NBA Draft 2024: Zaccharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr and Tidjane Salaun add to the league's French revolution: 'We're trying to represent'
- Three French players were selected in the first six picks of the NBA Draft
- UConn stars Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan rounded out the top 10
If Victor Wembanyama kicked in the door last season, then it was surely walked through during Wednesday night's NBA Draft.
Make no mistake about it: there is a French revolution brewing in the world's premier basketball league.
For the first time in league history, two French players were selected in the top five picks, as Zaccharie Risacher went first overall to the Hawks and Alexandre Sarr was taken immediately after by the Wizards.
Another Frenchman (teenager, really) Tidjane Salaun, was taken by the Hornets four picks later for good measure.
The 18-year-old will need time to develop. But after a season in which both the Rookie of the Year (Wembanyama) and Defensive Player of the Year (Rudy Gobert) awards were claimed by the French, the country is already making its imprint on the league, and Wednesday was another huge step.
Zaccharie Risacher shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after getting drafted
Alexandre Sarr - another Frenchman - was selected immediately after Risacher at No. 2
18-year-old Tidjane Salaun was also selected sixth overall by the Charlotte Hornets
'We're trying to represent our country, and I'm so glad to be a part of it,' Risacher told reporters after being selected. 'There's more [French] players coming in. I'm really proud of being a part of the [success] of my country.'
Salaun added, 'I think the basketball in France is improved. And that's why we are [in] this draft. Three French players in the top 10 is not nothing.'
Risacher, Sarr and Salaun enter the league together during a true golden period for French basketball.
The NBA said ahead of the draft that a record 14 French players were on opening night rosters last season, with veteran forward Nicolas Batum still proving to be a valuable player and Wembanyama's old teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, now set to team up with Sarr in Washington.
Wembanyama, who starred for an otherwise undermanned San Antonio squad last season, got some massive help during the draft in the form of UConn's one-and-done point guard Stephon Castle - taken by the Spurs at No. 4.
The French takeover in this year's draft came after Victor Wembanyama was taken No. 1 overall last year
Wembanyama will get some help in the form of Stephon Castle, who the Spurs took at No. 4
The college national champion said he'd already spoken to his new NBA teammate, and didn't seem concerned about transitioning from the leadership of UConn's disciplinarian Dan Hurley - who he called the best coach in college basketball - to NBA legend Gregg Popovich.
'It's not really a big culture change from UConn to San Antonio,' he said.
'I mean, just being out there during the pre-draft process, you can tell that it's a hard working program and super, super hard nosed guys.'
Castle's college teammate Donovan Clingan, an offensively-polished, block-swatting big man, went soon after at No. 7 to the Blazers.
Two-time National Player of the Year, Zach Edey, went a bit higher than expected at No. 9 after starring for Purdue, while ex-Duke guard and noted TikTok sensation Jared McCain was grabbed at No. 16 by the Sixers.
More to follow.
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