The Atlanta Hawks had the primary total choice within the 2024 NBA Draft Wednesday evening, and so they chosen Zaccharie Risacher, the 19-year-old Frenchman.
No less than one observer thinks it was a nasty transfer.
Frank Mason III, faculty basketball’s 2017 Nationwide Participant of the Yr with the Kansas Jayhawks, expressed his opinion concerning the choose on social media after enjoying towards Risacher, a 6-foot-8 ahead, in France final 12 months.
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Zaccharie Risacher of Bourg-en-Bresse drives to the basket throughout a sport towards Paris at Adidas Enviornment April 28, 2024, in Paris. (Aurelien Meunier/Getty Pictures)
“Performed this younger man in France this previous season; no method he’s the primary choose within the NBA raft lol, however I suppose!” Mason posted on X. “Stable younger participant, however # 1 choose is absurd.”
Mason, the thirty fourth total choose by the Sacramento Kings within the 2017 NBA Draft, bounced across the league from 2017-21, enjoying for the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic earlier than making an attempt his luck abroad.
HAWKS SELECT FRENCH TEEN ZACCHARIE RISACHER WITH FIRST PICK OF NBA DRAFT
He joined SLUC Nancy in France’s prime league, Betclic Élite, the place he averaged 15.5 factors, 3.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 21 video games final season to earn himself an All-Star Recreation look.
Risacher additionally performed within the ProA League with JL Bourg-en-Bresse, the place he was 18 years previous for many of his 32 video games. He averaged 10.1 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists per sport over 22 minutes.
Zaccharie Risacher smiles earlier than the 2024 NBA Draft June 26, 2024, at Barclays Heart in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE through Getty Pictures)
Mason missed each video games towards JL Bourg-en-Bresse, which dominated SLUC Nancy, and Risacher scored 11 and 10 factors in these conferences.
Mason is not alone in his skepticism about Risacher enjoying within the NBA. The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo believes others who performed in France, together with Risacher’s teammates, have been doubtless shocked when the Hawks known as his identify.
“I get what the excessive aspect of it’s, however I think about there’s teammates of him in France which might be like, ‘I can’t consider that man was the No. 1 choose within the NBA Draft,” Russillo stated on the “Invoice Simmons Podcast.”
Zaccharie Risacher, left, and Frank Mason III (Getty Pictures)
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Fellow Frenchmen Alexandre Sarr was one other frontrunner for the No. 1 choose, however he went to the Washington Wizards at No. 2.
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