Atlanta Hawks select Zacharie Risacher as No. 1 pick in NBA draft

Update: 1 One hour before Published: 1 One hour before

NEW YORK — The Atlanta Hawks selected Zacharie Risacher with the top pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, the second year in a row that a French player was the first player selected.

The French placed three players among the first six picks, a year after Victor Wembanyama was the first player selected.

Risacher doesn’t have the enormous size or hype of Wembanyama, the imposing center who went to San Antonio last year and won the Rookie of the Year award.

But the Hawks viewed him as the top pick in what was considered a draft devoid of elite talent.

The 19-year-old striker won the French League’s best young player award last season and beat compatriot Alex Sarr in the race to be first choice.

When he did, it made NBA draft history. This is the first time the draft has been held in consecutive years without the No. 1 pick being someone who played at an American college.

Sarr came in second behind the Washington Wizards after playing last year with Perth in the Australian National Basketball League.

The Hawks had just a 3% chance of winning the lottery to land the No. 1 pick, and there were no obvious choices to wait for once they did. Most of the mock drafts were split between Risacher and Sarr, and Atlanta also drafted UConn center Donovan Clingan.

Houston made Kentucky freshman Reed Sheppard the No. 3 pick. A one-and-done college player had dominated the draft for 13 straight years from 2010-2022 before Wembanyama ended that streak.

It is now France’s time to take the top spot.

Stephon Castle of the Huskies, the two-time defending national champion, made two straight freshmen when San Antonio took him at No. 4, the first of the Spurs’ two picks in the top 10. They also held the No. ° 8.

The Detroit Pistons selected Ron Holland of the G League Ignite with the fifth pick before the Hornets took Tidjane Salaun, who played last year for Cholet Basket in France.

Clingan, who won titles in both seasons at Storrs, eventually went to Portland at No. 7.