one year after Victor Wembanyama, the French Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Sarr chosen in the first two places in the draft

Zaccharie Risager, 19-year-old winger, who played in Bourg-en-Bresse this season, was chosen first position by the Atlanta Hawks. His compatriot, pivot Alexandre Sarr, 19, was drafted in second position by the Washington Wizards.

The NBA in blue-white-red, never seen before. A year after Victor Wembanyama, the first Tricolor to be selected as the number 1 pick in the NBA draft, the annual selection of the best prospects on the planet, Zaccharie Risacher has, in turn, been called in first position, Wednesday June 26. The 19-year-old winger (2.07m) was selected by the Atlanta Hawks, his future team.

Just after him, another Frenchie was drafted in second position: Alexandre Sarr, same age and 2.16m, joined the Washington Wizards. And the tricolor flag was even waved a third time, since the Charlotte Hornets have taken Tidjane Salaün, 18 years old, 2.06m on the counter, selected in sixth position. Never has a country other than the United States placed two players in the first two positions of the draft. But first, focus on the first drawn, who will be one of the future attractions of the 2024-2025 season, and promised a great future.

Best hope of the French championship and the Eurocup

First choice at just 19 years old – he was born in April 2005 – Zaccharie Risacher is the precocious type. Last summer, the winger played in the U19 World Cup a year early, finishing with the silver medal. In the process, he signed a fine individual season with Bourg, one of the best French teams of the moment, semi-finalist of the French championship and finalist of the Eurocup, the second level of European cups. “Zaccharie, no one expected him at this levelestimated Simon Darnauzan, a former player who notably played for Bourg-en-Bresse and consultant for the Skweek channel, interviewed before the draft. It exploded very, very quickly.“Elected best prospect of the season in both competitions, Zaccharie Risacher was able to display, in Ain, his palette, already wide for his age, between his quality of outside shooting (45% at three points in the Eurocup) and his defense.

A reliable shooter coupled with a good defender

Trained in part at Asvel from 2020, he discovered the professional world with the Villeurbanne club, but did not explode there. Drowning in the dense workforce of the club chaired by Tony Parker, he chose to be loaned to JL Bourg-en-Bresse to get playing time this season. From a player at the end of the bench, he was given responsibility as a starter by coach Freddy Fauthoux, also a former international. “He’s really stunningenthused François Lamy, consultant for the Bourges club and former general manager of Asvel, West France. He is an outside height of 2.07 meters, very fluid, comfortable with the ball in hand, with a very reliable shot. It’s a template that you don’t see every day. He has a pretty amazing sense of the game, it’s very impressive.”

“There are a lot of things I can bring to an NBA teampromised Zacharie Risacher to ESPN. My main strength is my shooting. Then come my defensive qualities. And finally, my ability to do what is asked of me by using my versatility: I can be present on the rebound, manage possessions, finish at altitude, pass the ball… No matter what is asked of me, I will do it , and I will do it well.“

A head trauma for his first selection for the French team

His good performances opened the doors to the French team at the end of February during the qualifying period for Euro 2025. Zaccharie Risacher, however, was not able to benefit for long, coming off after four minutes of play against Croatia after having received a blow to the face. The winger had to be stitched up and missed the second match against Bosnia-Herzegovina due to a concussion protocol.

On his return to competition with Bourg-en-Bresse, he had experienced his only slump of the season, before gaining momentum again, like his high-flying final phase in Betclic Elite (15, 1 points at 52.6% shooting success, 7.4 rebounds on average). However, not enough to be part of the France group for the Paris Olympics.

A family in blue-white-red

Zaccharie Risacher had the DNA for the job. His father, Stéphane Risacher, also played at a very high level, notably with Lyon, PSG Racing and Chalon-sur-Saône, but also in prestigious clubs abroad in Greece (Olympiakos Piraeus) and in Spain (Malaga). A complete winger like his son, he was part of the French team – with which he made 124 caps – at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. The Blues won the silver medal, the first feat of arms for the French team since the 1950s.

Stéphane Risacher was also able to tell his son about his discovery of the NBA, he who, with PSG, had faced the Chicago Bulls, defending against a certain Michael Jordan at Bercy, during a friendly tournament in 1997.My father has a special place in my life and in my career, he advises me a lot”, “Zacch” admitted to Radio France last December.

In addition to Zaccharie, the Risacher family has another budding champion. Aïnhoa made her professional debut this season at Asvel at the age of 16, after being voted best player in the European Under-16 Championship with the French team last summer.