France is really taking over the league, folks. It’s incredible to watch. This year, Zaccharie Risacher made a bit of history as the fourth international prospect in the league’s history to go No. 1 overall. Say what you want about the guy, but he played (and dominated!) in the same league his predecessor, Victor Wembanyama, played in. That’s impressive.
But the French connection didn’t stop there. Overall, in the 2024 draft, three Frenchmen were picked in the top six. That includes Risacher, Alex Sarr (No. 2 to Washington) and Tidjane Salaün (No. 6 to Charlotte). When you throw in Pacôme Dadiet (No. 25 to New York), that’s four French players taken in the first round of this draft.
That’s already impressive, but it becomes even more so when you look at last season. Two Frenchmen, Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly, went in the top seven of the draft. That means five of the top 14 NBA draft picks over the last two years were from France.
France has long been a staple in basketball. Since the days of Tony Parker and Boris Diaw, who played roles as key cogs for the Spurs, plenty of French talent has gone through the NBA. But I’m unsure we’ve ever seen anything like this.
These players aren’t just talented — they’re expected to be some of the best players in the league. Wembanyama might actually be the best player in the league soon. That’s an exciting thought.
At least until it’s time for Team USA to play France in the Olympics and World Cup. Then it becomes a bit terrifying.
Just call him AI Michaels from now on
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The more technology advances, the less human things are beginning to feel.
First, Al Michaels is still alive, folks. Why not just … ya know, use him instead of Siri him?
Second, is this something we’re going to see moving forward in our sports and in our media? It certainly feels like a precursor of what’s to come.
Our Robert Zeglinski has more on why this is so disheartening here:
“It’s dispiriting that NBC is content to imitate one of the biggest sports voices it has ever had, especially since he is still alive and kicking. Michaels does a pro football game every week on a streaming service during the NFL season. He couldn’t have come back to NBC to record a few lines for a worldwide sports event? I find that hard to believe.
It’s troublesome that these kinds of decisions might soon define our sports-watching and sports-consuming future, which is only a microcosm of a greater collective. When the human element is even excised from the broadcast booth — the one place where a fan should always reasonably expect dependability and energy — then nothing is off limits.
Most of all, watching companies like NBC willingly hop into bed with these sorts of services without even a second thought is infuriating. And it doesn’t matter why they have decided to do so, either. Be it to cut costs or to invest in a hollow foundation devoid of any real exciting spark, it all comes from the same place of desperation and motivation. It’s all borne of the same brand of business cowardice to “get ahead or get left behind” without ever thinking about potential long-term consequences.”
Hopefully, this isn’t a sign of things to come. But, given our hubris as human beings, it probably is.
Feud is probably too strong of a word to describe it. Taurasi had some criticisms of Clark’s game, just like she does with a ton of other rookies, and some folks just took it to heart.
Now, we can talk about the basketball of it all. The two will play each other for the first time this Sunday. Taurasi was asked about it and she had what our Cory Woodroof described as a “delightfully blunt” answer about facing the rookie.
“As Clark and Taurasi finally square off in Phoenix this weekend, Taurasi was asked how she feels ahead of the marquee matchup. Her response was predictably fantastic and delightfully blunt.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Taurasi told reporters, via Desert Wave Media.
If that’s not the perfect Taurasi answer, we’re not sure what is.”
I cannot wait to watch this game, man.
Quick hits: The top 32 NHL prospects … The most stylish players in the NBA Draft … and more
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0