2024 NBA Draft: Picks order and fun facts
The NBA Draft used to be a one-night affair, but for 2024 it’s now a two-night event that gets underway with the first round on Wednesday, June 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and wraps up with the second round on Thursday, June 27 at ESPN’s studios in Manhattan. That’s not the three-night extravaganza the NFL stages, but it does add more content for NBA draft enthusiasts.
The first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft belongs to the Atlanta Hawks, after they won the league’s draft lottery despite having only a three-percent change of claiming the top overall pick. That unexpected lottery victory moved Atlanta up nine spots from the No. 10 slot in the order; the Hawks finished in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 36-46 this past season.
The Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets (with a pick acquired from the Brooklyn Nets), San Antonio Spurs, and Detroit Pistons then have picks two through five of the first round. The Spurs also have the No. 8 overall selection, while the Wizards also have the No. 26 overall selection. The Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, and New York Knicks also have two selections in the first round.
And while last year there was no question that Victor Wembanyama would be the first overall selection at the NBA Draft, this year there is no clear-cut order for how the top of the draft will play out. Zaccharie Risacher (SF/Bourg), Alex Sarr (PF/Perth), Donovan Clingan (C/UConn), Stephon Castle (PG/UConn), and Matas Buzelis (SF/G-League) are among the top-rated 2024 prospects.
2024 NBA Draft First Round (as of June 12)
01 – Atlanta Hawks
02 – Washington Wizards
03 – Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn)
04 – San Antonio Spurs
05 – Detroit Pistons
06 – Charlotte Hornets
07 – Portland Trail Blazers
08 – San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)
09 – Memphis Grizzlies
10 – Utah Jazz
11 – Chicago Bulls
12 – Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston)
13 – Sacramento Kings
14 – Portland Trail Blazers (via Golden State/Boston/Memphis)
15 – Miami Heat
16 – Philadelphia 76ers
17 – Los Angeles Lakers
18 – Orlando Magic
19 – Toronto Raptors (via Indiana)
20 – Cleveland Cavaliers
21 – New Orleans Pelicans (via Milwaukee)
22 – Phoenix Suns
23 – Milwaukee Bucks (via New Orleans)
24 – New York Knicks (via Dallas)
25 – New York Knicks
26 – Washington Wizards (via Los Angeles Clippers/Dallas/Oklahoma City)
27 – Minnesota Timberwolves
28 – Denver Nuggets
29 – Utah Jazz (via Oklahoma City/Toronto/Indiana)
30 – Boston Celtics
Wembanyama was top pick at 2023 NBA Draft
The Spurs went international with the first-overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, selecting Wembanyama from French club Metropolitans 92. Wembanyama had been considered a lock to be taken with the No. 1 selection all season long, with the seven-foot-four center having been touted as one of the best NBA draft prospects to come along since LeBron James back in 2003.
San Antonio managed to go just 22-60 in 2023/24 despite adding Wembanyama to its roster, but the center got his career off to a strong start by averaging 21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Wembanyama also managed to lead the entire NBA with an average of 3.6 blocks per game.
Charlotte added small forward Brandon Miller with the second-overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, followed by Portland picking point guard Scoot Henderson at No. 3, and Houston choosing point guard Amen Thompson at No. 4. Detroit then selected Thompson’s twin brother, shooting guard Ausar Thompson, with the fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
With zero championships between his MLB, NHL, and NFL teams over the last 30 years, Dave keeps one foot in the past while shaking his fist at the present. Having provided content to all manner of sports websites over a 20-year career in the industry, Dave brings to Attiq an eye for all things editorial and a disdain for all things New York Yankees. Click here for Dave's posts.
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