Four days after winning the NBA draft lottery last month, the Hawks traveled to France to check out one of this year’s top prospects. Almost three weeks later, that prospect, Zaccharie Risacher, has emerged in some NBA mock drafts as the guy the Hawks may select June 26.
On May 16, Risacher spotted Hawks general manager Landry Fields, assistant general manager Kyle Korver and coach Quin Snyder on the sideline of one of Risacher’s game in the French LNB Pro A playoffs.
He didn’t have the chance to speak with the Hawks contingent observing him that day, but they saw him put up 14 points and grab six rebounds. Risacher would finish the playoffs with an average of 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Since he turned most of his attention to competing in the playoffs, Risacher did not participate in the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago last month and hasn’t spoken to or worked out with many teams. But with his team’s elimination from the playoffs, the focus shifted to preparing for the draft combine at the NBA Global Camp in Treviso, Italy.
“Right now, I didn’t meet anybody,” Risacher told reporters in a Zoom press conference. “I was just focusing on playoff games because that’s a tough part of season. That’s maybe the most important. I guess my agent, just talked to everybody needed to talk. But me, I just kind of focused on the next game and I think it will be happening soon. I don’t know yet which team but I can’t wait to find out.”
Though he hasn’t personally spoken to any teams, yet, he feels confident that he can be a contributor wherever he ends up.
Should that be Atlanta, the 19-year-old who stands at 6-foot-9 could provide the Hawks with some much-needed size and depth in the frontcourt. He has a versatile skill set, with his ability to create plays for himself, as well as others.
“I will say first of all, I’m a versatile player,” he said. “I know I can do a lot of things, and whatever a coach wants me to do, I know I can do it. So I showed it this year with my coach. And I know I can do more than I did this year and I play tough. I don’t want lose. I’m a winner.
“I feel like the toughness when you play basketball, is something important too. So, like I said, I can do a lot of things. I can be technical, but usually just toughness and play hard and compete with everybody.”
He also highlighted his shooting as one of his strengths because of how comfortable he feels with his shot mechanics. Though he has some comfort with it, he hasn’t shied away from the opportunities to continue improving.
Over his three seasons playing in Europe, first with LDLC ASVEL then with JL Bourg, he knocked down 40.7% of his 3-point shots on 2.4 attempts per game.
He also knows that he has to build strength so that he defend some of the bigger players in the NBA.
“I feel like I love to defend,” he said. “When I’m on the court, I take pleasure on both ways of the court. I can be everywhere – like defending in small guards, big guards, big men. I take pleasure (defending) everywhere. And I think that’s something that I can translate in the NBA. And that’s it.”
Though he knows he needs to work on his body, he still has confidence that his skills on the defensive end of the floor will translate well.
“And the part of my game that I need to work on is definitely I think to work on my body, my physical ability. Even if I know I can guard a lot of positions on the court. I know big men in the NBA are really strong, and I have to improve my physical ability and work on my body so I can handle every position in the NBA.”
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