2024 NBA Draft: First-round player evaluations, Fantasy breakdown, team analysis, and more

2024 NBA Draft: First-round player evaluations, Fantasy breakdown, team analysis, and more

The 2024 NBA Draft is done, and the excitement is real as teams welcome their newest players. In this article, we break down every first-round pick, highlighting their strengths, potential impacts, and how they fit with their new teams. Check out how your favorite team did and which players could make a fantasy impact in Year 1.

No. 1: Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks

Risacher boasts a coveted 3-and-D skillset, being listed at 6-foot-8 with plenty of length while knocking down 39 percent of his attempts from long range last season. While a versatile defender who can stroke it from 3-point land is incredibly valuable in the modern NBA, Risacher's ability to live up to the expectations of the No. 1 pick will likely rely on his ability to produce off the dribble. He averaged less than one assist per game in 2023-24 and had difficulties creating his own shot. The 19-year-old Frenchman may not have the upside of others in this class, but he profiles as an immediate impact player for the Hawks, who already have plenty of talent, including one of the leagues' best playmaking point guards in Trae Young. From Day 1, Risacher should be the favorite to start at small forward, but he'll have to beat out the likes of Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter to secure the spot.

No. 2: Alex Sarr, Wizards

With a 9-foot-2 standing reach, jump-out-the-gym athleticism, and impressive handles for his size, Sarr is an extremely enticing prospect and it's easy to see why he went No. 2 overall in the draft. He does have a slender frame that needs to fill out and his offensive game remains a work in progress that's mostly inside the arc, but he should see nothing but opportunities in D.C. He certainly has the potential to impact fantasy hoops right out the gates with his shot-blocking abilities.

No. 3: Reed Sheppard, Rockets

Sheppard should add a jolt of elite perimeter shooting to the Rockets while sharing reserve playmaking responsibilities with Amen Thompson. It's easy to envision Sheppard running two-man action with Alperen Sengun, or Sengun finding Sheppard for open looks coming off a variety of off-ball screens. The guard is also a smart and active defender, though his 6-foot-2 frame will limit his upside on that side of the ball.

No. 4: Stephon Castle, Spurs

A key piece in UConn's run to the National Championship last season, Castle will now team up with Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio. At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Castle has excellent size and is capable of playing both guard spots, as well as defending on the wing. Defense was his calling card at UConn, but the belief is that he'll be able to show off an expanded offensive package at the NBA level. Shooting is a major question mark for Castle, as he knocked down just 26.7 percent of his 3-point attempts (2.2 3PA/G) for the Huskies as a freshman. Castle figures to compete for a starting spot from Day 1.

No. 5: Ron Holland, Pistons

Holland's calling card is his defense, owning a high motor and exceptional athleticism while showcasing a quality handle that makes him an intriguing prospect at 18 years of age. He was one of the top players coming out of high school but partially fell under the radar with the G League Ignite due to a season-ending thumb injury suffered in January appearing after just 14 games. The injury is expected to be fully healed in time for Summer League. If Holland can add a reliable 3-point shot -- he connected on 24 percent of his attempts in the G League -- he could be a cornerstone player for the Pistons. Holland figures to fill in alongside Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren in the frontcourt.

No. 6: Tidjane Salaun, Hornets

Salaun is an athletic power forward with a clean shooting stroke, and he's gifted at creating offense off the ball. He's also a gritty defender, but the 18-year-old does have room to grow as a ball-handler. Unfortunately, he'll find himself in a crowded forward rotation, competing for minutes with the likes of Brandon Miller, Grant Williams and potentially Miles Bridges, if Bridges comes back as a free agent. It's not an ideal situation for the rookie in terms of fantasy hoops.

No. 7: Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers

Many mock drafts had Clingan as a top-three pick, so Portland getting him at No. 7 represents a slide down the board. The UConn product, with his 7-foot-2 frame, is a traditional big. He blocks shots at an elite level, he rebounds, and works in the paint on offense. How much he gets used in the post instead of simply a pick-and-roll threat remains to be seen, but it will be an option for him. Clingan's experience with an excellent college program and baseline of skill make him one of the more ready-made prospects in the draft. That said, he will have to compete with Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams for minutes as a rookie, which is a far from ideal situation since nobody in the trio can effectively play power forward.

