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There was no doubt Victor Wembanyama was going to be the No. 1 overall pick ahead of last year’s NBA draft.
There is reportedly plenty of doubt when it comes to the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.
“This is probably the most unsettled first round since 2013,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported ahead of Sunday’s lottery.
“That was the draft where Anthony Bennett went No. 1 overall, and the two best players in that draft—Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert—they went 15th and 27th. Executives in this room say that if they walk out of this ballroom with No. 1 overall, they imagine they are going to seriously consider four or five different candidates for No. 1 between now and the draft.”
It will be the Atlanta Hawks under the microscope before the June 26 and 27 draft after they landed the No. 1 overall pick in Sunday’s lottery.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic echoed Wojnarowski’s thoughts when he reported “there is not really a consensus among teams about what the Hawks will do at the top.”
There may not be an official consensus, but there are plenty of mock drafts projecting big man Alex Sarr to be the first pick.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman was one of those who projected as much with his latest mock draft, although that was done before the Hawks ended up at No. 1 overall.
Sarr’s defense stands out with his ability to defend multiple positions and protect the rim, but he can also extend his offensive game beyond the arc and has soft touch as a scorer. He figures to slide into a team’s starting lineup right away and potentially be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.
Although Wasserman projected Sarr as the No. 1 overall pick, the big man was fourth on his latest big board and behind the likes of Nikola Topić, Reed Sheppard and Ron Holland.
It underscores the idea the top of the draft board is as fluid as ever, which is welcome news for those teams that weren’t as fortunate as Atlanta during Sunday’s lottery and could still land an impact player with an early selection.
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