The Atlanta Hawks won Sunday's draft lottery and will receive the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
This is the Hawks' first top overall pick since they selected David Thompson in the 1975 draft. Atlanta had never been in the draft lottery before. General manager Landry Fields represented the team on stage in Chicago.
The Detroit Pistons (14-68) and Washington Wizards (15-67) had the highest probability of acquiring the No. 1 pick at 14%. The Hawks had a record of 36 wins and 46 losses, giving him a 3% chance of winning the selection (+3000 odds).
Unlike last year, when Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson were considered second-best prospects and Victor Wembaneyama was the clear prize as the top selection, this year's class doesn't have a clear choice at No. 1. However, there are some players who could fill important needs for teams that didn't make the NBA playoffs.
The 2024 top 14 lineup after the lottery results is as follows:
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atlanta hawks
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washington wizards
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Houston Rockets *
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san antonio spurs
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detroit pistons
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charlotte hornets
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portland trail blazers
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san antonio spurs
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memphis grizzlies
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utah jazz
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chicago bulls
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Oklahoma City Thunder (from Houston) **
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sacramento kings
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Portland Trail Blazers (from Golden State) ***
Two French basketball players, Alex Sarr and Zachary Lizacher, are seen as the top two players who could be drafted in the top two picks.
Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Kristen Peek has the 19-year-old Sarr as the No. 1 pick in her latest mock draft. Here's what she had to say about the 7-foot-1 center in her Draft Lottery preview.
Sarr, who chose to play one season with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's NBL, attracted the attention of NBA scouts and executives during two exhibition games against the G League Ignite in Las Vegas in the fall. He solidified his status as a top pick by showcasing a much-improved motor and elite rim protection and dominating in the paint against lottery talent like Matas Bouzelis and Ron Holland. During his one season with the Wildcats, Sarr averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 18 minutes per game.
Lizacher, also 19, is a 6-foot-9 wing with more offensive talent than defensive presence, Peek said.
Lisach currently plays for JL Bourg en Bresse in the LNB Pro A French League. The 6-9 winger — whose father Stéphane was a six-time French League All-Star and won a silver medal with France at the 2000 Summer Olympics — played more than 60 games this season, more than any other prospect. He participated in the competition and showed his results. Nike has made significant progress since last spring when he played as part of the World Hoops team at his Summit. One of the best catch-and-shoot wings in the draft, Lizacher is shooting 39% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game, improving his decision-making in the lane and growing as a facilitator. are doing.
Other potential top-five picks include college center Donovan Clingan and guard Stephon Castle, and Serbian guard Nikola Topic. Kentucky guards Rob Dillingham and Reid Shepard, Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht and G League Ignite forward Matas Bouzelis are also projected to be top draft picks.
These players, and many more among the 78 prospects, could help their chances of moving up the board by their performance at the NBA Draft Combine, which began Sunday in Chicago. Fans can watch combine activity on ESPN2 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm ET on May 15th-16th.
*Houston acquired this pick from Brooklyn in the 2020 trade for James Harden.
**Oklahoma City acquired this selection from Houston in the 2019 deal that involved Russell Westbrook.
*** Golden State would have kept this pick had it been in the top four.
The 2024 NBA Draft will be held on June 26th and 27th. For the first time, the draft will be a two-night event, with the first round taking place on June 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The second round will be held on June 27th at ESPN's Seaport District Studios in New York.
