Zaccharie Risacher May Be NBA's Top Pick

Even though many American fans have never heard of him, draft analysts and NBA insiders seem to think French wing Zaccharie Risacher is the clear-cut front-runner who will go with the number one pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer expects Risacher to be selected with the top pick. "I would probably lean toward Risacher right now, just being that in general across the league, these games are being decided on the perimeter," Fischer said. "We're watching it in the (NBA Finals), right now, with Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being these big wings that can go and get anywhere on the floor anytime they want."

A few days ago, before his departure to the United States to go interview and workout with the #Spurs and the #Hawks, Risacher seem humbled by all the buzz leading up to this moment, less than two weeks away from the draft.

"I won't be disappointed if I'm not drafted number one," said Risacher who has had a busy year since asking to leave the ASVEL team in order to find more playing time and a bigger role with JL Bourg, a basketball club based in Bourg-en-Bresse, France that plays in the LNB Élite, the national top division.

"I take away a lot of positives from it. It was a magical, exceptional year. I am very happy to have been able to realize one of my dreams, one of my first goals, which was to have a role in a competitive team, in the Eurocup and in Betclic Elite. I have met incredible people here. Being in this type of organization on a daily basis was very special for me. Today, I can only be grateful for the opportunity that was given to me."

Despite the fact that the Spurs have been quietly scouting him long before most other NBA teams and that San Antonio executives R.C. Buford and Peter Holt Jr. both flew to see him play in person, it wasn't until the recent European playoffs that Risacher's stock really began to rise in the eyes of the rest of the league.

"I think Zaccharie Risacher has done enough to solidify himself as the best prospect.", said Yahoo Sports Draft Guru, Krysten Peek. "He's shown all throughout these (European) playoffs, just knocking down shots and being one of the best defensive players on the court at six foot-nine."

The Hawks also had their top front office executives and coach Quin Snyder sitting front-row watching Risacher play under pressure in Europe but some reports, including our own earlier this week, have Atlanta trading down from the No. 1 overall pick. They have had discussions with other teams, according to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor.

O'Connor noted that the Hawks are "exploring their options" and haven't yet worked out all of the prospects that they're considering. One possible trade-down target is reported to be UConn center Donovan Clingan, who impressed Atlanta's front office during his recent private workout.

Risacher says he will not be disappointed by whatever happens next. "I've made the right choices. I was looking for playing time, a role on a competitive team. I'm very happy with how it turned out. From the start, I learned a lot with the staff and my teammates who put me in good conditions to learn from them initially. I arrived at 18 and a new world opened up to me. So I'm very satisfied with this season, with my choice last summer. Now, I want to have an even better season in the United States."

SpursReport
c/o Matrix Media
201 W 5th St Ste F105,
Los Angeles, California, 90017
Contact: M.E. Garza
Dgarza888@icloud.com

SpursReport is the internet's oldest news and fan portal covering the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. Follow us on X/Twitter @SpursReporter and join nearly 40,000 fans on Facebook at http://facebook.com/groups/spursreport

This release was published on openPR.