2024 Prospect Highlight: Zaccharie Risacher

[King Ken]

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Pretty good measurements for a 2/3/big wing like Jaden McDaniels.

[King Ken]

I like Risacher and I think he is a legit #1 pick and could be another Brandon Ingram or Brandon Miller

But sometimes he reminds me of Yi Jianlian. Both came from a weak leagues with poor competition, both are known for being lanky with sneaky athleticism and good shooters with no ball handling or play making skills

How do we know that Risacher won't end up like Yi?

Yi??? How? Yi had no off ball movement offensively whereas offensively, Risacher is mainly an off ball prospect. Defensively, Risacher is worlds better as a prospect. That comp couldn't be further to reality in my opinion

[NDaATL]

Risacher only weighs 195 lbs and has a 31" MAX vertical? That's horrible. He should be way down everyone's list at this point.

[jayu70]

Risacher only weighs 195 lbs and has a 31" MAX vertical? That's horrible. He should be way down everyone's list at this point.

That's dissapointing

[CP War Hawks]

Neutral length and no athletic pop is a no no. Fields value guys with those attributes. Likely why he made the move for Mo and gave him 4 years.

[atlantabbq99]

Risacher only weighs 195 lbs and has a 31" MAX vertical? That's horrible. He should be way down everyone's list at this point.

That is why I mentioned before. If Risacher was just a 6'10 Kevin Huerter, good shooter, limited play making ability and below average athleticism, would that be good enough?

[NDaATL]

Risacher only weighs 195 lbs and has a 31" MAX vertical? That's horrible. He should be way down everyone's list at this point.

That is why I mentioned before. If Risacher was just a 6'10 Kevin Huerter, good shooter, limited play making ability and below average athleticism, would that be good enough?

Heurter had a 38" max vertical. He is way more athletic than Risacher.

Risacher is more like Hunter level athleticism and he weights 30 lbs less.

[Jamaaliver]

Best off-ball defender: Zaccharie Risacher, SF, Bourg (France)

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Off-ball defense is a skill that takes most players years to learn because of the intricacies of simultaneously tracking the ball as well as their man, being aware of low-man rotation responsibilities, knowing when to deny, when to fill gaps, when to gamble for steals and how to best effectively communicate with teammates on the fly, etc. In Risacher, ESPN's Top 100 No. 1 prospect, an NBA team will be getting a player who is well ahead of his years on the defensive end, particularly regarding his ability to navigate screens.

Bourg, the No. 1-ranked defense in both the French League and EuroCup, often tasked Risacher with guarding the other team's best scorer, even diminutive point guards, which you rarely see from a 6-10 teenager at this level. Risacher's activity staying connected to opponents off the ball, fluidity "getting skinny" fighting through or over the top of screens, and quickness covering ground to get back into plays to contest shots with his 8-11 standing reach (on par with most NBA power forwards) made him uniquely effective with his high-level awareness, instincts and intensity level. As he fills out his 195-pound frame, he should continue to improve. -- Givony

ESPN Insider

[Jamaaliver]

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[jayu70]

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[Jamaaliver]

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[atlantabbq99]

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Been watching youtube and alot are listing defense as a strength for Risacher. On the same level defense as Batum

[tbhawksfan1]

If the SAS want to get Risacher, they should trade with WAS. No way ATL doesn't take Sarr. SAS easy has the resources to move up to #2 and no reason to move up to #1 because Risacher will be there at #2

[Jamaaliver]

If the SAS want to get Risacher, they should trade with WAS. No way ATL doesn't take Sarr. SAS easy has the resources to move up to #2 and no reason to move up to #1 because Risacher will be there at #2

[tbhawksfan1]

If the SAS want to get Risacher, they should trade with WAS. No way ATL doesn't take Sarr. SAS easy has the resources to move up to #2 and no reason to move up to #1 because Risacher will be there at #2

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Spoiler:

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[Jamaaliver]

NBA Draft Report: Zaccharie Risacher



Most of the recent mainstream draft reports have Zaccharie Risacher in strong consideration for the top overall spot in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old measured at 6-foot-8.5 with a 6-foot-9.5 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine in Treviso, Italy, and he also had an 8-foot-11 standing reach. That length, combined with above-average athleticism, a nice foundation as an outside shooter, and proven production at a high level of international basketball, lead Risacher to stand out in a weak draft class. And while he might not look the part of a traditional No. 1 pick, it’s easy to see why he’s viewed as a top-five prospect by almost every NBA front office.

