Zaccharie Risacher revealed the true reason behind the French dominating the top 10 picks of the 2024 NBA Draft. To those who might not be aware, the NBA Draft is a process through which 60 new athletes are introduced into the league via 2 rounds.
Risacher was selected with the first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. To make matters more interesting, two other players from France were selected in the top 10 draft picks. Given that the majority of players selected at the early stages of the draft are from the USA, this was undoubtedly a turnaround that many did not see coming.
Zaccharie Risacher discusses how playing with French Pros in the EuroLeague prepared him
Even the #1 pick from last year’s draft class was from France. Some fans will know that San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was at the top of the draft last season and chosen by the San Antonio Spurs. In fact, one could argue that a lot of stars in NBA history have come from France. Rischaer was interviewed and asked to share his thoughts regarding how more players from France are being chosen in the NBA.
Risacher certainly makes an interesting point. The French teams likely have fewer restrictions on young athletes joining the national teams. As a result, the players can get a higher level of experience at a faster rate due to exposure. For Zaccharie Risacher, there is an additional advantage he has to go along with his experience.
Zaccharie Risacher comes from a family of basketball players
It turns out that Risacher has the genetics for basketball. His father Stéphane Risacher is a former basketball player who represented the French National team. Moreover, Zaccharie’s sister also plays basketball. Therefore, the Hawks rookie has undoubtedly been exposed to the spot since a young age.
In any case, fans are surprised to hear that Zaccharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr, and Tidjane Salaun have all been selected high in the draft. One must wonder if their experience in the French Nationals will translate to NBA-level basketball well.