By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After an impressive campaign in the Basketball Champions League, French forward Tidjane Salaun confirmed his decision to become eligible for NBA teams in this summer’s draft.
“The NBA has always been a dream of mine, but recently it’s become a goal,” he explained to ESPN on Thursday.
Salaun, 18, is among the youngest players available for NBA teams in the 2024 draft. Expanding to a two-day process, the first round will be held on June 26 in Barclays Center and the second round on June 27 in ESPN’s Seaport District Studios. The French forward is currently projected to be a first-round pick, possibly a lottery pick.
The native of Paris played in the 2023 FIBA U18 European championship, helping France rank fourth in the final standings. Establishing himself in the senior team of Cholet, he went on to average 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest in the BCL. His 2023-24 campaign continues through France’s Betclic Elite.
“It’s just the logical next step for me,” he described his intentions to move his talents to the league based in North America, “I learned a lot of things on and off the court this season. I’m ready to make a big step now for the next level.”
Early entries can withdraw participation until June 16 and retain eligibility for future drafts. Other promising European prospects extend to French Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Sarr, Serbian Nikola Topic, Spanish Izan Almansa, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis, and more.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League