The Atlanta Hawks have the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Below are some notes on the 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm which will be held on June 26 & 27.
Looking Out For No. 1
• The Atlanta Hawks are set to make the first pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in the common draft era (since 1966). They previously made the first pick in 1975, selecting David Thompson.
• Thompson never played for Atlanta. He began his pro career with one season in the ABA, followed by eight seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets (six) and Seattle SuperSonics (two).
• In the 2023-24 season, the Hawks (36-46) finished in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and lost their only game in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament. They had a 3% chance to win the NBA Draft Lottery, the fifth-lowest odds by a team to win the No. 1 pick since the lottery began in 1985.
• If the Hawks make the pick, it would be their highest selection since choosing Marvin Williams with the second pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. The Hawks have made the third pick five times on the common draft era: Pete Maravich (1970), Marvin Webster (1975), Pau Gasol (2001), Al Horford (2007) and Luka Dončić (2018).
• In the lottery era, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft the most times (five). With the top pick, Cleveland selected Brad Daugherty (1986), LeBron James (2003), Kyrie Irving (2011), Anthony Bennett (2013) and Andrew Wiggins (2014).
• This year’s first overall pick will potentially join an Atlanta roster that currently features three-time NBA All-Star Trae Young, one-time NBA All Star Dejounte Murray and 22-year-old forward Jalen Johnson, who averaged 16.0 points last season.
• A college freshman was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft for 13 consecutive years from 2010-22. The streak was broken last year, when the San Antonio Spurs selected 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama of France with the top pick.
• Wembanyama did not play basketball at a U.S. college. There has never been an instance of back-to-back years when such a player was selected first overall in the NBA Draft.
• In the common era of the NBA Draft, Duke has had the most first overall picks with four, followed by Kentucky with three. The Blue Devils’ No. 1 selections are Elton Brand (1999), Kyrie Irving (2011), Zion Williamson (2019) and Paolo Banchero (2022). The Wildcats’ No. 1 selections are John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2015).
• In the NBA Draft Lottery era through the 2022-23 season, four of the 39 No. 1 overall picks have won an NBA championship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011). James’ NBA championship with the Cavaliers came in his second stint with the team.
Second Look
• The 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm has expanded to a two-night format that features the first round on Wednesday, June 26 (Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and the second round on Thursday, June 27 (ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York). ABC and ESPN will each air the first round, and ESPN will broadcast the second round.
• For the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, the time between draft picks will increase to four minutes from two minutes.
• The NBA Draft has consisted of two rounds since 1989.
• The NBA Draft once lasted as long as teams desired. The 1973 NBA Draft, for instance, had 20 rounds. The event was shortened to 10 rounds from 1974-84 (except for an eight-round draft in 1977), seven rounds from 1985-87, three rounds in 1988 and the current two rounds in 1989.
• The Denver Nuggets famously selected Nikola Jokić in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft (41st overall pick). In 2023-24, the Serbia center became the ninth player in NBA history to win three or more Kia NBA MVP awards.
• Since 1989, 21 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have become NBA All-Stars. Ten of those 21 players have earned multiple NBA All-Star selections: Nikola Jokić (six), Draymond Green (four), Paul Millsap (four), Gilbert Arenas (three), Marc Gasol (three), Khris Middleton (three), Carlos Boozer (two), Manu Ginóbili (two), Rashard Lewis (two) and Isaiah Thomas (two).
• Since 1989, 11 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have been named to the Kia All-NBA Team: Nikola Jokić (six), Gilbert Arenas (three), DeAndre Jordan (three), Marc Gasol (two), Manu Ginóbili (two), Draymond Green (two), Carlos Boozer (one), Jalen Brunson (one), Goran Dragić (one), Michael Redd (one) and Isaiah Thomas (one).
• Since 1989, 16 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have won at least one of the five longtime annual Kia Performance Awards (MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year). The list includes a three-time MVP (Nikola Jokić), a three-time Sixth Man winner (Lou Williams) and a recipient of both the Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man awards (Malcolm Brogdon).
Picking And Choosing
• The Washington Wizards franchise is set to pick second overall in the common era of the NBA Draft for the third time. With the No. 2 pick, the Baltimore Bullets selected Earl Monroe in 1967 and Wes Unseld in 1968.
• The Houston Rockets are set to pick third overall in the NBA Draft for the third time. With the No. 3 pick, the Rockets selected Rodney McCray in 1983 and Jabari Smith Jr. in 2022.
• The Rockets have made a selection in the top four in each of the last three drafts, picking Jalen Green second in 2021, Jabari Smith Jr. third in 2022 and Amen Thompson fourth in 2023. Prior to 2021, Houston’s last top-four pick was Yao Ming (No. 1 pick) in 2002.
• The San Antonio Spurs have the fourth and eighth picks – two spots at which they have never selected. Outside of No. 1 overall selections David Robinson (1987), Tim Duncan (1997) and Victor Wembanyama (2023), the Spurs have made only one pick in the top four, selecting Sean Elliot with the third pick in 1989.
• The Detroit Pistons are set to make the fifth pick in the NBA Draft for the third consecutive year. The Pistons selected Jaden Ivey in 2022 and Ausar Thompson in 2023 at that spot.
• The Charlotte Hornets are set to make the sixth pick in the NBA Draft for the first time.
