The NBA has a storied history of bringing in talent outside of the US to play in their league. Finals MVP and 12x All-NBA superstar Dirk Nowitzki, current MVP Nikola Jokic from Serbia and current finals contender Luka Doncic from Slovenia top a long line of players that have gone on to have massive success as a foreigner in the league. With NBA talent scouts shifting more focus abroad to find the missing pieces for their team, we take a look at who could be on top of the list heading into the 2024 draft.
Current Frontrunners
Zaccharie Risacher (France) stands out as not only one the most talented European players in the draft, but the most talented player period. At 6.9 feet and 195 pounds and standing as the most prolific scorer since Tony Parker in his first eligible year, most people peg Zaccharie as the undoubted first pick of the draft.
Zaccharie is joined closely by fellow countryman Tidjane Salaun. Saluan, who currently plays power forward for Villeneuve-d’Ascq in the french league. While Saluan is seen as an almost limitless ball of clay that can be formed to be a superstar under the right conditions, his streaky nature and sometimes poor decision-making has led him to drop down to 8-10th overall in most rankings.
Historic Swedish Storylines
Sweden has only seen two players in the NBA historically, Jonas Jerebko and Jeffrey Taylor. The former played for the Golden State Warriors while the latter had a short stint with the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets). After declaring for the draft in April, Sweden is now set to see this number double over the course of 2024.
At 6 feet and 10 inches, Bobi Klintman had a 10.1 PPG average, shooting 43% from the field and 33% for threes. Bobi also averaged 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 turnovers and a steal and assist each per game and is projected as a top 30 candidate.
Bobi is joined by Pelle Larsson, an Arizona State player who transferred after his first year with the Utah Utes. After an impressive campaign under Tommy Lloyd, Larssons main upside in this draft has been attributed to his physical tools. He currently sits at 6.5 feet and 212 pounds of pure muscle. Larsson is widely seen as a second round prospect and is likely to be drafted after his countryman.
Potential Contributors & What this draft means for the NBA
While the players further down this list are much less likely to receive any media attention due to not playing for American college teams nor being highly coveted prospects, they still have the chance to become solid contributors for their respective teams. One such player is Juan Nunez from Germany. The 6-foot-5 point guard has been a top 3 passer in EuroCup this year and is already set to play with the Spanish national team despite only being 19 years of age.
Another prospect worth keeping an eye on is Nikola Djurisic out of Serbia. While his name and origin bear a close resemblance to that of the Joker, their roles and playstyle differ wildly. Djurisic has all the physical tools one could ask for and was a projected first round pick for the 2023 draft, but a lack of consistent play has seen his stock drop. One reason for this is his lack of consistent three point shooting, averaging 29% over 174 games. Teams who believe that one year didn’t make or break the talent could potentially snag a first round talent in the later rounds.
The NBA is currently as competitive as it’s ever been. While some things are set to hold true, such as the Boston Celtics remaining a team with solid foundations throughout time, the league has seen six different teams win the championship in six different seasons. This speaks to the level of contention and the fact that now more than ever, the trophy is up for grabs for any team that can field a strong squad. As such is the case, the draft has become more important than ever, not only to inject new hope into fans but also to replenish your roster and turn a team from middle of the pack to a strong contender with a few days of solid work.
