Historic Moment: Risacher and Sarr Make NBA All-Rookie First Team as Frances First Duo

For the first time in NBA history, two French athletes have been included in the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Following their selections as the first and second picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards were among those honored in the All-Rookie First Team, which also featured Stephon Castle from the San Antonio Spurs, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells from the Memphis Grizzlies, as revealed on Tuesday.

Lithuanian player Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls joined the All-Rookie Second Team along with Bub Carrington from the Wizards, Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, Yves Missi representing the New Orleans Pelicans, and Kel’el Ware of the Miami Heat.

According to a recent press statement: “San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, recognized as the 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, has been unanimously chosen for the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team. He secured First Team votes across all 100 ballots submitted by a worldwide media panel.

Alongside Castle on the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team are Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells from the Memphis Grizzlies, as well as forwards Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards.

With both Edey and Wells earning selections, the Grizzlies make history by being the first team to feature multiple players on the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team during the same season since Memphis did in 2019-20 with Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant. This year marks the first occasion that two athletes from the same country outside the U.S., with Risacher and Sarr as the first and second overall picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, are recognized on the All-Rookie First Team in the same season.

The Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team comprises Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, Wizards guard Bub Carrington, Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, Pelicans center Yves Missi, and Heat center Kel’el Ware.

The selection of Sarr (First Team) and Carrington (Second Team) marks a significant milestone for the Wizards, enabling the franchise to have multiple players represented on the Kia NBA All-Rookie Team in a season for the first time since the 1963-64 season, which featured Gus Johnson and Rod Thorn.

The media voting panel was tasked with selecting five players apiece for the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team and Second Team, allowing for any position. Each player received two points for every First Team vote and one point for each Second Team vote.”

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