If he clearly does not have the immense “hype” that surrounded Victor Wembanyama last season, Zacharie Risacher (2m07, 95kg) nonetheless remains one of the favorites for the first choice in the next NBA Draft. For ESPN, the son of Stéphane Risacher even rose to number 1, ahead of Alexandre Sarr.
“I won't be disappointed if I'm not number 1. But obviously I'd be very happy if I was,” he declared during his final press conference in Bourg. “But my priority is first of all to have a franchise which aims to develop me and build something serious where I can integrate. »
“In the end, the solution was mental”
Voted Best Young Player in France and Rising Star in the EuroCup, Zaccharie Risacher has constantly increased his rating across the Atlantic, with several remarkable performances, including a 28-point, 6-rebound outing in the playoffs against Nanterre.
“As a young player, I wanted to assert myself within a professional team. I've improved a lot on my 3-point shooting, specifically. In terms of aggression, I have the feeling of having really crossed a threshold too. In my areas of progress, there is still dribbling, managing dribbling with strong defensive pressure. I know I'm capable of it and I'm not afraid to try it in training. »
Victim of a slump in the heart of winter, a sort of “rookie wall”, Zaccharie Risacher learned a lot about himself, well surrounded by those close to him but also by his teammates.
“I don’t really have an explanation. When it happened, I didn't know what to do and was trying to find a magic solution. But I learned that it didn't exist. It's part of the game. Even though we work harder than everyone else, it's inevitable. The only thing to do is to continue working and keep confidence. Weak times can happen, but the most important thing is how we react. In this case, when I experienced a lack of skill, I had the desire to still help my team, to have a positive impact despite my decline. In the end, the solution was mental. »
The young man will also take with him a great European experience, including a match “against Besiktas, the biggest atmosphere we had here at Ekinox, memories engraved in my memory forever. »
“If I hadn’t been ready, I would have stayed another season here”
Now fully focused on his next NBA goal, Zaccharie Risacher participated in the Treviso camp, where he was already able to discuss what will await him, starting next week. The young winger should actually take off next Tuesday.
“Since the end of the season, I’ve been thinking about it a little more precisely. It's been a week since I've had anything to think about. I am discovering a little day by day what will await me there. I just know it's something I dreamed of. And I feel ready to do it. If I hadn't been, I would have stayed here for another season. »
Projected at the top of the “mock draft”, Zaccharie Risacher has the advantage of having accumulated a lot of experience and played a lot of matches (65). All that remains for him, so to speak, is to seduce the Top 5 NBA franchises during the interviews and other personality tests that await him.
“I know that I will have to do workouts all over the United States. I can't wait to be there, to see the infrastructure, and also what I will be asked to do. To chat a little with the staff, as we were able to do in Treviso. For now, I'm taking the time. It's a super exciting process and I want to make the most of it. »
To read >> Zaccharie Risacher’s profile
[Crédits photo : Olivier Dalmeida]
[Propos recueillis par visioconférence depuis Bourg]
