2. Washington Wizards pick Zaccharie Risacher
The Washington Wizards, with roster needs at every position and lack of a star player, are in a prime position to select the best available prospect. French wing Zaccharie Risacher is a perfect fit for the Wizards at No. 2 as a potential foundational piece. With Risacher and fellow Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly, the Wizards would be solidifying their starting wings for the next decade. Coulibaly showed promise in his rookie season after being selected No. 7 overall in last year’s draft,
At 6-foot-8 with a smooth shooting stroke, Risacher is an intriguing draft prospect with enormous 3-and-D potential in the NBA. In 32 games played in the LNB Pro A with Bourg, Risacher averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds on 44/35/74 shooting splits. The numbers don’t jump out, but LNB Pro A is a highly competitive league, and he only averaged 22 minutes per game.
Risacher's overall play seemed inconsistent throughout his season with Bourg, which is to be expected with a teenager. Risacher’s shooting and shot creation will be the swing skills that he will need to develop further to become a future franchise player. However, the 19-year-old finished the season strongly, which should further help his draft stock.
Currently, Sarr and Risacher seem to be emerging at the top of draft boards as the draft approaches less than a month away. But there’s plenty more scouting and information that will become available between now and June 26.