With so much uncertainty surrounding the 2024 NBA draft class, ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo will take a closer look at the prospects that are in contention of being drafted No. 1 overall. This was originally published on Jan. 22, 2024.
Zaccharie Risacher has put together a historically productive season for a teenager, moving to Bourg from ASVEL for his final season playing in his home country of France. The son of Stéphane Risacher, a six-time French League All-Star, Risacher has stepped into an important role for his club in both Pro A and EuroCup slates and taken a leap in terms of confidence and performance. The 18-year-old has put himself in position to be one of the first players drafted in June after he declared for the 2024 NBA draft on Monday.
Woo breaks down Risacher's game, looks at his strengths/weaknesses, and provides a player comp for him moving forward.
Zaccharie Risacher | SF | Age: 18.8 | JL Bourg
Risacher's strengths
In many ways, Risacher fits the quintessential NBA wing prototype, supplying a mix of positional size, on-court smarts, scoring, playmaking and positive defense. While he's not demonstrably off-the-charts yet in any of those areas, he has a very strong all-around developmental base for a player his age -- he turns 19 in April. Risacher measured at 6-foot-9 ½ in shoes at the 2023 Hoop Summit with a 6-10 ½ wingspan, giving him good size but average length for a small forward, comparing closely with wings such as Shane Battier and Memphis' Ziaire Williams. Since Hoop Summit, he has made significant strides as a player, rebounding from a poor showing at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Championships, moving to a new club that's invested in his development, and emerging as one of the best young players in Europe.