No. 8: Rob Dillingham, Timberwolves (via trade with SAS)

The Wolves traded all the way up from No. 27 to grab Dillingham, who's coming off of a dynamic freshman season at Kentucky. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Wolves will send a 2031 unprotected pick, as well as a 2030 pick swap, to the Spurs in the deal. One of the most exciting offensive players in the country, Dillingham averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds in just 23.3 minutes per game last season. He also knocked down 44.4 percent of his 4.4 3-point attempts per game. At 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, Dillingham is a bit undersized, but the Wolves are betting that he'll be able to add weight to his slight frame in order to handle the rigors of the NBA game. With Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards already in place in Minnesota, Dillingham figures to be used as a sparkplug off the bench in Year 1.

No. 9: Zach Edey, Grizzlies

Edey will provide frontcourt reinforcements to a Grizzlies team that has plenty of question marks outside of Jaren Jackson up front. At 7-foot-4, 300 pounds, Edey possesses the size and strength to be a high-level rebounder and interior defender. He also has surprisingly good touch for a player of his stature, making 71 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe last season at Purdue and hitting finesse shots in the paint with both hands. While his lack of foot speed will make him a target for opposing offenses in the pick-and-roll, Edey could be an excellent per-minute producer for fantasy purposes, whether that's alongside Jackson or off the bench.

No. 10: Cody Williams, Jazz

Williams flashed his upside as a playmaker and finisher during his one-and-done season at Colorado, registering per-40 averages of 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. He did struggle down the stretch of his freshmen season while dealing with injuries, so he'll need to work on being more consistent and expanding his shooting range at the NBA level. That said, he should have plenty of opportunity in Utah, so he'll be someone to watch at Summer League and throughout the preseason to see how his role develops.

No. 11: Matas Buzelis, Bulls

Buzelis is a versatile wing with nice size at 6-foot-9. There's some point-forward upside to his game due to his natural feel as a passer and his ability to make plays in transition. He struggled shooting on the G League Ignite, however, going 24-for-88 (27%) from 3 and 38-of-56 (68%) from the charity stripe. Honing that in will be crucial for him to realize his potential. As a defender, he's a mixed bag, able to clean up for his teammates as a weak-side helper but not necessarily a great one-on-one stopper. Buzelis may not be a massive impact player out of the gate in Chicago, but he should have a chance to play real minutes and iron out his game.

No. 12: Nikola Topic, Thunder

While the Thunder, who own the Rockets' pick, had a chance to add an instant-impact player, they instead opted to add a future piece in Topic. The 18-year-old is one of the more intriguing guards in the draft, possessing excellent scoring and playmaking ability at 6-foot-6. However, he's battling a partially torn ACL in his left knee, and as of draft night, it remains unclear just how much time he'll miss. Either way, the Thunder will view Topic as a developmental player, so he's unlikely to make much of an impact in Year 1 for one of the best rosters in the Western Conference.

No. 13: Devin Carter, Kings

Carter is a high-energy, high-motor guard who's an excellent defender but is a bit of a 'tweener due to his offensive game. He's capable of creating his own shot and hit on 37.7 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc, but it's unclear if his decision-making will be good enough to play point guard. While he's only 6-foot-2, the reigning Big East Player of the Year has a massive wing span and logged 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. However, he'll have to navigate through plenty of traffic in a busy Kings backcourt that features De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis.

No. 14: Bub Carrington, Wizards (via trade with POR)

While Carrington isn't an uber-athlete, he does have a nice feel for the game and solid size at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds. He's comfortable scoring in the mid-range, and while he's capable of hitting the 3-ball, he does need to show more consistency in connecting from beyond the arc. He finds himself in a crowded rotation in Washington, so minutes could be tough to come by early in the season.

