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Zaccharie Risacher

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Zaccharie Risacher
Risacher in the 2023 LNB All-Star Game
No. 10 – Atlanta Hawks
PositionSmall forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2005-04-08) 8 April 2005 (age 19)
Málaga,
NationalityFrench
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2024: 1st round, 1st overall pick
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2021–2024ASVEL
2023–2024→JL Bourg
2024–presentAtlanta Hawks
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  France
FIBA U19 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2023 Hungary Team
FIBA U17 World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Spain Team

Zaccharie Risacher (/ˈzækəri ˌriːzɑːˈʃeɪ/ ZAK-ər-ee REE-zah-SHAY French pronunciation: [zakaʁi ʁizaʃe];[1] born 8 April 2005) is a French professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the first overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2024 NBA draft.

Early life

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Risacher was born on 8 April 2005, in Málaga, Spain, where his father, Stéphane Risacher, played professional basketball for Baloncesto Málaga from 2002 to 2006.[2] His family moved back to Lyon, France, where he started playing club basketball at Élan Chalon at the age of three and a half, at youth club Tassin in the suburbs of the city.[3][4]

Risacher entered the youth program of ASVEL Basket in August 2020. He primarily played for the club's youth team in LNB Espoirs, the French under-21 league.[5]

Professional career

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LNB

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Risacher made his debut with ASVEL's senior team in 2021, in a LNB Élite match against Metropolitans 92.[6] He also made his EuroLeague debut later in the season, on 18 January 2022, in a 75–100 loss to Monaco.[7] He averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the LNB Espoirs competition.[8]

On 16 June 2023, Risacher signed his first professional contract with ASVEL, before being immediately loaned out to fellow first-tier club JL Bourg for the 2023–24 season.[9] On 29 November 2023, he was named to Team France for the LNB All-Star Game.[10]

Internationally, Risacher featured for JL Bourg in the 2023–24 EuroCup, where the team eventually reached the Finals,[11][12] before losing to fellow French side Paris Basketball.[12] In April, Risacher was awarded the EuroCup Rising Star prize; at the age of 18 years and 362 days, he became the second-youngest player to win the award, being just a month older than Džanan Musa, who had won the award in 2018.[13]

On 12 May 2024, Risacher was named the Best Young Player of the 2023–24 LNB Élite season, having averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game.[12][14]

Atlanta Hawks (2024–present)

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On 22 April 2024, Risacher announced that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft;[11] his entry was confirmed by the NBA on 2 May.[15]

On 26 June 2024, Risacher was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.[12][16][17] In the process, he became the second consecutive French player to be drafted with the number one pick, after San Antonio Spurs had picked Victor Wembanyama in the previous year's draft;[12][16][18] furthermore, he became the fifth international player to be taken with the first selection, after Wembanyama himself, Andrea Bargnani (in 2006), Andrew Bogut (in 2005) and Yao Ming (in 2002).[16] Risacher was selected alongside fellow Frenchmen Alex Sarr (drafted by the Washington Wizards with the second pick) and Tidjane Salaün (drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the sixth pick), making France the first foreign nation to have at least three native players picked in the top 10 spots of any NBA draft.[12][18]

On 6 July 2024, Risacher signed with the Hawks[19] and six days later, he made his NBA Summer League debut against the Washington Wizards, recording 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in a 94–88 loss.[20] Risacher made his regular season debut on October 23, recording seven points and one rebound in 19 minutes played in a 120–116 win over the Brooklyn Nets.[21] On November 6, Risacher put up a career-high 33 points in a 121–115 win over the New York Knicks.[22]

National team career

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Risacher played for the France under-17 basketball team at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.[23] He struggled with consistency during the tournament which culminated by a zero-point, five-turnover performance in the final against Spain.[24] He averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as France won the bronze medal.[25]

In February 2024, Risacher was selected for the France senior team for their EuroBasket 2025 qualifying games.[24]

Player profile

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Playing at small forward, Risacher is regarded as a very efficient catch-and-shoot player as well as a good shooter coming off screens or from mid-range.[24] His versatility has been praised for his ability to defend both guards and forwards on the perimeter.[24]

Personal life

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Risacher's father, Stéphane Risacher, also played basketball professionally; he won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with the France national team.[16][26]

References

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  1. ^ 2 minutes avec Zaccharie Risacher. JL Bourg. 17 June 2023. Event occurs at 00:00:04 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ "Zaccharie Risacher, el malagueño de 16 años que ya juega en Euroliga" [Zaccharie Risacher, the 16-year-old from Malaga who already plays in the Euroleague]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Risacher trying to follow in father's footsteps | Adidas Next Generation theTournament". Euroleague Basketball. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Zaccharie Risacher, des premiers pas encourageants pour le dernier "fils de" du basket français" [Zaccharie Risacher, encouraging first steps for the last "son of" French basketball]. Basket USA (in French). 6 January 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  5. ^ Le Van Ky, Etienne (8 February 2022). "Basket : Zacharie Risacher, phénomène en éclosion à l'ASVEL" [Basketball: Zacharie Risacher, emerging phenomenon at ASVEL]. Sportmag (in French). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Zaccharie Risacher (ASVEL): "Il ne faut jamais se reposer sur ses lauriers"". Le Quotidien du Sport (in French). 6 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  7. ^ Carton, Clement (18 January 2022). "Euroleague: Monaco prend sa revanche sur l'ASVEL à l'Astroballe!". BasketEurope.com (in French). Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Zaccharie Risacher, el segundo malagueño en el Mundial sub 17". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 2 July 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Zaccharie Risacher signs his first pro contract with ASVEL, but is sent out on loan". basketnews.com. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  10. ^ "All Star Game LNB 2023 : les All Stars et les participants aux concours sont connus !". Betclic ELITE (in French). 29 November 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b Givony, Jonathan (22 April 2024). "Projected No. 1 pick Risacher to enter NBA draft". ESPN. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "NBA Draft: French players Risacher, Sarr and Salaün make history in New York". Le Monde. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  13. ^ "BKT EuroCup Rising Star winner: Zaccharie Risacher, Bourg". Euroleague Basketball. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Trophées LNB 2024 : les lauréats en Betclic ELITE". Betclic ELITE (in French). 13 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  15. ^ "NBA announces early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2024". NBA.com. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d Bontemps, Tim (27 June 2024). "Hawks use No. 1 pick on France's Risacher, 19". ESPN.com. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Atlanta Hawks Select Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 Overall at 2024 NBA Draft". Sports Illustrated. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  18. ^ a b Delafolie, Gaëtan (27 June 2024). "Risacher et Sarr au sommet, Salaün dans le top 10 : draft NBA historique pour la France". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Atlanta Hawks Sign No. 1 Overall Pick Zaccharie Risacher". NBA.com. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  20. ^ Williams, Lauren (13 July 2024). "Zaccharie Risacher makes pro debut in Hawks' Summer League loss". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  21. ^ Polacek, Scott (24 October 2024). "Zaccharie Risacher Admits NBA is 'Big Adjustment' After Struggles in Hawks Debut". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  22. ^ Pagaduan, Jedd (6 November 2024). "Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher pulls off feat not seen before in NBA history". ClutchPoints. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  23. ^ Rissotto, Ignacio (4 November 2022). "Looking at the Future: Zaccharie Risacher". SI.com. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  24. ^ a b c d "Next Big Thing: Why is Zaccharie Risacher projected as the #1 pick in the NBA draft?". FIBA.basketball. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Les Bleuets décrochent le bronze à la Coupe du monde U17 contre la Lituanie". L'Équipe (in French). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  26. ^ "EUROLIGUE. Zaccharie Risacher, l'autre pépite de l'Asvel". Le Progrès (in French). 10 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
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