NEW YORK — The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft produced the expected results — for example, a pair of French players, Zachary Reisacher and Alex Sarr, were selected with the first two picks.
But the first round also produced picks that were complete surprises, ones that elicited audible reactions from the crowd here at Barclays Center after commissioner Adam Silver read their names.
Whether it’s teams in win-now mode selecting potential players who projects, or players who appear to be selected extremely highly, here are the three biggest surprise picks from the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Zach Eddy, No. 9 for the Memphis Grizzlies
Before Purdue reached the national championship game in the NCAA Tournament, the consensus was that Eddy, a 7-foot-4 senior, was at best a late first-round pick. But a string of double-doubles late in the tournament, including a 37-point, 10-rebound game against UConn, gave him momentum heading into the NBA draft. And while Eddie rose late during the pre-draft process, most mock drafts don’t have him as a top-10 pick, since he’ll have to refine and speed up his footwork and improve his offensive game in the NBA.
Carlton “Bob” Carrington, #14 to the Washington Wizards (via Portland)
That’s not to say Carrington doesn’t deserve to be a first-round pick, but – as a late bloomer – he’s an unknown commodity. At 18 years old, he was one of the youngest candidates eligible for the draft. In fact, he wasn’t really on the NBA’s radar after coming out of his first year in Pittsburgh before declaring and becoming a one-man player. He plays point guard and has tremendous vision, but he has hit a late growth spurt and will need to continue to figure out how to use his extra size. He is a candidate for at least one season in the G League.
AJ Johnson, No. 23 to the Milwaukee Bucks
Despite suffering sudden injuries late in their playoff run, the Bucks needed to add pieces to capitalize on a win-now window. Damian Lillard turns 34 in July. Adding Johnson, a player who has a lot of upside but is simply too raw, flies in the face of Milwaukee’s position as a contender. Johnson played just 7.7 minutes per game last year in the Australian Football League, through the league’s Next Stars programme. It’s not just his offensive game that he needs to work on; Weighing just 167 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame, Johnson is not suited to play in the NBA, at least currently.
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