2024 NBA Draft Grades: Pick-by-Select Analysis of First Round

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The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, with Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher becoming No. 1 against the Atlanta Hawks.

What choices landed? Which one didn’t? Here are the full first-round grades from Yahoo Sports.

Risacher’s combination of length and defensive versatility on the wing makes him a player capable of finding himself in any situation and contributing immediately. He’s more than just a catch-and-shoot threat and has shown improvement as a facilitator when his shot isn’t falling.

This was Sarr’s favorite landing spot and he can come in right away and add some relief defensively with the way he protects the rim. Offensively, he has a smooth jumper in the pick-and-pop with the potential to get past the 3-point line.

Sheppard shot over 52% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game and will be more of a combo guard at the NBA level. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-2, but has a high IQ and solid floor when it comes to a skilled young guard coming into the NBA.

Castle was one of the best defensive guards in college hoops during his first year at UConn and showed off a much-improved 3-point shot during the pre-draft process. He has potential as an elite two-way player in the NBA and can help anchor the defense alongside Victor Wembanyama.

Holland averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in the G League this season for the Ignite. While he can be turnover-prone at times, his 6-foot-8 size and brilliance off the dribble and in transition still give him room to grow in the NBA at just 18 years old. His movement off the ball needs some work and he sometimes clogs the lane with his attempts to get to the rim.

Salaun has solid size at the wing position at 6-foot-9 and has really become more than just a catch-and-shoot threat along the perimeter. He worked last season to add muscle to his body and his physicality in the lane improved while playing for Cholet in the LNB Pro A league.

Clingan has all the tools to be a long-term starting center in the NBA and moves well for his size at 7-foot-2. He is more than a great rim runner and can throw many different options in the pick-and-roll, whether it’s sliding, rolling to the basket, pinning his man or going out for a jumper.

Dillingham is one of the best guards with the ball in his hands and can get downhill and put pressure on the basket. There’s no doubt he’ll be electric in Minnesota, but his size at 6’2″, 160 pounds is concerning for an NBA main guard.

Edey can come in immediately as a backup center and has the best post-up game of any center in the draft, averaging 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season. His limitations lie in the pick-and-roll, where only 8% of his made baskets came in this set, and defensively, he doesn’t have the foot speed to keep the switch, which forces him to be more a drop coverage center.

Williams is one of the best defensive ends in this class thanks to his ability to defend positions 1-4 and his good switch coverage. He needs to get stronger with the ball, but he’s further along in his development at 19 than his brother, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, was at his age.

Buzelis shot less than 30 percent from 3-point range in his lone season with the Ignite, but he has great size at 6-foot-9 and the ability to space the floor. He’s comfortable taking players off the dribble and has good footwork and ball skills on dribble handoffs to the wing.

Topić suffered a partial torn ACL and the Thunder will have to be patient with his recovery. He is one of the best passers in this draft class, averaging 5.5 assists per game in Serbia, and has good size at the 6-foot-6 point guard position.

Carter skyrocketed up draft boards during the pre-draft process thanks to his performance during the combine (maximum vertical of 42 inches and breaking the combine record for 3/4 field sprint ). He is a tough nose guard who is good at turning defense into offense and is one of the best rebounding guards.

Carrington has hit a late growth spurt and is now closer to 6-foot-5 as a point guard, making him a late riser in the draft. He still has tremendous potential at 18 and can come in right away with his quick pace and decent shot creation on the pick-and-roll.

Ware really took a leap forward from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a pick-and-roll big while putting pressure on the rim. His athleticism helps him protect the perimeter off the switch, and he’s improved his ball-handling, starting to stop missed shots.

McCain is one of the best shooters in this draft, shooting 41.8% from 3-point range and shooting lights out at the combine in front of all the NBA executives and scouts. Even though he’s undersized (6-foot-3, 197 pounds), Philadelphia knows exactly what’s expected of him as a reliable shooter who competes at a high level.

Knecht was the SEC’s leading scorer, averaging 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game at Tennessee. He’s one of the oldest players in the first round at 23, but he can become a plug-and-play player right away, contributing size and scoring on three levels.

The senior forward shot 40 percent from three-point range and has the potential to be that hybrid quartet in the NBA with his strong inside-outside game and the way he gets to his positions outside of the pick-and-place option. roll.

Walter has solid size for a 6-5 shooter and showed more promise off the rebound during his year at Baylor. His 3-point shooting was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season, but the spacing in the NBA will allow him to better seek out higher-percentage shots.

Tyson was one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 and can do a little bit of everything very well. He is strong with the ball, cuts well and finishes through contact, but his mobility on defense and ability to keep players in front still needs work.

Stefan Milic (Yahoo Sports)Stefan Milic (Yahoo Sports)

Stefan Milic (Yahoo Sports)

Missi still has huge room for improvement after his year at Baylor, but the glimpses he showed defending the block and running well down the court in transition scream to the heavens as a great rim runner in the NBA 7s feet.

Holmes could potentially be a great hybrid with his polished interior scoring and improvement in his shot selection from behind the arc, averaging 38.6% from 3-point range.

Johnson’s potential as a 6-foot-9 combo point guard is very intriguing and he’s a player who has been training indoors with Rockets point guard Jalen Green since 8th grade. They have similar mannerisms as playmakers, and Johnson is still so raw as a prospect that he could end up being one of the best players in this draft in two or three years.

George had a late growth spurt two years ago and went from 6-3 to 6-8. He still passes as a point guard but plays more on the perimeter. His 3-point shooting is what’s most intriguing, with a 41% 3-point success rate off the bench during his first year in Miami.

Dadiet is one of the youngest players in the draft, at just 18 years old, and will be a developmental draft and reserve project for the Knicks. His size and strength at 6-8 along the perimeter is what stands out first when he plays, and he shows more signs as a balanced playmaker on the wing, finishing his season in Germany for Ratiopharm Ulm on a good note.

Jones does a lot of little things very well, which is probably why the Thunder traded up to grab him. Jones reads the game accurately, dictates the pace and plays to his advantage.

Shannon is a three-level scorer who improved his 3-point shooting during his college career, finishing his senior season at Illinois shooting 36.2 percent from deep. He’s an older, experienced 23-year-old guard who can come in right away and contribute for Minnesota.

Dunn was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season at 6-8, averaging 2.3 blocks and just under two steals per game during his sophomore season at Virginia. The biggest hole in his game is his 3-point shooting where he made only 20% of his attempts from deep last season.

The fact that Collier fell so low in the draft after starting last college season as the No. 1 high school recruit is shocking. The biggest shortcomings in his game are his outside shooting and turnovers. Where he excels is in the open court, and he has excellent body control around the rim. With the spacing and pace of the NBA game, he could be a steal for the Jazz.

Scheierman’s shot creation and size as a perimeter player are what got him fired in the first round. He has been a four-year Creighton player and averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a senior.



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