The Atlanta Hawks won the 2024 NBA draft lottery Sunday, securing the No. 1 overall pick on June 26. It will be the first time the Hawks have ever had the top pick.
Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the clear-cut No. 1 prospect, there’s not a consensus top player on draft boards for the 2024 class. Going into this week’s NBA combine, the top two prospects are French players: Zaccharie Risacher (Bourg) and Alex Sarr (Perth). Two college prospects are close behind them: UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham.
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo share their first mock draft post-lottery, which reflects a thorough evaluation of the 2024 class and considers intel from scouts and front office personnel.
NBA draft coverage:
Answering 14 questions off the lottery
NBA combine preview: Top storylines
Big Board rankings | Draft order | More
FIRST ROUND
1. Atlanta Hawks
Alex Sarr
Perth
PF/C
Age: 19.0
The Hawks caught lightning in a bottle in Sunday’s lottery, converting on just a 3% chance to win (10th-best odds) the top pick. Suffice it to say, this is a major stroke of fortune for Atlanta, which doesn’t control its own first-round pick again until 2028, owing future picks and swaps to the San Antonio Spurs. This had been viewed as an offseason of potentially big changes for Atlanta, as the Hawks weigh the luxury tax and attempt to navigate their way out of the middle of the Eastern Conference standings. Now they’ll unexpectedly have a chance to pick who they want from atop the draft.
Coming off a solid year in the NBL, Sarr is the most physically gifted big in this class, and could give Atlanta a much-needed element of size and floor spacing from the frontcourt. He’ll have work to do in expanding his offensive game, sharpening his 3-point range and adjusting to the speed of the NBA, but could be quite valuable as someone who can stretch the floor and protect the rim at both the 4 and 5 spots. If the goal is to build a better defense around Trae Young, Sarr looks like a strong fit because of his versatility on both ends of the floor. — Jeremy Woo
2. Washington Wizards
Zaccharie Risacher
Bourg
SF
Age: 19.0
The Wizards’ front office can afford to take a big swing at the top of the draft as the team enters Year 2 of what figures to be a patient, long-term rebuild. Washington’s roster remains fluid into the future, and the team should be looking for the best talent available at this spot. Risacher’s potential to space the floor, defend at a high level and develop into a quality starter on the wing presents an attractive mix of safety and upside at No. 2. Washington selected another Frenchman, Bilal Coulibaly, in last year’s lottery, and will have an opportunity to keep that trend going, with at least one of Risacher and Sarr available to them here. — Woo
3. Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn Nets)
Reed Sheppard
Kentucky
PG/SG
Age: 19.8
The Rockets turned the page on their rebuild by hiring coach Ime Udoka and making a splash in free agency last summer. Houston could look at plug-and-play options with this pick considering the youthful roster construction. Shooting will likely be a priority this summer, and the dynamic shot-making versatility of Sheppard — who made over 50% of his 3s this season — could be attractive, along with his feel for the game and defensive instincts. Expect Donovan Clingan to get a look here as well if the front office thinks he can play heavy minutes alongside Alperen Sengun in a multi-big-men lineups. — Jonathan Givony
4. San Antonio Spurs
Rob Dillingham
Kentucky
PG
Age: 19.3
The Spurs struck gold in last year’s draft lottery, and this year is icing on the cake while building around Victor Wembanyama’s star power. The Spurs’ messy Jeremy Sochan experiment only amplified the need for a point guard who can complement Wembanyama’s extraordinary skill level, making the draft’s top backcourt prospects the natural place to look. Dillingham’s combination of perimeter shooting, ballhandling and pick-and-roll playmaking gives him significant offensive potential to grow into long term. His size and defensive limitations could be mitigated alongside a future Defensive Player of the Year-caliber rim-protector such as Wembanyama cleaning up mistakes behind him. — Givony
5. Detroit Pistons
Matas Buzelis
G League Ignite
SF/PF
Age: 19.5
The Pistons are the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting team and among the league’s worst defenses, meaning they could be attracted to the combination of perimeter shooting, explosiveness, defensive versatility and youth Buzelis offers. He made 45% of his 3-pointers as a high school senior, but saw that number drop significantly with G League Ignite. Buzelis looks like a strong fit positionally with the rest of Detroit’s core and is the type of player who doesn’t need plays called for him, but still has significant upside to grow into. — Givony
6. Charlotte Hornets
Donovan Clingan
UConn
C
Age: 20.2
With executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson in the front office and new head coach Charles Lee, the Hornets have the flexibility to take multiple directions, considering the roster’s makeup and the longer timetable that comes with an organizational refresh and new ownership. The frontcourt is a natural place to look to strengthen the roster and build around last year’s No. 2 pick, Brandon Miller, whose future looks extremely bright after finishing third in the Rookie of the Year race. Clingan makes a compelling argument for being the next big man to come off the board, with defensive impact at the forefront of the discussion. The Hornets would surely be highly attracted to the size, length, rim-protection and passing ability of Clingan, who is coming off back-to-back national championships at UConn and has room for growth alongside their core at just 20 years old. — Givony
7. Portland Trail Blazers
Nikola Topic
Mega MIS
PG
Age: 18.7
The Blazers aren’t far enough along in their rebuild to worry too much about positional fit, and Topic’s combination of size and playmaking ability differentiates his skill set from the guards they already have on the roster. Portland can take a swing on the best available talent here, envisioning Topic as part of a multi-playmaker attack alongside Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons. At this spot in the draft, Topic is an intriguing bet, with his feel and passing ability likely to help enhance opportunities for others around him. — Woo
8. San Antonio Spurs
Dalton Knecht
Tennessee
SF
Age: 23.0
After addressing their point guard situation with the No. 4 pick, it might make sense for the Spurs to look at adding shooting to their roster to give Victor Wembanyama ample spacing to maximize his offensive gifts. The Spurs surely have eyes on being competitive sooner rather than later with Wembanyama about to become an MVP candidate in the near future, so picking a 23-year old plug-and-play shooter/scorer such as Knecht looks like an attractive option. His defensive shortcomings can be mitigated to an extent playing behind a future Defensive Player of the Year like Wembanyama. — Givony
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Stephon Castle
UConn
PG/SG
Age: 19.5
The Grizzlies are a best-player-available front office and will be eager to return to the playoffs after an injury-plagued season. While Castle isn’t a perfect fit because of the questions around his shooting, he has upside because of his size, defensive versatility and playmaking, which give him attractive swiss-army-knife capabilities that could fast-track his pathway to useful minutes. Castle’s range of strengths should allow him to fit into a variety of lineups, particularly if he can shore up his 3-point shooting, and makes him an intriguing fit with Memphis’s current personnel in the short and long term. — Woo
10. Utah Jazz
Ron Holland
G League Ignite
SF
Age: 18.8
Rolling the dice on Holland, once viewed as a candidate for the top pick, might be an interesting value play if he’s on the board here. His competitiveness, defensive versatility and aggressiveness could be a solid option alongside playmakers such as Keyonte George and Collin Sexton to help lessen his scoring load and allow him to assume his more natural role as a high-energy defender on the wing. — Givony
11. Chicago Bulls
Isaiah Collier
USC
PG
Age: 19.5
With guard Zach Lavine reportedly a candidate to be traded and a need for additional backcourt playmaking as a priority this offseason, the shot-creation prowess and scoring instincts of Collier will be studied closely by the Bulls’ front office should he be available with this pick. Collier has flaws but also offers some real star power and upside with his size, strength and slashing ability at 19 years old, especially if his perimeter shooting improves. — Givony
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston Rockets)
Cody Williams
Colorado
SG/SF
Age: 19.4
The Thunder can feasibly go any direction in adding to their young core with this pick, a luxury for the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed. Williams, the younger brother of Thunder star Jalen Williams, could be a natural fit, offering much of the versatility and size executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti has long favored in his perimeter talent. It would also be a situation where Williams wouldn’t be asked to play a major role early in his career. Cody is still a ways from contributing at a high level, but the flashes he showed at Colorado have kept him in the lottery mix. — Woo
13. Sacramento Kings
Ja’Kobe Walter
Baylor
SG/SF
Age: 19.6
The Kings could look to bolster their wing depth with key reserve Malik Monk entering free agency, through either the draft or other means. A movement shooter such as Walter who can run off screens and bring high-level intensity defensively makes plenty of sense. He also has plenty of upside to grow into at 19 years old. — Givony
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Golden State Warriors)
Tidjane Salaun
Cholet
PF
Age: 18.7
Salaun would be another intriguing addition to Portland’s frontcourt, helping to balance out a guard-heavy roster. His potential to space the floor, supply energy and versatility, and that he doesn’t need designed touches, makes him an interesting fit with the future in mind. Salaun is still raw in important areas of his game — he’ll need seasoning and time to reach his potential — but he should be an appealing project if he can make strides as a shooter and decision-maker. — Woo
