Hornets select Tidjane Salaun with No. 6 pick
The Charlotte Hornets selected Tidjane Salaun with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Salaun joins the Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1) and the Washington Wizards' Alex Sarr (No. 2) as French players selected in the top six, marking the first time three players from the same country outside of the U.S. were taken in the first 10 picks.
The 18-year-old Frenchman was a late riser thanks to his elite raw tools and big performance in his team's playoff push this spring. Salaun's 9-foot-2 standing reach is bigger than any non-center in this year's combine, and he already has a pretty sturdy frame with smooth strides and above-average strength to go along with it.
In an NBA landscape where teams are willing to be patient with younger prospects, Salaun's physical profile makes his potential much higher than his minimal statistical production suggests. With the ceiling of a 3-and-D wing or stretch-four depending on how his frame develops, his versatility on both ends could make him very useful in time. However, it may take a year or two for him to be a consistent NBA contributor.
Bio
Position: Forward
Club: Cholet Basket
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 217 lbs
Wingspan: 7-foot-2
Max Vertical: 32 inches
2023-24 statistics with Cholet Basket:
| GP | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | REB | AST | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 37.3 | 32.9 | 76.7 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 |
While Salaun didn't crack the double-digit points per game mark, he did average 13.3 points in the playoffs. But his shot failed him in the postseason, and he went 5-of-17 from three and 1-of-9 from the free-throw line. He also blocked just seven shots over 748 minutes throughout the campaign.
NBA comparison: Sekou Doumbouya. The Frenchmen both have jumbo-sized frames with solid fluidity. Doumbouya initially showed promising returns after the Detroit Pistons picked him at No. 15 in 2019, but he never honed in on his 3-pointer, and his passing and defensive stats never improved. Salaun is at risk of a similar short NBA career if he can't fine-tune his skills to match his potential.