Zaccharie Risacher - 2024 NBA Draft Prospect

[Mr. Body]

Spurs bill, great post! Very well thought out. I was on the fence about Risarcher, but you have I would now really like that outcome. I knew Mr. Body would respond like he did, but your analysis leads me to think he would likely become a useful part of a contending team. I appreciate the effort.

I mean, someone listing the names of good players doesn't make someone those players. You get this, right? Bill is listing out the best outcomes possible. It's very unlikely he hits any of those.

This is the problem with comparisons, it leads the unwary to assume that when someone says Reed Sheppard reminds them of a great shooting John Stockton, then he's going to be John Stockton. Be better.

[Mr. Body]

This is Zaccharie Risacher:

https://www.basketball-reference.com...anderry01.html

[Mr. Body]

This is Risacher, really:

https://www.basketball-reference.com...johnsca02.html

Cam Johnson. Drafted 11 in 2019

[Mr. Body]

Cam Johnson is really close to top outcome for Risacher. That's not a horrible player. It's not top of a draft player, even this draft.

This is what you get if Risacher's pretty shaky long-term shooting doesn't work:

https://www.basketball-reference.com...baldwpa01.html

Patrick Baldwin Jr. Doesn't do anything.

[mo7888]

This is Risacher, really:

https://www.basketball-reference.com...johnsca02.html

Cam Johnson. Drafted 11 in 2019

I actually think Cam is one of the better comps for Zacharie. I expect his D to be better than Cam, but the rest of his game is fairly similar. I do think that's 'top pf the draft' in this particular draft though.

[SpursBills]

So who is at the top of your draft board?

1. Sheppard

2. Castle

3. Sarr
4. Dillingham

5. Risacher
6. McCain
7. Carter


For now

Prospects I'm higher on than consensus: McCain, Tyler Smith, Zach Edey
Prospects I'm lower on than consensus: Buzelis, Knecht, Salaun, Cody Williams

Priorities: production per age > feel/decision-makig > compe iveness/toughness, don't care as much about mold unless clear elite physical characteristics

[R. DeMurre]

1. Sheppard

2. Castle

3. Sarr
4. Dillingham

5. Risacher
6. McCain
7. Carter


For now

Prospects I'm higher on than consensus: McCain, Tyler Smith, Zach Edey
Prospects I'm lower on than consensus: Buzelis, Knecht, Salaun, Cody Williams

Priorities: production per age > feel/decision-makig > compe iveness/toughness, don't care as much about mold unless clear elite physical characteristics

Where do you have Topic now?

[SpursBills]

Where do you have Topic now?

probably back of lottery to mid first. The entire injury thing and his false wingspan is concerning enough that I wonder what else his agent has been fabricating behind the scenes to try and manipulate his draft stock.

[R. DeMurre]

probably back of lottery to mid first. The entire injury thing and his false wingspan is concerning enough that I wonder what else his agent has been fabricating behind the scenes to try and manipulate his draft stock.

The wingspan thing is funny, being so ridiculously off, but I'm still debating myself about it. I mean, it's more of a story because of being the unusual case of a net negative compared to his height, but in the big picture he's still taller and longer than Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Reed Sheppard, and Dillingham, all of whom do or would have advocates around here. I think if he was 6'4" with a 6'5.5" wingspan, it probably wouldn't be nearly as much of a discussion, and most people would just say he had fine size for a PG prospect.

[LeBowen]

The wingspan thing is funny, being so ridiculously off, but I'm still debating myself about it. I mean, it's more of a story because of being the unusual case of a net negative compared to his height, but in the big picture he's still taller and longer than Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Reed Sheppard, and Dillingham, all of whom do or would have advocates around here. I think if he was 6'4" with a 6'5.5" wingspan, it probably wouldn't be nearly as much of a discussion, and most people would just say he had fine size for a PG prospect.

If he had average neck, he'd be 6'4 and his wingspan is fine compared to his body, it's just that his neck is out of proportions.
I guess it helps with court vision.

[R. DeMurre]

If he had average neck, he'd be 6'4 and his wingspan is fine compared to his body, it's just that his neck is out of proportions.
I guess it helps with court vision.

yeah, it'd be pretty funny if the long neck was the physical rarity that gave him a 5%-10% advantage-- and then neck measuring becomes a thing with some draftniks

[SpursBills]

The wingspan thing is funny, being so ridiculously off, but I'm still debating myself about it. I mean, it's more of a story because of being the unusual case of a net negative compared to his height, but in the big picture he's still taller and longer than Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Reed Sheppard, and Dillingham, all of whom do or would have advocates around here. I think if he was 6'4" with a 6'5.5" wingspan, it probably wouldn't be nearly as much of a discussion, and most people would just say he had fine size for a PG prospect.

