Basketball

What does Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, and Shaquille O'Neal have in common? These three were the first overall draft picks during the National Basketball Association's annual draft. And they went on to enjoy a stellar career. (The trio also won an Olympic gold medal.)

The annual draft would give basketball sports fans and sports commentators a glimpse of which players would shine in the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season. And hardcore fans hardly made a mistake. (LeBron James was the first overall draft in 2003.) Yao Ming was one of several international players who were first overall draft picks, a reflection of the growing number of foreign players in the league. It's also a sign that the gap between the US and the rest of the world is closing. (Expect the European teams to dominate the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha.) 

NBA fans are looking forward to the 2024-25 regular season, where they are at a lookout for college players who shine during the US college basketball season and the foreign players who are expected to make a name in the very near future. (Victor Wembayana, the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, is expected to lead France in the Paris Olympics.

The San Antonio Spurs center will only be satisfied with the gold medal.) Not a few couldn't hide their disappointment, noticing that the 2024 draft class was fairly normal. But they could be mistaken. (Ben Simmons turned out to be a draft bust. Joining the Boomers might change that perception. Go to OKbet.com for more NBA draft news and analysis of the best basketball games ) 

Here are the eight young talents who will make it in NBA draft 2024:

Zaccharie Risacher

Zaccharie Risacher is the son of Stephane Risacher, a member of the French national basketball team that won a silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Zaccharie will play in the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, so it's likely that he'll join the senior team in the EuroBasket 2025 finals, 2027 FIBA World Cup, and (possibly) 2028 Summer Olympics. His versatility is his strongest trait, which many NBA clubs have noticed. Risascher, who currently plays for LNB Pro A, is predicted to be the top draft for this year, Will the Frenchman play for the Atlanta Hawks for the entire season? Stay tuned.  

Donovan Clingan

Many see Donovan Cingan going first in the draft pick, as the University of Connecticut standout is a sharp passer. It should make up for his lack of shooting, prompting many to wonder if the Detroit Pistons are interested in him at all. Your guess is as good as mine.

Bronny James

Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, declared himself available for the NBA draft last April. Those who expected excitement were surprised at the outcome. (There were better players available, they were told.) Bronny is shorter than LeBron, so he couldn't fill the center position. Any team will be interested in Bronny James, but there's a possibility that he would be traded during the middle of the regular season. Is he more hyped than expected? Time will tell. 

Alexandre Sarr

Alexandre Sarr, a native of Bordeaux, France, plays in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Critics keep on nitpicking on his inconsistency, which is his biggest issue. But the Frenchman is 19 years of age. (He's a work in progress.) Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics, so Sarr would prefer an Olympic gold medal over an NBA title (at the moment). Sarr might play for the San Antonio Spurs. It would be fun (if that would be the case), as Sarr could join Wemby. Vincent Collet will be watching.  

Baylor Scheierman

The native of Hastings, Nebraska played baseball, football, and golf. He attended South Dakota State, where he averaged 6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2,2 assists per game (in the NCAA). Scheierman's game seems to fit with the Boston Celtics, where some NBA commentators compared him to Joe Ingles, an Australian forward who plays for Orlando Magic.

The Nebraskan is a consistent threat beyond the arc. He's comfortable attacking off the dribble. He's a solid defender. A regular season would help Scheierman on his quickness, which could gauge how he would fare against the NBA wingers.

Reed Sheppard

The Houston Rockets are testing the market, if someone known for shooting and facilitating can deliver the goods. Sheppard, a Kentucky Wildcats standout, fit that description. Will Houston take a chance on him? 

Tyler Smith

The pressure of being drafted could get on Tyler Smith, so bowling would keep him cool and collected. Distraction is what he needs. How will the NBA bigwigs see it?

Nikola Topic

The native of Novi Sad is the latest standout from (basketball) powerhouse Serbia, and one of the standouts in the Adriatic League. The 18-year-old point guard could've joined the Serbia men's basketball men's team in Paris, but a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) would make him unfit for the 2024 Summer Olympics. (Nikola Topic named Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Luka Donic, Nikola Jokic, and Vasilije Micic as the five players who could lead a European team to victory over the very talented American team.)

The injury didn't stop the teen from declaring himself available for the 2024 NBA draft. Basketball runs in Topic's family. (Nikola Topic is the son of Milenko Topic, a former Yugoslavian player. Milenko was a member of the Yugoslavian national team that won the 1998 FIBA World Championships.) Topic is a big and agile guard who can keep up with anyone on the (basketball) floor. 

He averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in the Adriatic League, which is more than good enough. He doesn't have the ability to affect the game without the ball in his hands, but this could be learned. And improved on. Will Orlando Magic take a chance on him?

Did your list match ours? Do let us know. NBA fans would attest that anything could happen along the way, so the ones that didn’t give you a first good impression may shine next year.

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