• The Portland Trail Blazers have multiple picks in the lottery (Nos. 7 and 14) for the second time. In 2012, Portland selected Damian Lillard (No. 6) and Meyers Leonard (No. 11) in the lottery.
• Additional teams with multiple picks in the first round are the Washington Wizards (Nos. 2 and 26), Utah Jazz (Nos. 10 and 29) and New York Knicks (Nos. 24 and 25).
• The Oklahoma City Thunder is set to pick 12th overall for the third consecutive year. With the No. 12 pick, the Thunder selected Jalen Williams in 2022 and Dereck Lively II in 2023. Lively’s rights were subsequently traded to the Dallas Mavericks for the rights to 10th overall pick Cason Wallace.
• There are 58 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft instead of the usual 60. The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns both forfeited second-round picks for violating league rules governing the timing of free agency discussions.
School Ties
• Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle have a chance to be picked in the top 14 of the 2024 NBA Draft. That would give UConn multiple lottery picks for the first time since 2012, when Andre Drummond went ninth and Jeremy Lamb 12th.
• With Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard expected to be picked in the first round, it would mark the 17th consecutive year that Kentucky has had at least one player selected in the NBA Draft.
• Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht has a chance to become the third NBA Draft Lottery pick in school history, joining Allan Houston (11th pick in 1993) and Marcus Haislip (13th pick in 2002). The highest pick ever for a Vols player is No. 4 overall, Tom Boerwinkle in 1968.
• Colorado’s Cody Williams has a chance to become the third lottery pick in school history, joining Chauncey Billups (1997) and Alec Burks (2011).
• Providence’s Devin Carter has a chance to become the third lottery pick in school\ history, joining Austin Croshere (1997) and Kris Dunn (2016).
• Miami’s Kyshawn George has a chance to become the school’s fifth first-round pick in the common draft era, joining Tim James (1999), John Salmons (2002), Shane Larkin (2013) and Lonnie Walker IV (2018).
• Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington has a chance to become the school’s second firstround\ pick in the last 25 years, joining Steven Adams (2013).
• Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman has a chance to become the school’s fourth firstround pick in the lottery era, joining Benoit Benjamin (1985), Doug McDermott (2014) and Justin Patton (2017).
• Since 1989, Duke and Kentucky are tied for the most first-round picks with 46.
• Since 1989, Kentucky holds the record for the most picks in an NBA Draft from one school – six each in 2012 and 2015.
Global Game
• In the 2024 NBA Draft, the top international players who did not play for a U.S. college include Melvin Ajinça (France), Izan Almansa (Spain), Ulrich Chomche (Africa), Pacôme Dadiet (France), Nikola Djurisić (Serbia), Juan Núñez (Spain), Zaccharie Risacher (France), Tidjane Salaün (France), Alex Sarr (France) and Nikola Topić (Serbia).
• A record 27 international players were selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, including a record 15 in the first round.
• At least 10 international players have been selected in the NBA Draft every year since 2000.
• At least two international players have been selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft in each of the last 11 years.
• Fourteen international players have been selected first overall in the NBA Draft, most recently Victor Wembanyama of France in 2023.
Family Ties
• Perth’s Alex Sarr of France is the brother of Olivier Sarr, who finished the 2023-24 season on a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder and played collegiately at Wake Forest and Kentucky.
• JL Bourg’s Zaccharie Risacher of France is the son of Stephane Risacher, who won the basketball silver medal with France at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
• Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard is the son of Jeff Sheppard, who won two national championships and was the MVP of the 1998 Final Four at Kentucky and played with the Atlanta Hawks in the 1998-99 season.
• Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan is the son of the late Stacey Clingan, who was a basketball star at the University of Maine.
• Crvena zvezda’s Nikola Topić of Serbia is the son of Milenko Topić, who won the basketball gold medal with Yugoslavia in the 1998 FIBA World Cup and the silver medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
• Colorado’s Cody Williams is the brother of Jalen Williams, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and was the 12th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
• Providence’s Devin Carter is the son of Anthony Carter, who played 13 NBA seasons and is now an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.
• Minnesota’s Cam Christie is the brother of Max Christie, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and was the 35th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
• Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. is the son of Kevin McCullar Sr., who was a standout football player at Texas Tech and played in NFL Europe and the XFL.
• NBA G League Ignite’s Matas Buzelis is the son of Aidas and Kristina Buzelis, who both played professional basketball in their native Lithuania.
• Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington is the second cousin of 17-year NBA veteran Rudy Gay.
• Connecticut’s Stephon Castle is the son of Stacey Castle, who played at Wake Forest with five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan.
• Colorado’s Tristan da Silva is the brother of Oscar da Silva, an All-Pac-12 Team forward at Stanford who spent the last two seasons with FC Barcelona.
• Baylor’s Yves Missi is the brother of Steve Moundou-Missi, who was a threetime All-Ivy League Team selection at Harvard and the 2014-15 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.
• Saint Quentin’s Melvin Ajinca of France is a cousin of Alexis Ajinca, a 2008 firstround pick who played seven seasons in the NBA.
• Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. is the son of Terrence Shannon Sr., who played in the NBA G League and professionally overseas.
• Connecticut’s Cam Spencer is the brother of Pat Spencer, who played six games with the Golden State Warriors during the 2023-24 season.