JL Bourg’s forward Zaccharie Risacher is currently projected to be a top-three pick in the 2024 draft. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo stated on May 22nd that he is projecting him to be selected by the Washington Wizards with the second overall pick.
Washington was the only team with top-four odds lucky enough to hold serve in the lottery, giving them a chance to take a long-term swing atop the draft. While the Wizards have kept information tight under top executive Michael Winger, some around the league are working under the assumption that Winger and general manager Will Dawkins — both with roots in the Thunder organization — will follow Oklahoma City’s long-term blueprint, presuming they’ll be granted the patience to execute that type of full-scale rebuild. With that in mind, and positional fit less of a concern, at this early juncture, many rival teams are expecting the Wizards to target whichever of Sarr and Risacher falls here, working under the assumption that the Hawks select one of the two at No. 1.
The Skill Set Of Zaccharie Risacher
Unfortunately, Zaccharie Risacher will not be able to fully display his skills if he is selected in the top three. JL Bourg has used him off the ball during most offensive possessions this season.
JL Bourg vs Paris Basketball
For example, Risacher stood in the left corner during the team’s first offensive possession vs. Paris Basketball. He remained there for the whole possession as his teammate Jequan Lewis went over Kevin Kokila’s screen.
Once this happened, two Paris players came over to double-team Lewis. Consequently, Lewis performed a bounce pass to Kokila, who stood below the free-throw line. Kokila took a few steps towards the basket before getting fouled.
JL Bourg’s usage of Zaccharie Risacher led him to spend 65.6 % of his offensive possessions spotting up or in transition. He shot 41.2% on spot-up three-pointers, which played a vital role in his averaging 0.93 points per possession ( 51st percentile).
Why Zaccharie Risacher should be drafted in the top 3
Unfortunately, the Atlanta Hawks, Wizards, and Houston Rockets all ranked 20 or below in spot-up play type. They averaged between 24 and 26 possessions per game during the 2023-24 season.
Therefore, he will enter an organization that doesn’t prioritize one of his main strengths. Furthermore, these organizations will not showcase the other areas of Risacher’s skill set.
He likes to cut when opponents are paying attention to him. During the third quarter of the same game against Paris, Zaccharie Risacher stood on the left wing as his teammate Isiaha Mike posted up TJ Shorts on the other side of the court.
Every Paris player was watching the post-up, giving Zaccharie Risacher an opportunity to cut to the basket untouched for a layup. Those plays contributed to him averaging 1.279 points per possession (62nd percentile) on cuts to the basket.
San Antonio Spurs
The three organizations were in the middle to bottom half of the league in cuts per game, averaging 6-8 per game. He would be better off falling to the San Antonio Spurs at four, as they will accentuate his strengths. The Spurs ranked in the top ten in cutting, spot-up, and transition possessions during the 2023-24 season.
In conclusion, Zaccharie Risacher is unlikely to reach his full potential with these teams as they do not prioritize his skills.
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