Shades of Mikal Bridges and Kyle Kuzma
Zaccharie Risacher is another young Frenchman who has been firmly in the lottery conversation. Now, he’s even getting some traction as a candidate to go number one.
Like Sarr, that would not have been a likely scenario just a year ago since Risacher didn’t get rave reviews at the Nike Hoop Summit or the U19 World Cup. Previously, though, he had made a big name for himself at the U17 World Cup. This season, his stock is again ascending as he’s playing well with JL Bourg in the French League. Risacher is a big wing known for his defensive ability and versatility.
Offensively, there have been notable signs of growth, particularly as a shot-maker. He is shooting 39% from behind the arc through his first 17 games in the French League and he also connected on 21 of 35 attempts in the EuroCup. The film really pops, too, with his fluid release that is the basis for some of the Kuzma comps. While Risacher is not yet a consistent creator, he is viewed as a plus passer and someone who fits a couple of coveted archetypes in today’s NBA game. He can be seen as both a big wing and a versatile 3-and-D asset with good positional size.
While the most recent reviews have been positive for scouts, those who have followed Risacher the longest acknowledge there may be a wide-range of potential outcomes in the future given some of the inconsistencies we’ve seen in recent years. The hope is that this season is a sign of things to come. If that proves to be true, then he could very well be one of the best long-term prospects in this draft class.
