franchise-changing prospect, delivered on that promise by earning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year title unanimously.

Risacher’s selection was quickly followed by fellow Frenchmen Alexandre Sarr and Tidjane Salaun.

Sarr, a 7-foot-1-inch center who previously played in the Australian NBL, was taken second overall by the Washington Wizards. Salaun, a 6-foot 10-inch forward, was selected sixth overall by the Charlotte Hornets and most recently played in France’s LNB. Later in the first round, the New York Knicks chose another French-born player, Pacome Dadiet.

Their picks created NBA history several times over.

It marks the first time in NBA history that foreign players were selected with the first two choices, as well as the first time three international players from the same country were selected in the top ten of an NBA draft.

The most of the excitement happened less than 24 hours before the draft, when the New York Knicks went all-in, selling a slew of lottery assets and veteran player Bojan Bogdanovic to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges.

Bridges, a 27-year-old wing, is well-known for his defense, but he struggled after joining the Nets from the Phoenix Suns two seasons ago. His relocation across the East River reconnects him with a few former collegiate teammates and acquaintances from Villanova University.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver began the night by remembering the recent losses of two NBA legends: Bill Walton, who died on May 27 at the age of 71, and Jerry West, who died on June 12 at the age of 86.

Walton, a passing big man whose career was cut short by injury, won two NCAA championships and two NBA championships, one with the Portland Trail Blazers and one with the Boston Celtics. However, he became well-liked as a personality off the court and on the microphone, particularly as he attempted to improve the collegiate game in his latter years.

West, a fierce competitor, was one of the best players in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. He was a three-time Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame entrant who won one title as a player but nine as a basketball executive, helping to construct dynasties with the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.

West also has a unique honor: he was the inspiration for the NBA logo.

2024 NBA Draft First Round selections:

1. Atlanta Hawks, Zaccharie Risacher.

2. Washington Wizards’ 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. Portland Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan

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

9. Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey

10. Utah Jazz’s Cody Williams

11. Chicago Bulls’ Matas Buzelis

12. Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Topic.

13. Sacramento Kings’ Devin Carter

14. Portland Trail Blazers’ Carlton Carrington (traded to Washington)

15. Miami Heat’s Kel’el Ware

16. Philadelphia 76ers’ Jared McCain

17. Los Angeles Lakers’ Dalton Knecht

18. Orlando Magic’s Tristan da Silva

19. Toronto Raptors, Ja’Kobe Walter.

20. 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. Pacome Dadiet of the New York Knicks

26. Washington Wizards, Dillon Jones (traded to Oklahoma City).

27. Terrence Shannon Jr. of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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

29. Utah Jazz’s Isaiah Collier

30. Boston Celtics, Baylor Scheierman.