Zacharie Risacher ‘firmly in the mix for Atlanta Hawks at No. 1’

The Atlanta Hawks have said since winning the NBA Draft Lottery that they would cast a wide net for the No. 1 pick, but it appears that net is narrowing a bit. There have been reports linking the Hawks to Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher and Donovan Clingan for the No. 1 pick and according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Risacher is firmly in the mix to go No. 1:

“Bourg de Risacher’s team has advanced to the semi-finals of the French qualifiers, where they will face No. 1 seed Monaco, a top Euroleague team that should provide a strong challenge. Risacher had a career-best game with 28 points in Game 2 of the quarterfinals, showcasing his talent as a dynamic 6-10 shooter and versatile defender with elite game sense.

Risacher is part of a group of prospects firmly in contention for the Atlanta Hawks at No. 1 overall, according to sources, and likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called as he is in consideration for every team selected in the top 5. Risacher is scheduled to participate in the NBA Global Camp in Treviso, Italy, starting June 4, where he will undergo tests, drills, interviews and medical exams; although this might not come to fruition if Bourg qualifies for the final. Risacher is expected to be selective in his preliminary visits among NBA suitors once he finally makes his way to the United States.

Over the past week, it appears Risacher has gained momentum for the No. 1 pick and NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Atlanta “is increasingly likely to choose between Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher” for the first choice.

Givony also wrote this morning that Clingan “has fans among the Hawks constituency at No. 1”:

“Clingan has momentum in June, as he made a strong impression during combine drills, private interviews and his pro day, where he left intriguing glimpses of perimeter shots that many recruiters said will be part of his game in the future – too distant future His measurements – 7-3 in shoes, 282 pounds with a 7-7 wingspan and an outrageous 9-7 standing reach are elite (as we know). already knew).

The draft lottery hasn’t done him too much favors, however, putting teams with established starters at the center position at Nos. 3, 4 and 5, which could drop him a little more than his big-board ranking l ‘noted. It wouldn’t be surprising to see teams like the Portland Trail Blazers or Memphis Grizzlies attempt to move up on draft night to land their starting center of the future. There are, however, rumors that Clingan has fans among the Hawks’ No. 1 constituency, meaning there’s still a lot to play for between now and June 26. »

Clingan is considered one of the top prospects in the draft, but the lottery may not have gone in his favor. Teams that could really use a player like him have fallen in the lottery and while it’s still possible he could go as high as No. 1, he could also fall out of the top five.

Risacher may not have the highest ceiling of the three prospects, but I think his skillset would mesh well with Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. His potential two-way ability is what the Hawks need, although he doesn’t have the defensive ceiling of Sarr or Clingan. Risacher has had some good offensive performances this season, but has not always shown consistency on that side of the field. He averaged 10.9 PPG this season on 38.9% three-point shooting.

Here’s the scouting report on Risacher from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor

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