No. 15: Kel'el Ware, Heat

As a sophomore last year in Indiana, Ware earned spots on the All-Big Ten Second Team (media) and the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. The 7-footer showed upside as a rim-protecting stretch five, blocking 1.9 shots and making 0.6 3s at 42.5 percent in 32.2 minutes per game. He's also a phenomenal athlete capable of highlight-reel dunks, giving him intriguing offensive upside in a league so reliant on pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop offense. The reason Ware is being drafted in the middle of the first round rather than higher is largely due to mixed effort and decision-making, not to mention a lack of desire to play with physicality. In terms of his immediate role, Ware could slot in as Bam Adebayo's backup, though there's potential for the two to share the floor.

No. 16: Jared McCain, 76ers

McCain is coming off of a strong freshman season at Duke, where he posted 14.3 points, five rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.6 minutes per game. The 20-year-old is a bit undersized, but he attacks the rim with confidence and was one of the better outside shooters in college basketball last season, knocking down 41.4 percent of his attempts. Defensively, McCain does not possess great length (6-foot-3 wingspan), but he's a high-effort player who maintains position and fights through screens. McCain will likely come off the bench for the Sixers as a rookie, providing a shooting punch to the second unit.

No. 17: Dalton Knecht, Lakers

Knecht was widely considered a lottery pick but endured a small skid before being taken by the Lakers. The 23-year-old should provide immediate value on the offensive end for J.J. Redick's Lakers, showcasing three-level scoring ability last season at Tennessee. The real question with Knecht is what he can provide defensively, as he lacks lateral quickness and general athleticism. He should provide a spark off the bench for the Lakers this season.

No. 18: Tristan da Silva, Magic

Da Silva spent four years at Colorado and finished his senior year with averages of 16 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 triples, 1.1 steals and 1.8 turnovers per game on 49.3 percent shooting from the floor and 83.5 percent at the charity stripe. While he's not quite "elite" in any one area, he does have a nice feel for the game and plays with a lot of effort on defense. He projects as a solid role player, although it could be tough for him to find minutes early on, as he'll be battling with Joe Ingles, Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac for the reserve forward minutes behind Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

No. 19: Ja'Kobe Walter, Raptors

Walter was last season's Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned Third-Team All-Big 12 honors. First and foremost, Walter is a 3-point shooter. Of his 10.9 shot attempts per game, 6.3 of them came from distance. He drained 2.1 3s per game at 34.1 percent. While that's not an elite number, he took plenty of difficult movement triples. He's capable of pump-faking and driving off his 3-point threat, but he's not a top-shelf athlete and needs to work on his finishing around the basket. He'll often pump fake to push in and shoot a mid-ranger. Taking a step forward as a ballhandler and passer would do wonders for his potential. Defensively, Walter struggles from a lack of footspeed and may be better off guarding bigger players given his 6-foot-10 wingspan on a 6-foot-4 frame. Walter's gravity as a 3-point shooter, especially one who can move off-ball, should be valuable to Toronto. If Toronto moves on from Gary Trent and/or Bruce Brown, Walter could compete for a starting spot with Gradey Dick.

No. 20: Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers

Tyson began his collegiate career at Texas before spending his sophomore season at Texas Tech and then moving on to Cal. As a junior, Tyson took a big step forward, pacing the Bears with 19.6 points per game to go with 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals. A versatile creator who uses his size well, Tyson is capable of playing both on and off the ball, though he'll likely be asked to function as a catch-and-shoot threat early in his NBA career. Last season, Tyson knocked down 36 percent of his 3-point attempts after shooting 40.2 percent from deep at Texas Tech in 2022-23.

No. 21: Yves Missi, Pelicans

With Jonas Valanciunas a pending free agent, adding a center was toward the top of the Pelicans' wish list this offseason. They'll fill that hole with Missi, who's a very intriguing prospect at 20 years of age. He's 6-foot-11 with a long wingspan, a good mover and a true rim runner. Missi's a high quality rim protector -- putting up 1.5 blocks per game over 23 minutes without fouling out once in 34 games -- and a strong offensive rebounder. If Valanciunas walks, Missi could have a role in the Pelicans' frontcourt as a rookie.

