French duo Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr have been selected as the top overall picks in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 

Risacher, a 6-foot-10 wing out of France who played for French pro league team JL Bourg, has been selected first overall by the Atlanta Hawks. 

Sarr, a 7’1 forward/center out of France who last played for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL in Australia, goes second overall to the Washington Wizards.

ANALYSIS: This is the second straight year that a player from France has been selected first overall in the NBA Draft after the San Antonio Spurs selected eventual Rookie of the Year winner Victor Wembanyama last year. This is also the first time a country outside the US has players picked No. 1 in back-to-back years (Canada in 2013 and 2014 with Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins). 

Furthermore, with yet another French player picked in the top 6 in Tidjane Salaun going to the Charlotte Hornets, this likely signals a new French revolution era in the NBA with more and more players from France getting picked in the lottery and being significant contributors and building blocks in respective NBA teams.