[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Tidjane Salaun 
Frame: 6’9’’, 212 lbs
Position: Forward
Team: Cholet (France)
2024 Draft Age: 18
Stats via RealGM

Offense

Every draft, a prospect comes out of nowhere, like Bilal Coulibaly’s rise last year. Salaun may be that player this season as one of the biggest risers of this year’s European class. Salaun has been called the “French Giannis” based on his size and fluidity, making him scary in open court. Like Antetokounmpo in his younger years, he has much-untapped potential. 

Salaun has vast strides with a relentless motor, making it difficult to stop him when he gets downhill. He can take it coast-to-coast after a rebound or a steal and throw it down with force. Defenders should be scared to stay in his way when he finally fills out his frame. He has the physical tools to be successful in open court and can be a menace when he gets into a lane at speed, but there’s room for him to improve in close mid-range shots and non-dunk attempts at the rim. His poor touch around the basket and wobbly footwork make him a subpar finisher who currently converts on a modest 47.6 percent of his layups. However, many of these attempts come in heavily contested post-up situations, where he has to fight through the trees. 

Salaun is a fierce competitor who doesn’t shy away from dirty work and is ready to sacrifice his body for the team. He is an active screener and cutter who consistently sets hard picks and crashes the glass, generating second-chance opportunities and showing dexterity in miscellaneous plays.

The most intriguing part of Salaun’s game is his shooting ability. He’s good at spotting up on the perimeter and has a high point of release that enables him to get clean looks. He likes to take deep three-pointers, and while his feet look errant on pull-ups, he is a steady shooter when he catches the ball in rhythm (42 percent on unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts), and Salaun has shown in some games that he can be efficient on high volume. So far, he has six games this season where he scored at least four triples and shot 55.6 percent from three combined in those six. He doesn’t hesitate to take a three early in the shot clock and makes a lot of them in transition, a skill that can take his game to the next level in a fast-paced NBA game. 

Defense

Salaun is an agile forward with a 7’2 wingspan and two-way potential. He’s strong and athletic, plays hard, and his toughness translates to both ends.

Salaun’s intensity allows him to be a disruptor on defense. He covers a lot of ground and has excellent mobility to play pressure defense, help, and recover. He is still learning to become a shot-blocker but has a natural anticipation for steals and deflections, generating live-ball turnovers and converting them into fast-break dunks. 

Salaun’s numbers don’t stand out in the rebounds department, but he’s still second on his team after center Neal Sako, who is dominant on the glass. More importantly, Salaun’s hustle translates into winning fifty-fifty balls and generating putbacks on offense.

However, his competitiveness often leads to over-committing. Salaun tends to gamble for defensive stops and generally tries a bit too hard, which frequently results in adverse outcomes, but it should be taken as growing pains.

Looking ahead

Salaun is a work-in-progress, far from finesse, but he’s a clear standout when you see him on the court, even in the French league, considered one of the most athletic in Europe. At first glance, Salaun has the physical gifts to become dominant in open court, but it needs further verification before labeling him the next Giannis. However, it looks like a fair comparison in terms of style of play, especially given Salaun’s fighting spirit. 

Even though his shooting is not consistent yet, his athleticism and defensive versatility make him an intriguing prospect. He’s also one of the youngest players in the draft, and it seems like a sure thing that some team in the lottery will bet on his tremendous upside.