The 2024 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the most interesting drafts in recent memory.
This year’s draft cycle began with a bang as the Hawks moved up nine spots to pull off a lottery upset to win the No. 1 overall pick despite having the 10th best odds to do so. Unfortunately for Atlanta, it wins the No. 1 overall pick in a year where there is no consensus top prospect.
To be fair to the Hawks, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, is a tough act to follow. Even the year before there was a last-minute debate on whether or not Paolo Banchero or Jabari Smith Jr. would go first overall. In retrospect, Banchero was the correct call, but not everyone saw it that way in the moment.
The 2024 NBA Draft does not lack talent, but the perceived lack of a can’t-miss, no-brainer prospect has fueled a discussion of who should actually go first overall.
Here’s more on why there is no consensus on a top pick in this year’s draft.
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There is no consensus on the top pick due to uncertainty around the top prospects and Atlanta’s needs.
France’s Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher are viewed as the two prospects most likely to go first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, with Sarr usually receiving a slight edge in evaluations.
While Sarr usually grades out as the top prospect, Yahoo’s Jake Fischer claims that he and his camp have no interest in him going first overall to the Hawks, deeming Atlanta a bad situation for his development.
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Given the uncertainty around most prospects, Sarr’s aversion to joining the Hawks prevents a surefire pairing between the top prospect and the team that owns the top pick. In addition to Risacher, several other prospects could realistically go first overall.
Serbia’s Nikola Topic, Connecticut’s duo of Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan, and Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard are all prospects that are regarded highly, but none quite fit the bill of a typical No. 1 pick.
Should Atlanta decide to trade its first overall pick, a different team could make a play for a prospect that best fits its needs. With no consensus on a top prospect, there are various ways a trade for the top pick could go.
The 2024 NBA Draft class has a level of unpredictability that was last seen over a decade ago.
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1. | Hawks |
| 2. | Wizards |
| 3. | Rockets (via Nets) |
| 4. | Spurs |
| 5. | Pistons |
| 6. | Hornets |
| 7. | Trail Blazers |
| 8. | Spurs (via Raptors) |
| 9. | Grizzlies |
| 10. | Jazz |
| 11. | Bulls |
| 12. | Thunder (via Rockets) |
| 13. | Kings |
| 14. | Trail Blazers (via Warriors) |
