Let’s take a look at the French prospect who could very well wear a Wizards uniform later this season.
The Wizards are narrowing their focus for their second-overall selection as the NBA Draft gets closer. Draft reporters have indicated that Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher will go first and second in some order. Marc Stein reported that the Hawks are choosing between the two Frenchmen for the top overall selection. Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype and Jonathan Givony of ESPN also expect that the Hawks will take one and the Wizards will take the other. We discussed Sarr’s hypothetical fit with the Wizards a few months ago. Let’s look at Risacher as he shoots up draft boards.
About Zaccharie Risacher
Risacher is another French product from a basketball family like Sarr and Victor Wembayama. Risacher’s father, Stéphane, played professional basketball all over Europe, including Malaga, Spain where Zaccharie was born. Stéphane also won a silver medal for France at the 2000 Olympic games. Zaccharie’s sister, Ainhoa, played for France in the U16 European Championships in 2025. Both siblings played in the ASVEL’s youth program, the French pro team that Tony Parker currently runs.
He debuted on the senior team in 2021 for ASVEL while still in the youth program and just wrapped up his first full professional season on loan to JL Bourg. He won the EuroCup’s Rising Star award and the Best Young Player award in France’s top division. In league play, Risacher is averaging 11 points on impressive shooting splits: 54% from the two, 36% from three, and 72.3% from the free throw line.
Risacher is a prototypical three-and-d wing threat. He thrives off the ball as a cutter and spot-up threat, especially in transition. He makes shots from everywhere on the perimeter and in different situations such as backpedaling to the corner or curling off screens. Risacher also has a great feel for the game and the ball doesn’t stick in his hands
Still, his playmaking skills need a lot of development as he could not average one full assist per game. Defensively, he has long arms, quick feet, and good anticipation. He’s still skinny for his size and may struggle against some NBA wings. His player comparisons include complimentary wing scorers Michael Porter Jr and Harrison Barnes.
Why the Wizards should take Risacher
Risacher’s projected skill set fits on pretty much any roster in the league. Three-point shooting, off-ball movement, and long-armed defenders are always at a premium. Risacher is the most developed wing prospect in the class and may have the highest floor as well due to his positional value. In a draft seemingly lacking in players with star potential, snagging a high-floor player with the versatility to fit into different situations would be a boom.
For the Wizards, Risacher doesn’t fill their glaring holes at point guard and center in the long-term. But he could move into Kyle Kuzma’s spot if Washington deals him this offseason or at the trade deadline. More importantly, Risacher could fit in perfectly with the future core. He seems like an Eeveelution of Deni Avdija and Bilal Couilbaly. Avdija has the ball-handling skills, Couilbaly projects to be a defensive ace, and Risacher could be the shooter who unlocks space for the rest of the offense. Furthermore, Washington is in the early stages of a rebuild and a player like Risacher can fit into whatever they become.
Why the Wizards should pass on Risacher
While Risacher’s floor is high, his ceiling may be correspondingly low. He has one elite skill with his shooting at the moment. Even then, he struggled with three-point accuracy as a junior and needs to speed up his shot in the NBA. If he is not an elite shooter in the league, Risacher will struggle to make an impact on offense. He has not shown that he can create shots for himself and his teammates. He also misses too many attempts at the rim, a weakness that NBA defenses would certainly exploit.
While the Wizards may expect to be bad for a while, getting the second overall selection is not an opportunity that comes around often. Risacher would be a safe pick for a team that needs to draft a star. The 2024 draft class seems short on those players. But perhaps the Wizards can take a swing on a more unique prospect or draft a project at their biggest position of need, point guard.