The high-profile NBA Draft
The NBA Draft, the annual event of the basketball world, kicked off again. This year's conference was divided into two days, and today is the highly-anticipated first-round draft. Among them, James's son Bronny and Chinese player Cui Yongxi were both undrafted in the first round, although Bronny is likely to be selected by the Lakers in the second round tomorrow, but it has attracted a lot of attention, and even ESPN's latest mock cover is Bronny. Now that the first-round draft is over, let's take a look at the rising stars who could impact the league in the future.
First-round picks: Top 10 picks in perspective
The top 10 picks in this year's NBA Draft are full of suspense and anticipation. The Eagles selected French forward Zachary Risachet with the first pick, who is expected to be the team's rising star force, a 207 cm small forward with ideal wing size and athleticism, superb shooting skills, efficient fast-break finishing, excellent defensive awareness, and high discipline.
The Wizards drafted interior lineman Alex Sarr from the Australian NBL league with the No. 1 pick. Defending is Sarr's most prominent skill, and his ability to move around the court is exceptional for his size, both defending on the perimeter and protecting the rim under the basket.
And the Rockets used the scout pick to select Reed Shepherd from the University of Kentucky! He's considered the quintessential 3-and-D player, an excellent super shooter, and possesses top-tier defensive instincts, averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game in college with a draft template: Grayson Allen.
The draft is an important part of the strategic layout of each team. The Eagles chose Risa Shee by rejecting Sarr's special maneuver, suggesting that they are more inclined to build a deep frontcourt. And the Wizards took Sarr and fancied his dominance under the basket. The Rockets' selection of Shepard is a reflection of their quest for a golf shooter. In addition, the Spurs' choice of Castle and the Pistons' decision to choose Holland both show the precise recruitment of each team for tactical needs.
The team's strategy is adapted to the players
Something unexpected! The 9th pick Grizzlies selected Zach Edie (Chinese name Zhou Zhihao), a Chinese center from Canada, who is 2.24 meters tall and plays as a center, is from Canada and has a quarter of Chinese descent (his grandfather is from Guangzhou). He is a member of the Canadian national team and led Purdue to the NCAA Tournament finals last year.
The top 10 NBA Draft picks in 2024 are as follows:
Winner: Zachary Risachet (Eagles)
Leaderboard: Alex Sarr (Wizards)
Tanhua: Reed Shepard (Rockets)
4th Pick: Stephen Castle (Spurs)
5th pick: Ron Holland (Pistons).
6th Pick: Salons (Hornets)
7th Pick: Klingen (Trail Blazers)
8th Pick: Dillingham (Spurs)
No. 9 Pick: Zach Eddie (Grizzlies)
10th Pick: Cody Williams (Jazz)
Players' future outlook and on-field expectations
With the addition of new stars, the situation in the NBA will also change. The performance of these rookies will be key in judging the success of this draft in the coming seasons. After the end of the first round of the draft, Bronny and Choi Yong-hee were not selected, but the two are expected to usher in their respective markets in the second round of the draft at 4 a.m. tomorrow. Rookies who have not yet been drafted include: Duke forward Kyle Filippowski, Kansas player Johnny Foffee, James' son Bronny James, Chinese player Cui Yongxi, etc
The far-reaching impact of the draft
This NBA Draft is the starting point for the careers of rising stars. From the Rockets' supershooter to the Spurs' trade with the Timberwolves to the Grizzlies' surprise pick, every step is promising. These new players will showcase their talents on the highest stage of basketball in the future and will also make new waves in the league.