AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:51 p.m. EDT

By The Associated Press

Vive la France! Hawks make Zaccharie Risacher second straight Frenchman taken No. 1 in NBA draft

NEW YORK (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks took Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night, the second straight year a player from France was the first player selected. Risacher doesn’t come with the enormous height or hype of Victor Wembanyama, the towering center who went to San Antonio last year and went on to win the Rookie of the Year award. But the Hawks saw him as the best choice in what has been viewed as a draft absent of elite talent. This is the first time that the draft has gone consecutive years without the No. 1 pick being someone who played at an American college.

Historic NBA draft for France, which joins US as only country with 3 players within top 10 picks

The NBA may have to rethink the timing of its draft. Not the month, just the hour it starts. Paris is six hours ahead of New York. That forced French basketball fans eager to see history to stay up into the wee hours of Thursday morning. France joined the United States as the only countries with three players selected within the top 10 picks of an NBA draft. The momentum started with Victor Wembanyana of France becoming the No. 1 pick overall a year ago. Atlanta made Zaccharie Risacher (pronounced Ree-zah-shay) the top pick of this draft. Risacher says he knows a lot of France stayed up all night to watch.

2024 NBA draft tracker: List of first-round picks

The players selected in the first round of the NBA draft. French teenager Zaccharie Risacher goes first overall to the Atlanta Hawks, followed by another French teen in 7-footer Alex Sarr to Washington at No. 2. They were the first of three Frenchmen in the top 10 and four in the first round. Charlotte took Tidjane Salaun at No. 6 overall while Pacome Dadiet went at No. 25 to New York. Two-time reigning national champion UConn had guard Stephon Castle go fourth to San Antonio and big man Donovan Clingan go seventh to Portland. Kentucky also had two top-10 picks.

Ohtani hits another leadoff homer for Dodgers and extends RBI streak to a franchise-record 10 games

CHICAGO (AP) — Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer against the Chicago White Sox for the second straight night, extending his RBI streak to a franchise-record 10 consecutive games. Ohtani connected on a full-count cut fastball from Erick Fedde, sending the ball soaring over the fence in right-center for his NL-high 25th homer. The 437-foot drive had a 113.9 mph exit velocity. It was Ohtani’s third leadoff homer this season and No. 9 for his career. Ohtani also walked in the third and scored from first on Freddie Freeman’s double to right.

Venezuela advances to Copa America quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Mexico on Rondón goal

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Salomón Rondón scored on a penalty kick in the 57th minute, and Venezuela advanced to the Copa America quarterfinals with 1-0 victory over Mexico. Venezuela, which opened with a 2-1 win over Ecuador, is assured finishing among the top two in Group B. Mexico began with a 1-0 victory over Jamaica and has three points along with Ecuador, which defeated the winless Reggae Boyz 3-1 earlier Wednesday. Mexico plays Ecuador at Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, and needs a victory to advance. Venezuela faces already eliminated Jamaica at Austin, Texas. Venezuela ended a 13-game winless streak against El Tri.

OG Anunoby will stay with the New York Knicks on a 5-year deal, AP source says

NEW YORK (AP) — A person with knowledge of the details says OG Anunoby will stay with the New York Knicks on a five-year contract worth more than $210 million. Keeping the swingman was a priority for the Knicks after they flourished when Anunoby was in the lineup after arriving in December in a trade with Toronto. The deal was first reported by ESPN, which said Anunoby’s deal would be worth $212.5 million. The person confirmed the details to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract is not yet official. The Knicks went 20-3 with Anunoby in the lineup in the regular season.

Hawks make French teen Zaccharie Risacher only the 2nd No. 1 overall pick in franchise history

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are looking for French teen Zaccharie Risacher to help revive the franchise after making the forward the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The 19-year-old Risacher impressed the Hawks as a catch-and-shoot scorer with ideal size for a wing. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound Risacher joins guards Trae Young and Dejounte Murray and forward Jalen Johnson as foundation players for a team which has not won a playoff series since advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals. Hawks general manager Landry Fields took advantage of franchise’s first opportunity to take the No. 1 overall pick since 1975.

Washington Wizards take French 7-footer Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards drafted French 7-footer Alex Sarr with the second pick in the NBA draft. They used their highest selection in 14 years to add some much-needed size to a team that won only 15 games last season. Sarr played last season for the Perth Wildcats in Australia. He also spent two years in the U.S. with Overtime Elite, a developmental league. The Wizards are a year removed from a front office overhaul and an offseason in which they traded Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis.

‘No egos,’ increased transparency and golden retrievers. How USA Gymnastics came back from the brink

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — USA Gymnastics believes it is building momentum toward a better future as the 2024 Olympics near. The organization has undergone a massive overhaul in the last six years in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. President Li Li Leung and her team have placed an emphasis on transparency and support in hoping to re-establish trust in athletes, coaches and gym owners alike. Superstar Simone Biles says the leadership at USA Gymnastics has changed because “they’ve done the work” to make the organization a better place. The organization will be in the spotlight this weekend at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Alex Morgan left off the 18-player U.S. soccer roster headed to the Olympics

U.S. national team forward Alex Morgan has been left off coach Emma Hayes’ roster for the Paris Olympics. Morgan was the most notable absence on the 18-player list. The 34-year-old Morgan is a three-time Olympian but missed more than a month with the San Diego Wave after injuring her left ankle on April 19. She had since returned. Morgan also was named to the squad Hayes assembled for a pair of U.S. friendlies against South Korea earlier this month. Morgan has 123 goals in 224 appearances with the national team. Hayes says “there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process.”