Yahoo Sports is breaking down the best players in the 2024 NBA Draft by position. Today, we’re ranking the best strikers available.
Over the past decade, NBA teams have had success drafting versatile wings that possess the ability to serve as primary ball handlers. There are a lot of young, long wings in this draft that have a lot of upside in that regard, but they still aren’t high-end commodities. All of the projected wingers in the lottery are 19 years old or younger, with the first draft pick projected to be 6-foot-2 French winger Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher, along with lottery pick Tidjane Salaun, had a solid run in the LNB Pro A playoffs, finishing on a high note in front of several scouts and executives who traveled to France in May.
The NBA Draft, which will take place June 26-27 in New York, is less than two weeks away. Here’s a look at potential stellar wings from this draft and others to keep tabs on the second round.
Position classifications: PG | SG | SF | PF | W
1. Zacharie Risacher
Weight/Weight: 6-8, 204 pounds | Age: 19
Risacher followed Victor Wembanyama’s playbook and switched French teams from ASVEL, where he hadn’t played many minutes in two years, to JL Bourg-en-Bresse this season. His minutes increased, his offensive touches increased and he started every game from March until the playoffs.
Risacher could be one of the most improved players from last year to now. His bread and butter is his 3-point shooting, but he showed more versatility as a shot creator for JL Bourg as the season went on. In the playoff series against Monaco, Risacher averaged 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He has been tasked with protecting the best player on the perimeter all season and has great size as a wing who can contribute immediately for Atlanta or any team that drafts him.
2. Matas Buzelis
Weight/Weight: 6-9, 210 pounds | Age: 19
Buzelis had a slow start to the G League Ignite season due to an ankle injury. But once he hit the court, his impact on offense immediately stood out. He is comfortable handling the ball in the backcourt and has the size to dive into the paint in different sets. Buzelis added muscle to his body before the season and has really adapted to the pace of the NBA game. He is rising draft picks during the pre-draft process with his improved motor and versatility playing positions 1-4. His draft range ranges from 5 to 10 in the lottery.
3. Tidjane Salaun
Weight/Weight: 6-9, 203 pounds | Age: 18
Salaun is one of the youngest players in the draft, turning 19 in August, and enjoyed a similar rise through the draft to Bilal Coulibaly last year. Both Risacher and Salaun could be targets for Spurs to bring some defensive versatility on the wing and continue the French connection with Wembanyama. Like Risacher, Salaun exploded in the LNB Pro A playoffs, averaging 13.3 points in 25 minutes per game during the second round against Paris Basketball. Salaun comes from a family with a rich basketball background; her older sister, Janelle, plays for the French women’s national team. Salaun’s draft range all season has been late lottery to 20, but don’t be surprised if he’s picked in the top 10.
Weight/Weight: 6-7, 195 pounds | Age: 19
Williams might be the most intriguing projected prospect in the lottery. He is the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, and many scouts believe Cody is further along in his development than Jalen was at 19 years old. Jalen played four years at Santa Clara before being drafted with the 12th pick in the 2022 draft.
Cody showed glimpses of a shooting guard in his first year at Colorado, but due to injuries, including a facial fracture that sidelined him for several games, it was difficult to see any consistent rhythm in his game. The Thunder could have a chance to select Cody with the 12th overall pick, with their draft range between 10-15.
5. Ron Holland
Weight/Weight: 6-8, 206 pounds | Age: 18
Holland led the G League Ignite in scoring this year before his thumb injury required surgery. The buzz in Holland has been relatively quiet, but he has recently worked for the Trail Blazers and Lakers. His defensive versatility and athleticism are what teams love about Holland, but his 3-point shooting still needs some work (he shot just 24% from 3-point range last season) and he hasn’t shown enough movement off the ball for that to happen. teams felt comfortable. about bringing Holland in as a secondary piece on the perimeter. Holland could slip up in the draft, but that could be the best case scenario for him in the long run, as he is an ultra-competitor and would enter the NBA with a chip on his shoulder.
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Minnesota Cam Christie has been a hot name before the draft. The 6-5 freshman shoots 39.1% from 3-point range and is a projected second-round pick after a solid showing at the combine and consistent workouts with teams. Cam is the younger brother of Max Christie, who was drafted in the second round by the Lakers in 2022.
Weber State Dillon Jones was a walking double-double in the Big Sky Conference this season, averaging 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game (and recording 18 double-doubles). He finished well through contact and improved his outside shot. Jones has a versatile game that can positively impact any team that drafts him.
Ryan Dunn is the best defensive wing in this draft, averaging 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game during his second season at Virginia. The main area of concern for scouts is his 3-point shooting. He made just 20% of his attempts last season.
North Caroline Harrison Ingram He has that X-factor to his game that teams love, as a smart, patient offensive player who does a lot of little things really well. Ingram averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds during his junior season. He’s a plug-and-play guy who can play in the paint or knock down 3s.
