The 2024 NBA Draft class was not filled with heavy-hitting names like the years surrounding it, leading to immense amounts of negativity.
Many even view the top selections like Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr with an All-Star caliber ceiling. The Atlanta Hawks landed the top pick in the deemed mediocre class, selecting the French wing, Risacher.
It's not just the public criticizing the group, as Hawks star Trae Young recently expressed a brutally honest take about the bunch.
"No disrespect to the guys that got drafted, but from the outside looking in, and some guys may surprise us. A lot of us look at them as role players coming in anyway," Young shared on Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George's podcast. "The last three No. 1 picks, you've got Victor [Wembanyama], Ant Edwards, you've some big-time names."
As Young noted, it's tough for this class right out of the gate. The past two years have seen superstars go off the board at No. 1 with Edwards (2022) and Wembanyama (2023). The San Antonio Spurs big man was arguably the greatest prospect since LeBron James more than two decades ago.
"Whether it's Reed [Sheppard], who's going to be a hell of an NBA player, or Alex [Sarr], who didn't play well in Summer League but is going to be a hell of an NBA player. A lot of these guys could just be role players," Young said. "I feel like the GMs were probably just trying to figure out who was going to be the best role player."
This remark is quite the shock, considering Atlanta's front office selected their hopeful cornerstone forward at the top slot. While he never singled out Risacher by name, Young did point out his successor with a harsh claim.
"As good as Alex Sarr is, I don't think he's going to be their [Washington Wizards] franchise player going forward," Young said. "He's going to be great, but it wasn't like they're going to be Luka [Doncic], Zion [Williamson] type guys."
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