Atlanta Hawks select Zaccharie Risacher with No. 1 overall pick in 2024 NBA Draft

One of the top players is off the board in the 2024 NBA Draft. Zaccharie Risacher has been selected by the Atlanta Hawks. Risacher was chosen in the first round, No. 1 overall.

The 19-year-old has been playing professionally in France but will now play in the NBA, beginning in the 2024-25 season.

Zaccharie Risacher is a small forward who is a coveted 3-and-D type of player that NBA franchises are after.

Ahead of the NBA Draft, he spoke with ESPN about his desire to play in the NBA.

“It’s always been my dream to get to the best league in the world,” he told ESPN. “I’ve been putting the work in for this since I was a kid. JL Bourg has given me an incredible opportunity to showcase what I can do. It’s been the perfect place to start my young career. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to play for this organization.”

JL Bourg is the basketball club in France that Zaccharie Risacher has been playing for.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Zaccharie Risacher

Ahead of the NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher was the No. 2 player on On3’s big board.

Here’s what On3’s James Fletcher had to say about Risacher: “Zaccharie Risacher gained momentum when he went on a tear behind the 3-point line. The number has since come down — to a still impressive 42.6% — while still showcasing what NBA teams want to see from a 3-and-D prospect. The 6-foot-8 forward has great length and promises to fill out his frame. He works off screens and cuts to the basket well, which should provide him an immediate role as the shooting percentage evens out.

Risacher is in the same spot as Sarr at this point, competing for the top spot in the NBA Draft without much concern that he will fall after a strong playoff performance to conclude his season.”

In addition, here’s what NBA.com had to say about Risacher: “At 6-foot-8 with a rangy wingspan, Risacher has prototypical size for an NBA wing. Shooting is his primary calling card, though he took a massive leap in efficiency this season after hovering around 30 percent from three-point range in 2022-23. He’s also a middling free-throw shooter (71.6% FT this season), so Risacher will have to prove that the jump in outside shooting is for real at the NBA level.

“To reach his ceiling, Risacher will likely need to add some weight to his 200-pound frame, but that’s not a major concern at this stage in his development. Ideally, Risacher would land with a team that’s willing to be patient with his development. He’s unlikely to be an instant-impact player in Year 1, but down the road his shooting and decision-making could make him a valuable rotation piece.”