Frenchman Risacher selected by Atlanta Hawks with first pick in NBA draft

Published on: 06/27/2024 – 04:34

3 minutes

The 19-year-old forward, who stands 2.06m tall, was the second consecutive Frenchman to be selected number one after Victor Wembanyama was taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the first pick last year.

“It’s a blessing, you know,” Risacher said. “It’s so exciting. There are a lot of feelings and emotions right now. I don’t know what to say, but it’s really special. »

“For three years, what I’ve been through and my family is here, I’m so happy. It’s incredible.”

French players were selected with three of the first six overall picks, setting an NBA record for the most international players selected in the top 10.

Risacher helped propel JL Bourg to this year’s EuroCup final, won by Paris Basketball.

He became the second youngest player to be named a EuroCup Rising Star and was last month named the best young player in the 2023-24 French championship after averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per 22 minutes per match for JL Bourg.

19-year-old 2.13m (7ft) French center Alexandre Sarr was selected second overall by the Washington Wizards.

Sarr played last season for the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League.

After two seasons with Real Madrid’s youth team and two youth seasons in the United States, he spent the 2023-24 campaign with Perth, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 17 minutes per game.

“Everywhere I played, it built me ​​for this moment,” Sarr said. “It’s so special.”

Sarr’s 25-year-old brother Olivier is a center for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.

“He shared a lot of things with me. Everything I learned, I learned from him,” Sarr said. “He passed on all his knowledge to me. It’s really special to have someone like him by my side.”

This is only the third time in NBA history that the top two draft picks do not have college experience in the United States.

There are no limits for talented French rookies after “Wemby” was named NBA Rookie of the Year and led the league in blocked shots last season.

The Hawks finished 10th in the Eastern Conference last season with a 36-46 record and lost to Chicago in a play-in game.

Houston took University of Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard third. Sheppard, who turned 20 on Monday, averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game and led U.S. college players with 52.1 percent shooting at 3 points.

Castle joins “Wemby”

With the fourth pick, San Antonio selected 19-year-old guard Stephon Castle from U.S. College National Champion Connecticut. He averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

“Having a teammate like (Wembanyama) alongside you, I feel like it opens up the field so much for you to expand your game,” Castle said. “I can’t wait to get out there.”

Detroit took G-League Ignite forward Ron Holland II fifth overall while Charlotte took French forward Tidjane Salaun sixth overall.

The 18-year-old Parisian, who played for Cholet Basket last season, averaged 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

“It’s crazy,” Salaun said. “It’s amazing. Being here is too much for me.”

Canadian Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 center and two-time American college player of the year, ranked ninth ahead of Memphis while Oklahoma City took Serbian guard Nikola Topic at 12th. .

Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, was expected to be selected in the second round, which will take place on Thursday.

James, a 19-year-old guard from Southern California, averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games last season.

His 39-year-old father, a four-time NBA champion, said he wants to play alongside Bronny next season.

The Lakers took guard Dalton Knecht from Tennessee with the 17th pick, their only selection in the first round.

(AFP)