Zaccharie Risacher

[Sildegil]

lmao are you guys the head of french basketball or why are you so tilted from a small statement

High french Picks in the last 10 years

Yabusele
Ntilikina
Doumbaya
Hayes
Ousmane Dieng
Coulibaly
Wembanyama

The only ones where you can safely say are worth their picks are Wemby and probably Coulibaly. Maybe Dieng, still early. All others are busts. All of them were somewhat hyped. Hayes was regarded as the best PG in the draft by many right here. That's 4/6 out of players that you can already evaluate.

French prospects are always hyped up as the most NBA ready prospects in Europe. This tends to lead Scouts to overevaluate their talent, this leads to them being picked high, a lot of times too high.
All I'm saying is that maybe people need to rethink how to evaluate french prospects given their history. As soon as a french prospects plays somewhat solid in youth tournaments or overseas, people freak out over their NBA potential

So out of 8 players, 1 is a ATG talent, Coulibaly looks like he will have a long NBA career while players like Ntilikina and Hayes look to be minimum players who will simply stay as 12-15 men if they want because of their defense.

But, that's 2/8 who have seemingly hit. Seems a bit worse than average, but the sample is also extremely small, and discounting guys like Gobert and Fournier seems misleading.

Look, I'm a huge data person both in basketball and my career, I think we need a larger sample to draw any meaningful conclusions.

Discounting Batum, Parker, Diaw, Noah and Turiaf as well.

[peZt]

Im not saying that French Prospects in general are ****. Obviously they are not. But all of the above mentioned examples were drafted below pick 20. I'm saying that in the last decade or so there has been a massive hype of french prospects leading to many being drafted in the lottery. And of those hyped players most were not worth the hype. So this believe that French Prospects are specially suited for the NBA game due to their athleticism has led to many overrating them in the last decade and drafting them high in the lottery. I'm not saying this applies to Risacher as well but in general I am a bit vary about hyped up french prospects given the recent history. Especially when they perform really poorly whenever I watch them

[Hal14]

lmao are you guys the head of french basketball or why are you so tilted from a small statement

High french Picks in the last 10 years

Yabusele
Ntilikina
Doumbaya
Hayes
Ousmane Dieng
Coulibaly
Wembanyama

Risacher has nothing to do with any of these guys.

Just because they're all from France? So what? For all we know, Risacher has never even met any of those guys lol.

Gobert, Fournier and Tony Parker are from France too. So is Boris Diaw, Nic Batum, etc.

France has 3 guys projected to be lottery picks this year. You think they're all gonna bust? lol

We're tilted because it's a ridiculously weak argument and we come to RealGM for a higher level of discourse than that.

[Colbinii]

Im not saying that French Prospects in general are ****. Obviously they are not. But all of the above mentioned examples were drafted below pick 20. I'm saying that in the last decade or so there has been a massive hype of french prospects leading to many being drafted in the lottery. And of those hyped players most were not worth the hype. So this believe that French Prospects are specially suited for the NBA game due to their athleticism has led to many overrating them in the last decade and drafting them high in the lottery. I'm not saying this applies to Risacher as well but in general I am a bit vary about hyped up french prospects given the recent history. Especially when they perform really poorly whenever I watch them

But my point is have you compared them to American Prospects and looked at the distribution of American Prospects?

What if the French prospects are simply par for the course for a larger country?

[bananazn]

Read on Twitter

Another strong showing from Risacher have him 6

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

Another strong showing from Risacher have him 6

I have him at 5

[Colbinii]

Read on Twitter

Another strong showing from Risacher have him 6

I have him at 5

I have him at 4

JK, don't have a board yet, but I do have him right near the top and in consideration for #1

[Colbinii]

His recent game reminded me of a less-athletic Kevin Durant

[The-Power]

His recent game reminded me of a less-athletic Kevin Durant

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

[Colbinii]

His recent game reminded me of a less-athletic Kevin Durant

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

[The-Power]

His recent game reminded me of a less-athletic Kevin Durant

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

Do you have any games I could watch where you think he shows solid handles? Because in the FIBA games I have seen he could barely dribble with even a little traffic around him and virtually never created an advantage that way.

Markkanen is taller and the combination of athleticism and size allows him to do some things I don't expect from Risacher. But yeah, maybe a player with a similar role and effectiveness is the high-end outcome for him. But I also don't think Markkanen has the ball handling and shiftiness of a Durant when it comes to self-creation.

[Hal14]

His recent game reminded me of a less-athletic Kevin Durant

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

The most obvious comp to me is Michael Porter Jr.

If he can be like MPJ but with more passing ability (MPJ basically shoots it every time he gets it and I think I saw a quote where he even admitted this.. whereas Risacher has shown pretty good connective passing ability this season) then that is definitely good value with a top 5 pick - especially in a draft that is weaker at the top..

Or a Kyle Kuzma type. That's pretty much what you're looking at here.

But Risacher is still only 18 so there is upside to develop into more than what those guys have become.

[JMAC3]

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

Do you have any games I could watch where you think he shows solid handles? Because in the FIBA games I have seen he could barely dribble with even a little traffic around him and virtually never created an advantage that way.