15. Miami Heat
Zach Edey
Purdue
C
Age: 21.9
Edey’s positional fit alongside Bam Adebayo would be a topic of discussion in Miami, but his productivity, physicality, intensity and team-culture match would be welcomed by the Heat. Adebayo started to slowly incorporate a 3-point shot into his offensive arsenal late this season and has the type of defensive versatility that could be useful alongside another big. Edey’s offensive rebounding and interior scoring are skills the Heat lack, making him an attractive pick here. — Givony
16. Philadelphia 76ers
Devin Carter
Providence
PG/SG
Age: 22.1
Most playoff teams could use the defensive versatility, toughness and developing outside shooting Carter brings, especially on a roster with ample shot creation like the 76ers have with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The 2023-24 Big East Player of the Year looks like a plug-and-play option at 22 years old, which will be attractive to several teams drafting in this range. — Givony
17. Los Angeles Lakers*
Jared McCain
Duke
PG
Age: 20.2
The Pelicans own the rights to this Lakers pick but are expected to defer it to 2025 to receive the pick in what should be a deeper draft. Assuming that’s what happens, expect Los Angeles to target an NBA-ready talent who can contribute next season as part of what could be an overhauled roster. McCain’s shooting ability, feel for his role and capacity to play both guard positions could fast-track him into minutes somewhere next season after a solid freshman year at Duke, presuming he can hold up defensively early on. — Woo
18. Orlando Magic
Tristan da Silva
Colorado
SF/PF
Age: 22.9
The Magic ranked among the worst 3-point shooting teams this season and will look to improve in that area this offseason. Da Silva, a plug-and-play option who turns 23 on May 15, brings coveted defensive versatility and feel for the game. He also doesn’t need plays called for him, which could be attractive operating alongside existing young stars Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. — Givony
19. Toronto Raptors (via Indiana Pacers)
Kyle Filipowski
Duke
PF/C
Age: 20.5
The Raptors can add size with Filipowski, who has one of the wider ranges among projected first-rounders. His skill level and offensive versatility could make him a unique player if he can improve his perimeter shooting. After making strides defensively last season, he’ll likely have to be deployed alongside a rim protector, making him more of a specific fit for teams willing to play with two bigs. His ability to play all over the floor, pass and potentially create mismatches at his size make him intriguing for the long term. — Woo
20. Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyler Smith
G League Ignite
SF/PF
Age: 19.5
The Cavs don’t have a true stretch-4 on the roster and could choose to develop Smith into that mold, following a successful season in the G League that helped clarify his role at the NBA level. Smith likely needs another season to develop physically and get accustomed to the speed of the league, but he looks to be on a positive trajectory. He has plenty of room for growth as a shooter and should be able to pack on strength to his frame, giving him a pathway as a useful role player. — Woo
21. New Orleans Pelicans (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Yves Missi
Baylor
C
Age: 19.9
New Orleans has a need for more athleticism at the 5, and while Missi would be a project, he might help address that in the long run. Missi’s size, tools and flashes of scoring ability piqued enough interest from scouts to vault him into the draft, but there are some lingering questions about his overall feel and lack of high-level experience. He’d likely benefit from G League time, but the right organization might be able to mold him into a useful rim-running big. — Woo
22. Phoenix Suns
Bobi Klintman
Cairns
SF/PF
Age: 21.1
The Suns traded away most of their draft capital in the coming years to build a superteam anchored around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, so this pick is a rare chance to inject the team with young talent on a cost-controlled rookie scale contract. Wing depth will likely be important for the Suns, especially with perimeter shooting and defensive versatility at a premium. Klintman, who is old enough at 21 to be expected to play a role in the short term, also has some intriguing ingredients to develop long-term with his size, range and defensive playmaking ability. — Woo
23. Milwaukee Bucks (via Milwaukee Bucks (via Portland Trail Blazers)
New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks (via Boston Celtics)
Cam Spencer
Note: The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns forfeited a 2024 second-round draft pick.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
Jeremy Woo is an NBA analyst specializing in prospect evaluation and the draft. He was previously a staff writer and draft insider at Sports Illustrated.
