The 2024 NBA Draft didn’t have a Victor Wembanyama. It didn’t have a LeBron James or a Zion Williamson. Honestly, for months leading up to the event, the "weak draft" narrative was basically all anyone talked about. But now that we have the full nba draft 2024 results, the reality is a lot more interesting than the pre-draft pessimism suggested.
We saw a French takeover at the top, a flurry of Kentucky guards flying off the board, and a second round that felt like a circus because of one specific name: Bronny.
The Atlanta Hawks kicked things off by taking Zaccharie Risacher at number one. It was a pick that signaled a shift toward "safe" wing play over high-variance swings. Risacher, a 6-foot-9 forward from JL Bourg, isn't necessarily a guy who’s going to drop 40 every night, but in a draft where nobody was a surefire superstar, his 3-and-D floor was too enticing for Atlanta to pass up.
Breaking Down the Top 10 nba draft 2024 results
The top of the lottery felt a bit like a guessing game until the very last second. While the Hawks went with Risacher, the Washington Wizards stayed in France for the number two pick, snagging Alex Sarr. Sarr is a massive 7-foot-1 center with the kind of lateral mobility that makes scouts drool. He can switch onto guards, protect the rim, and potentially stretch the floor. He's been a bit of a project early on, but the physical tools are undeniable.
Houston took Reed Sheppard at three, which might be the smartest move of the night. Sheppard shot over 50% from deep at Kentucky. Think about that. In a league where spacing is everything, adding a literal flamethrower to a young Rockets core was a no-brainer.
The rest of the top 10 shook out with some fascinating fits.
- Stephon Castle went 4th to the San Antonio Spurs. He’s a winner, plain and simple, coming off a national title with UConn.
- Ron Holland II went 5th to Detroit. He’s a high-motor athlete from the G League Ignite who needs a jumper but plays harder than almost anyone in the class.
- Tidjane Salaün (6th, Charlotte) made it three French players in the top six.
- Donovan Clingan (7th, Portland) gave the Blazers a massive defensive anchor.
- Rob Dillingham was picked 8th by San Antonio but immediately traded to Minnesota in a move that shocked everyone.
- Zach Edey (9th, Memphis) proved the doubters wrong by going in the top 10 despite being a "traditional" big.
- Cody Williams (10th, Utah) rounded out the top ten as a lanky wing with huge upside.
The Steal of the Night: Dalton Knecht
If you want to talk about the biggest surprise in the nba draft 2024 results, you have to talk about Dalton Knecht. The Tennessee star was projected by almost every expert to be a top-10 lock. Instead, he tumbled. Teams kept passing on him, likely due to his age (23), until the Los Angeles Lakers sprinted to the podium at number 17.
Knecht is a pro-ready scorer. He can pull up from the logo and finish through contact. Getting a guy who averaged nearly 22 points in the SEC at pick 17 is basically daylight robbery. Lakers fans were understandably ecstatic.
That Second Round Drama
Most years, the second round of the NBA Draft is for hardcore fans and front-office junkies. Not in 2024.
The 55th pick was the most talked-about selection in the history of the league. When the Lakers drafted Bronny James from USC, it wasn't just a roster move; it was a historical milestone. It set the stage for the first father-son duo to ever play together in the NBA.
Critics pointed to his college stats (4.8 points per game), but the Lakers are betting on his defensive instincts, his high basketball IQ, and—let’s be real—the desire to keep LeBron James happy in purple and gold.
Other notable second-rounders included Kyle Filipowski falling to Utah at 32 and Tyler Kolek going to the Knicks at 34. These are guys who could actually play rotation minutes sooner than later.
What the nba draft 2024 results Tell Us About the Future
Kinda feels like the league is moving away from the "swing for the fences" mentality and more toward "find a guy who fits a role."
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The Hawks didn't take a high-risk creator; they took a wing who fits next to Trae Young. The Rockets didn't take a raw athlete; they took the best shooter in the country. Even the Grizzlies taking Zach Edey shows a desire for functional size over theoretical versatility.
If you’re a fan looking to make sense of these results, don’t look for the next LeBron in this class. Look for the next OG Anunoby or Derrick White. This draft was about building rosters, not finding saviors.
Moving Forward with the 2024 Class
- Monitor the Rookies: Keep an eye on the G League assignments. Many of these players, especially the French wings like Salaün, will spend a lot of time in the G League to refine their raw skills.
- Redraft Value: In two years, we’ll look back and probably see that guys like Bub Carrington (14th to Washington) or Devin Carter (13th to Sacramento) should have gone much higher.
- Bronny Watch: Don't expect him to be a star immediately. His path is likely that of a defensive specialist who needs time to develop his offensive consistency.
The nba draft 2024 results might have been labeled "weak" by the media, but the fits are actually quite strong. Teams got smarter, prioritized shooting and defense, and left the star-chasing for the 2025 class.