Who is Zaccharie Risacher? Everything to know about Atlanta Hawks' No. 1 draft pick
With the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks have selected French forward Zaccharie Risacher.
After a month and a half of speculation, the Hawks decided to go with the man they'd been linked to all along. The 19-year-old star is headed to Georgia to be paired alongside Trae Young and Dejounte Murray (for now). Risacher's potential speaks for itself, and with Atlanta looking to compete in a very cutthroat Eastern Conference, Risacher's presence could pay off massive dividends in just a few short years.
Here's everything to know about Atlanta's newest young star.
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Who did Zaccharie Risacher play for last year?
Risacher played for JL Bourg in the Betclic Elite League in France last year. Risacher's team finished their regular season in fourth place with a record of 25-9. They had the best defensive rating in the Euro League, very indicative of Risacher's strengths.
JL Bourg reached the semifinals of the LNB Elite league, France's top division, but the team ultimately lost to Monaco, who would wind up winning the championship.
Zaccharie Risacher height, weight
Per Risacher's RealGM page, Risacher is 6 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 204 pounds.
Zaccharie Risacher wingspan
ESPN claims that Risacher boasts a 6 foot, 10.5 inch wingspan.
Riscaher's draft profile
Experts believe that Risacher is a defensive specialist, capable of playing anywhere and guarding anyone on the floor. He's also a tremendous three-point shooter for someone of his size, shooting over 40% from three in LNB Elite last season.
Risacher's weaknesses lie in his dribbling and weight. Risacher struggles with his ball-handling and ability to score at the rim. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor writes, "He just doesn’t get a ton of lift at the basket, and he lacks burst off the dribble. He’ll need to prove his improved shooting numbers are for real. He made just 29.8 percent over his final 31 games, which better resembled the 32 percent of 3s he made in his previous three seasons overseas."
Where is Risacher from?
Risacher was born in Spain but was there just three years before his family moved to France, where Risacher would spend the rest of his youth.
2024 NBA draft live: Hawks select Zaccharie Risacher with No. 1 pick
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher? No. 1 NBA draft pick