Spoiler:

With Risacher, the jumper is the place to start. This season, Risacher shot 38.7% from three across 65 games with JL Bourg. That number is extremely promising, especially when you combine it with the fact that he combines his good size and length with a very high release. He’s going to be able to shoot over pretty much anyone. And if Risacher can get to the NBA and shoot roughly 40.0% from deep, he’ll undoubtedly be a big part of his team’s future — and make himself a boatload of money.

The problem with Risacher is that he shot 32.1% from three in 39 games in 2021-22, and he shot an even worse 30.7% in 50 games in 2022-23. So, did Risacher make drastic improvements as a shooter, or is this year simply an outlier? His 70.7% shooting from the free throw line suggests the latter. But Risacher has at least shown a good feel as a shooter, as well as real confidence in his shot. He plays the game like he’s a knockdown shooter, constantly hovering around the three-point line and displaying a great understanding of how and when to get open. There’s also very little hesitation when he catches the ball. All of that, combined with his superb shooting in his team’s postseason, makes it easy to give him the benefit of the doubt. But there’s a lot of pressure on front offices to figure out whether or not the shot will translate, as there’s essentially no chance he’ll live up to his billing if he’s just average from behind the three-point line.

Risacher doesn’t have a lot in his offensive arsenal right now. The teenager’s offensive game is dependent on the three-point shooting, as he’s either hitting triples or leveraging his shooting gravity to cut to the basket and finish at the rim. Risacher is also adept at attacking closeouts. But there’s not much else in his bag.

Risacher doesn’t look comfortable using his dribble to get to the basket or create separation. And he’s not going to make a lot of shots off the bounce. On top of that, he’s not as efficient as you’d like when finishing around the basket. So, if he’s not hitting spot-up threes or movement threes, or using his tantalizing physical tools to score in transition, he might struggle to impact games offensively in the NBA. However, the good news is that Risacher is young and willing to work. And he does look pretty smooth when handling the basketball. He just needs to sharpen things up and figure out some go-to moves. But generally speaking, he has a lot of room for growth, especially if he lands in the right situation. And he seems like a hard worker, which is a good indicator for future improvement.

Risacher is also one of the most impressive wing defenders in this draft class, which is why he’s viewed as the prototypical 3-and-D player. Risacher might not be an explosive athlete, and he doesn't have top-end speed. But he moves really well laterally and he has great defensive instincts. He’s also way more coordinated than most players with his combination of size and length.

Risacher has all the tools to eventually be a guy that can take on the toughest assignment on a nightly basis. He just needs to add a little bit of weight to his frame. The Frenchman is also extremely reliable within team defensive concepts. He’s not somebody that will be burned by falling asleep off the ball. He stays very engaged and occasionally creates turnovers or contests shots at the rim. It was also nice to see Risacher defending in some high-leverage playoff spots. He was trusted to hold his own defensively in a league with grown men, and he did more than just that. That should mean that his defense will translate extremely quickly at the next level.

Realistically, it’s easy to see the appeal with a player like Risascher. Fluid wings that can shoot the basketball are as valuable as any archetype in the league, so the Frenchman’s low-end outcome still makes him a very valuable piece in a puzzle. If he is strictly a spot-up shooter that also plays at a high level on the defensive end, he’ll likely be a long-term starter and impact winning in a big way. The question is whether or not that jumper will be as deadly as it needs to be in order to justify him being one of the first players picked in the draft. Because as far as the on-ball creation goes, there’s a chance it never happens. So, NBA teams better be confident that he can at least turn into the 3-and-D player he’s projected to be.

Real GM

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Not real, but amusing nonetheless.

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