No. 22: DaRon Holmes, Nuggets (via trade with PHX)

Holmes is a skilled, low-post scorer, but his lack of quickness and average size tends to be an issue for him on defense. He'll develop his game in Denver, but as long as Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic are healthy, he won't get many game-time reps.

No. 23: AJ Johnson, Bucks

Often placed in the late second round in mock drafts, Johnson is a shocking pick by the Bucks at No. 23, even in a relatively weak and open draft. After being a four-star recruit in high school, Johnson participated in the Australian NBL's Next Stars program last year and averaged 2.9 points in 7.7 minutes with the Illawarra Hawks. The 6-foot-4 guard is clearly raw, but he's shown flashes as a quick, scoring combo guard. It's unclear if he'll even be in Milwaukee's rotation, but if he is, it will be as a sparkplug off the bench.

No. 24: Kyshawn George, Wizards (via trade with NYK)

The Knicks (via Dallas) initially owned the pick before the Wizards offered up the No. 26 pick and the No. 51 pick in order to move up two spots. George averaged 7.6 points, three rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as a freshman at Miami last season and was somewhat of a surprising one-and-done player. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, George has intriguing size and length, and he hit better than 40 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s last season. With that said, he's ultimately a project player at this stage, so Washington is a decent landing spot.

No. 25: Pacome Dadiet, Knicks

With plenty of proven depth on the wing after the addition of Mikal Bridges and the return of OG Anunoby, Dadiet will likely factor into New York's long-term plans instead of being an instant contributor. The Frenchman turns 19 in July and stands at 6-foot-8 with a smooth shooting stroke. Dadiet has all the tools to grow into an impactful NBA wing. He can score on all three levels and isn't afraid to create for himself. While he'll need some time to develop into a more well-rounded player, Dadiet could be an offensive weapon down the line.

No. 26: Dillon Jones, Thunder (via trade with NYK)

Jones spent four years at Weber State and ended his final season with averages of 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.1 triples, two steals and three turnovers per contest on 48.9 percent shooting from the floor and 85.7 percent at the line. He'll compete with Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe for forward minutes in Oklahoma City, but we wouldn't expect much from him his rookie season.

No. 27: Terrence Shannon, Timberwolves

A five-year college player, Shannon comes into the league at nearly 24 years old. But he carries with him notable accolades from last season, including first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American. The 6-foot-6 wing is a strong defender and a crafty scorer who can fill it up in a variety of ways, though he especially thrives in transition. As a rookie, Shannon will fight for reserve minutes with players like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson and fellow rookie Rob Dillingham.

No. 28: Ryan Dunn, Suns

The sophomore out of Virginia is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the draft. At 6-foot-6 with a wingspan north of 7-foot-1, Dunn can guard multiple positions and is an excellent rim-protector for his size. Last season, Dunn posted 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game in 27.5 minutes to go with 8.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. At this stage, Dunn's offensive game is limited, but the Suns won't ask him to do much on that end.

No. 29: Isaiah Collier, Jazz

Collier was a consensus top-five recruit coming out of high school and despite averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a freshman at USC, fell to the back end of the first round. Collier has an excellent frame and excels at getting downhill and finishing through contact. While he showed flashes as a passer, he had some issues with turnovers last season and has never been a strong 3-point shooter. Still, on a Jazz team in the early stages of a rebuild, Collier should compete for minutes right away. If he can prove trustworthy as a facilitator, Collier could even emerge as the preferred point guard in Utah considering the question marks around Keyonte George's ability to play the one.

No. 30: Baylor Scheierman, Celtics

Scheierman is a capable scorer, solid rebounder, and is comfortable running the pick-and-roll. He does have some warts on defense, as he's not all that long and lacks some general athleticism, but he might be one of the best movement shooters in the draft. That said, he'll have a minimal role in Boston this season and can safely be ignored in re-draft fantasy leagues.