Markkanen is taller and the combination of athleticism and size allows him to do some things I don't expect from Risacher. But yeah, maybe a player with a similar role and effectiveness is the high-end outcome for him. But I also don't think Markkanen has the ball handling and shiftiness of a Durant when it comes to self-creation.

I agree, seems like most of his offense is either cuts, transition and threes. He is so young he is probably due to get more on ball stuff as he ages, but I see more slasher and spot up guy like Kelly Oubre vibes. Obviously not all the meh stuff with Oubre at 19 but his size, athleticism and playstyle seems more along that development path.

[Colbinii]

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

Do you have any games I could watch where you think he shows solid handles? Because in the FIBA games I have seen he could barely dribble with even a little traffic around him and virtually never created an advantage that way.

Markkanen is taller and the combination of athleticism and size allows him to do some things I don't expect from Risacher. But yeah, maybe a player with a similar role and effectiveness is the high-end outcome for him. But I also don't think Markkanen has the ball handling and shiftiness of a Durant when it comes to self-creation.

He showed some flashes against Lietkabelis [1/17/2024 for Americans] and against Aris Midea [1/24/2024 for Americans]. He had multiple "Grab a defensive rebound and finish a lay-up transition plays".

But yeah his connectivity and feel offensively is just so impressive for his age.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Unathletic Markkanen with good but not great shooting is not a super interesting player, lol.

[FarBeyondDriven]

In what ways?

Here's what I think of Risacher from what I've seen (in terms of full games – mostly the FIBA tournament): he projects to be a really good role player. A true 3&D player – not a good defender who can occasionally hit an open 3, not a good shooter who's not terrible on defense, but someone who's legitimately good at both. At least that's very possible. Plus he has great size. But I don't see him having any projectable on-ball game because his ball handling skills are just so unrefined. He'd have to make a notable jump to be trusted to handle the ball in the NBA and while that's not completely impossible, it's definitely not something one should expect.

I buy him as a top 5 prospect in this draft. It's just a bit underwhelming if we start looking at him as a top 3 or so prospect. But three players are going to be drafted in the top 3 just like in any other draft and if we say the same about every other player then I guess it's possible to have him in contention even for the #1 pick. I just hope that people do not burden him with unreasonably high expectations simply because he was drafted that high. If you're content with getting a complementary starter at a position of need out of your top pick, he might make you happy enough.

I think his handle is getting underrated a little bit. He seems to be creative with the ball, more than Klay for example.

The higher end outcomes are his handle is legitimate and he becomes a Lauri Markkanen level player, and Lauri is very much a "poor man's Durant" to me.

Do you have any games I could watch where you think he shows solid handles? Because in the FIBA games I have seen he could barely dribble with even a little traffic around him and virtually never created an advantage that way.

Markkanen is taller and the combination of athleticism and size allows him to do some things I don't expect from Risacher. But yeah, maybe a player with a similar role and effectiveness is the high-end outcome for him. But I also don't think Markkanen has the ball handling and shiftiness of a Durant when it comes to self-creation.

Watch on YouTube

very first play, he crosses a guy over takes it to the rim for a dunk showing both promise with his handle and his underrated athleticism. Then does a couple of off the dribble step back jumpers. Lots of coast to coast transition layups dribbling with his eyes up through traffic one with him dribbling behind his back at a full sprint. Plenty of pump fakes then taking guys off the dribble and finishing. Coming off curls dribbling to the hole and finishing. He should be in the conversation for #1. He's basically doing what Miller was showing last year except he's much younger. Another example of how illogical it seems to claim last year's draft class was great, Miller being a huge reason for that, yet this class is weak.

[TB]

I see glimpses of Trey Murphy and Kyle Kuzma in his movements and style of play.

Probably my favorite target for the Warriors if they get picked in lotto and keep their top 4 pick.

[BlazersBroncos]

What about Tay Prince as a comp? But a higher volume 3PT guy without quite the mantis' like body profile.

[Hal14]

What about Tay Prince as a comp? But a higher volume 3PT guy without quite the mantis' like body profile.

Maybe.

Prince had a much better handle though. The way he could lead the break, run PnR, handle the ball, initiate actions, he was kind of like a point forward - in the mold of Lamar Odom. Risacher could get there but has a ways to go.

Offensively he's just a spot up shooter, good cutter, can finish in transition and sometimes attack closeouts, has some connective passing. Idk about a comp but he projects as a solid off ball wing with good size..and since he's still so young there's potential to develop more creation ability.

Normally he'd go a little bit lower but I'm fine taking him at 5 in this draft..

[FarBeyondDriven]

What about Tay Prince as a comp? But a higher volume 3PT guy without quite the mantis' like body profile.

Maybe.

Prince had a much better handle though. The way he could lead the break, run PnR, handle the ball, initiate actions, he was kind of like a point forward - in the mold of Lamar Odom. Risacher could get there but has a ways to go.

Offensively he's just a spot up shooter, good cutter, can finish in transition and sometimes attack closeouts, has some connective passing. Idk about a comp but he projects as a solid off ball wing with good size..and since he's still so young there's potential to develop more creation ability.

Normally he'd go a little bit lower but I'm fine taking him at 5 in this draft..

no he didn't. And he was 22 y/o when drafted. He did nothing that Risacher isn't already capable of.