Bronny Still Available in Second Round
The first round of the 2024 draft was held last night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. For the second year in a row, it had a French feel at the top of the draft board. A record four Frenchmen were selected in the opening round. The Atlanta Hawks selected wing Zaccharie Risacher with the top pick, followed by fellow French prospect Alex Sarr going to the Washington Wizards.
Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard went third, joining the Houston Rockets, while the Spurs selected defensive stalwart Stephon Castle to join forces with last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama. The UConn star should be a great fit in San Antonio, and the pair should make scoring against the Spurs a nightmare for years to come.
The Spurs then traded Kentucky speedster Rob Dillingham to Minnesota after taking him eighth overall. Dillingham represents fit and need for the contending Timberwolves. Purdue big man Zach Edey went No. 9 to the Memphis Grizzles.
The most intriguing development of the night was the unexpected fall of All-American Dalton Knecht. Projected to be selected in the 5-10 range, the prolific scorer tumbled out of the lottery. However, it may be a blessing in disguise, as Knecht went to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Tennessee star could make a huge leap in his rookie campaign, playing for one of the league’s most storied franchises.
The second round takes place tonight. All eyes will be on USC guard Bronny James, who, unsurprisingly, went undrafted last night. Will he join his dad, LeBron, in the City of Angels? Stay tuned.
