Atlanta, Washington give 1-2 punch to Southeast Division at top of NBA draft

The Southeast Division controlled the first two picks in the NBA Draft, with Atlanta and Washington selecting 1-2.

These were rare spots for these two franchises.

The Hawks won the lottery after having only a 3% chance of landing the first pick. They had only chosen number 1 once, in 1975.

Washington had the top pick in 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall), but those were the only times in the last half-century the team selected inside the top two.

Elsewhere in the division, the Orlando Magic were also in an unusual situation after making the playoffs last season. They selected Colorado forward Tristan da Silva with the 18th overall pick — their lowest first-round pick since 2012.

The Hawks and Wizards may have been very close in the draft, but on the court, the teams are in very different positions entering this offseason. The Hawks were in the playoffs last season, with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray averaging over 20 points per game. Now they’re adding French teenager Zaccharie Risacher to the mix.

The Wizards, meanwhile, have lost a franchise-record 67 games, and expectations seem low again even after taking 7-foot Frenchman Alex Sarr one spot after Risacher.

Atlanta Falcons

Needs: Defensive help at all levels.

Who they drafted: Risacher at No. 1.

NBA comparison: Risacher said he and Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson have “the same game.” Risacher then quickly added that Thompson has the advantage of being a veteran so he needs to improve. Risacher is quick and athletic at 6-foot-9, 215 pounds and should provide both scoring and defensive skills on the wing.

Charlotte Frelons

Needs: The Hornets had plenty of issues across the board last season, none more serious than their defense. Charlotte finished second to last in the league in defensive rating. The Hornets also need to add more 3-point shooting and rebounds.

Who they drafted: French forward Tidjane Salaun at No. 6.

NBA Comparison: Salaun has plenty of length and intensity and reminds some of a more athletic version of Otto Porter Jr. or Jonas Jerebko. The big question will be how he develops as a shooter. At just 18 years old, he played very well at the Basketball Without Borders camp and was named MVP of the 2023 Trophée du Futur tournament, averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. The Hornets got past UConn center Donovan Clingan to take Salaun 6-9.

Miami heat

Needs: Size

Who they drafted: Indiana center Kel’el Ware at No. 15.

NBA Comparison: He could be considered a Myles Turner type, a 7-footer with serious offensive skills, a knack for rim protection and exceptional in the pick-and-roll. Ware will also immediately benefit from playing alongside Heat captain Bam Adebayo, who could get more minutes at forward if Ware can take the minutes at center.

Orlando Magic

Needs: Perimeter shooting. The Magic were last in the NBA in 3-point field goals made and 24th in 3-point percentage.

Who they drafted: Da Silva at No. 18.

NBA Comparison: Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris because of his size, all-around game and maturity.

Washington Wizards

Needs: Washington has only been a year into its rebuild, so the Wizards haven’t necessarily had to be picky about fit — but it has happened that some of the best players available also have good size, whether The team can use having faced Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford in the fairly recent past.

Who they drafted: Sarr with the No. 2 pick, Pittsburgh guard Bub Carrington at No. 14 and 6-8 Kyshawn George of Miami at No. 24.

NBA comparison for Sarr: He says he admires Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, although his defensive impact might make him more comparable to Jaren Jackson Jr. at first.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA