NEW YORK (AP) — First Victor Wembanyama. Now Zaccharie Risacher. These days, college basketball players in the United States have to wait their turn in the draft. NBA. It is others who occupy the first places.
The Atlanta Hawks drafted Risacher with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday, the second consecutive year a French basketball player has received this honor.
France placed three players among the first six drafted, a year after Wembanyama landed with the San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s amazing,” Risacher said. “We’re trying to represent our country, and so I’m very grateful to be a part of it. You know there are more players coming.”
Risacher does not arrive with the immense expectation that Wembanyama generated, the enormous center who ended up winning the Rookie of the Year award.
But the Hawks considered Risacher to be the best option in what was considered a draft lacking elite talent.
NBA Comparison: Risacher said he and Golden State guard Klay Thompson have “the same game.” Risacher then quickly added that Thompson has the advantage of being a veteran, although he must improve. Risacher is quick and athletic at 6-foot-9, 215 pounds and should provide defensive and scoring skills on the wing.
The 19-year-old forward won the award for best young player in the French League last season. He surpassed another Frenchman, center Alex Sarr, in the draft.
By achieving it, he made history. It is the first time that the first selection in the draft in consecutive years does not come from the American college system.
“This shows the wealth of talent we have in France,” Sarr said. “I’m really excited for Zach. “I think our national team is going to be really good.”
Sarr was chosen second, by the Washington Wizards, after playing last year for Perth, in the Australian National Basketball League.
The Hawks had just a 3% chance of winning the draft lottery to get the top pick. Once they got it, they had no clear alternative.
Much of the mock drafts showed split results between Risacher and Sarr. Atlanta also got to see UConn’s Donovan Clingan.
Houston drafted Kentucky freshman Reed Sheppard with the third pick. First-year college players had captured the top picks for 13 years in a row, from 2010 to ’22, before Wembanyama ended that streak.
Now the era of France has arrived.
Stephon Castle of the Huskies, the two-time reigning national champions, was drafted by San Antonio with the fourth pick.
It was the first of two picks that the Spurs had in the top 10. They also had the eighth but they traded it to Minnesota, which opted for Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham.
The Detroit Pistons got Ron Holland of the G League’s Ignite with the fifth pick before the Hornets drafted Tidjane Salaun, who played last year for Cholet Basket in France.
“I think basketball in France has improved and that is why we are in this draft,” said Saluan.
Source: AP
