A year after Victor Wembanyama, several French people were called up for the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday, including Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, the first two choices.
“I would rather be in a team that wants me than a number 1 title” of the Draft, said Zaccharie Risacher, at a press conference, a handful of weeks ago. But if he can have both, it’s no worse. Author of a remarkable season with Bourg-en-Bresse and eagerly looked after by the staff of the French team for the years to come, the son of former international Stéphane Risacher arrives in the NBA. The Atlanta Hawks selected this 19-year-old winger, skilled in shooting and referenced in defense, with the first choice of the 2024 Draft, which took place last night in Brooklyn. A French number 1 in the NBA Draft you say? An air of déjà vu. Just a year ago, Victor Wembanyama was also called first by NBA bigwig Adam Silver. It was a first. But the big North American league has a French accent more than ever.
Note that the Hawks, who only had a 3% chance of winning the first choice in the Draft, finished in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings before being eliminated during the play-in. A franchise that finds itself at a crossroads, with many rumors suggesting that one of the two stars, Trae Young or Dejounte Murray, will be traded. “I am very excited. I feel a lot of emotion… It’s special. I am blessed. My family is here. I’m so happy, it’s amazing, I don’t know what to say», smiled the person concerned, visibly moved after this expected selection.
Double blow with Sarr
In addition to Risacher, 19 years old and who we saw shoot 11.3 points, 45% from three points, 3.3 rebounds and 1 assist in the Eurocup (23 matches), several French people also join Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier and the contingent tricolor in the land of Uncle Sam. Starting with Alex Sarr, selected second by the Washington Wizards. He will team up with his compatriot Bilal Coulibaly, seventh choice last year and author of a good first season in the doldrums of the club in the American federal capital. So convincing that he was, unsurprisingly, called into Vincent Collet’s preselection for the Olympic Games (July 27-August 11), and will be one of the 12. Brother of Oklahoma City player Olivier Sarr, Alex Sarr, a 19-year-old and 2.16m pivot, has an atypical career path, having gone through the training of Real Madrid, then the Overtime Elite in the United States and finally, the Australian club of Perth, where he played at 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game.
We talked about Risacher’s emotion, it was even stronger for Sarr: “I was there for my brother’s Draft. I know what it’s like to not get called… To be selected with one of the first picks is special», he indicated with tremors in his voice, still at the microphone ofESPN. Note that the Americans Reed Sheppard (Houston), Stephon Castle (San Antonio) and Ron Holland II (Detroit) complete the Top 5 of this Draft.
The rest of the Draft… Thursday
Let’s face it, this 2024 Draft is announced as one of the weakest in recent years. Finding two French players in the first two places is in any case unheard of. Not sure we’ll ever see it again… Beyond the qualities of the boys previously mentioned, this also confirms the NBA’s interest in the Frenchies, and the depth of the national reservoir. Clearly, French basketball is doing well and the national coach can smile… Note that the 2024 Draft, which Adam Silver started by paying tribute to Jerry West and Bill Walton, takes place over two days. The second round will take place on Thursday. We could still find other French players there, like Pacome Dadiet (Ulm) or Melvin Ajinça (Saint-Quentin).
But we didn’t have to wait for this second session to see other nuggets of French basketball in full light. Never two without three. After Risacher and Sarr, France has placed a third thief in the Top 10 of the Draft, the now ex-Choletais Tidjane Salaün, brother of the French international Janelle Salaün. He goes to the Charlotte Hornets at the sixth pick. An 18-year-old boy, a 2.05m winger, who doesn’t have his tongue in his pocket: “I will be the best French player in the NBA“, he recently proclaimed from Treviso. Continuing the tradition of CB, the largest French supplier of players in the NBA, the person concerned comes out of a season with 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds. Risacher and Sarr were expected in the first places. It’s a great surprise to see Salaün so high. We expected him around the Top 10. “It’s France brother», savored “Wemby” a few moments after the selection of the first two cities. Quite simply historic for France in basketball.
