5 strongest No. 1 pick candidates in 2024 NBA Draft class entering season

1. Alex Sarr, Perth Wildcats

Frenchman Alex Sarr has put together a strong start to the season for the Perth Wildcats in Australia's NBL — including a 26-point, 10-rebound, six-block performance against the G-League Ignite. He has a real surge of momentum at his back and he occupies an athletic archetype that NBA teams crave.

Listed at 7-foot-1, Sarr has a strong foundation for success with his unique intersection of mobility, coordination, and explosiveness. He will erase shots at the rim, comfortably navigate the perimeter on defense, and cover large swaths of ground with his 7-foot-5 wingspan. He can switch, or he can sit back and wall off the paint. There are mild strength concerns, but NBA teams will be far more inclined to buy into all the positive attributes.

What has really launched Sarr into the No. 1 pick conversation, however, is his offense. He provides a strong baseline there as well. His athleticism and touch should translate to an elite vertical threat, but it's the perimeter flashes that have scouts circling his games on the schedule. Sarr will grab and go in transition, face up from the elbow for coordinated drives to the cup, or even hit the occasional spot-up 3. If he can develop into a legitimate offensive hub, Sarr's two-way impact will be difficult to ignore in the No. 1 spot.

In such a wide-open class, Sarr feels like the best upside swing. That counts for something, especially for NBA bottom-dwellers in need of foundational changes. Sarr can alter the calculus of opposing offenses with his paint presence and defensive versatility. On offense, he offers exciting wrinkles as a face-up scorer and connective passer, in addition to the rim finishing. He can check a ton of boxes, plus he's 7-foot-1. Players with his size and athleticism, in tandem, are still preciously rare.