A Unique NBA Draft First: French Forward Zaccharie Risacher Goes First Overall for the Atlanta Hawks

Zaccharie Risacher, a French forward, was the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. This marks the second consecutive year that a French player has been selected first, with Victor Wembanyama being picked last year. Risacher and fellow Frenchman Alexandre Sarr were the top contenders this year, frequently switching positions in mock drafts leading up to the event.

Risacher is 19 years old and stands at 6ft 9in. He played for ASVEL and JL Bourg in the French league before most recently playing for JL Bourg-en-Bresse. Sarr, also 19, was picked second overall by the Washington Wizards after spending the previous season with the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s National Basketball League. Both players have no college experience, making them a rare occurrence in NBA draft history.

The top two picks had no college experience which is a rare occurrence in NBA draft history. Sarr’s brother Olivier, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been a mentor to him throughout his basketball journey. The draft also saw top picks like Reed Sheppard from Kentucky going to the Houston Rockets and Stephon Castle from UConn landing with the San Antonio Spurs.

Another notable selection was Ron Holland from G League Ignite, who was picked by the Detroit Pistons. Tidjane Salaun, at 18 years old, became the third French player to be selected among the first six picks, going to