The primary reason why I'm a little iffy about his wingspan is because his defensive projection relies so heavily on it. I think he's still a good prospect and I may still be too negative for him for the time being - his performances at ANGT and in international compe ion against his peers really speak for themselves. I do think the 3 point shooting will translate. My issue is this - first, as much as you can hand wave the ACL injury, but if he gets surgery, data says that his return to pre-injury probability is about 80%. Whether that's due to quad atrophy, graft rerupture, contralateral ACL re-rupture, etc. etc., doesn't matter (and I'll add that young age is a huge risk factor for re-rupture after ACL reconstruction). So you price in an automatic 20% reduction in his value. Then you look at his defensive projection - given his lack of lateral quickness and what I saw during ABA, I've a hard time believing he's going to be anything above a -2 defender - I could hand wave that away in the past because "7 foot wingspan" or at least 6'8-6'9, but I can't really do that anymore with these new measurements. So if you're going to be a -2 defender, and be a relatively high friction mold because you have a hard time playing off-ball, you probably need to be at least a +3/+4 on offense to be a good player - that's like an all star on offense. He might be able to get there because I believe in his youth, height, IQ, passing, but there's a lot of stuff now that needs to get priced in. Then there's the question of his agent, who seems shady as - what else is he doing to manipulate his appearance? Did Red Star play down to the compe ion when they played against Topic/Mega to make him look good? It's just a lot more uncertainty now and I'm not sure how to price all of that into his evaluation.

[exstatic]

Serious doubt we have a Jaden McDaniel here. Rizz would have to be rolling some natural twenties to get his defense close to that level. His defense will probably be adequate in man to man and above that in team defense.

I see sort of a Harrison Barnes. Really I see a Klay Thompson with worse defense and inability to score at volume and vastly lower efficiency. He really feels like a Ryan Anderson or somebody like that. Stick him in the corner. Hope for some good defense.

I think the NBA doubted even Jaden McDaniels would be a Jaden McDaniels type, since he was drafted #28 overall.

[Bruno]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

[Mr. Body]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

Really don't think teams are obsessed with measurements as much as casual fans are.

Like, did anyone really think Topic had seven foot monkey arms? Even if Topic didn't have seven foot monkey arms, which he doesn't, he's not some mythic creature only read about in story books. We've all seen him play.

We all have seen Risacher play. The exact length of his arms or hands or if he can jump another couple inches in a sterile workout gym doesn't change anything.

And if it does change anything for a team, they're e probably one of those poverty franchises who is always making the wrong decisions.

[Uriel]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

Would be a dream come true. Risacher at #4 and Dillingham at #8 (or even, if the heavens are truly smiling upon us) Castle, would be concrete proof of the existence of God.

[AFBlue]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

Is there an official site with the results? Haven't seen anything on social media about it, other than a clip of him shooting.

[onechance87]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

how did salumdo or juan nunez do

[Bruno]

Is there an official site with the results? Haven't seen anything on social media about it, other than a clip of him shooting.

Yes, there is.
Measurements:
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-anthro
Agility:
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/comb...rength-agility

[Vienna]

Yes, there is.
Measurements:
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-anthro
Agility:
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/comb...rength-agility

that‘s a bit confusing. Risacher, Salaun, Ajinca all come in with athletic test numbers worse than the most 280+lbs center usually display…..

[Bruno]

that‘s a bit confusing. Risacher, Salaun, Ajinca all come in with athletic test numbers worse than the most 280+lbs center usually display…..

My guess is that players didn't put at all the same intensity in these athletic testing done in Europe for two reasons:
First, it's a cultural thing. Draft combine is a big event in the US mostly with NFL combine. There are no such thing in Europe.
Second, the setup wasn't the same. In Chicago they were about 100 doing the drills and there were leaderboard on big screens. In Treviso, they were 6 in a gym.

[JPB]

Risacher's combine results were between average and bad depending on what was tested. While Sarr looks like a lock to be drafted in the top2, I think it's still possible that Risacher slides to #4.

Not comparing but Kevin Durant, Gobert, Nephew, Klay, LaMarcus or Deandre Jordan, among other stars, had very average to bad combine results. Gobert was "historically bad" (see article below). Risacher is still a lock at top 2 imo. Or if he slides, that won't necessarily be because of the combine. (but I sure hope he does).

And let's not overestimate the combine. Every year, there are combine darlings who will never do anything in the NBA, and vice and versa. BB is more than just metrics, jumping or running without a ball in your hands and a floor to analyse. Combine can be an element, but sometimes it's not, live games is what matters at the end... and I'm sure a lot of stars who didn't participate in the combine would have had pretty bad results. Some sure did:

the worst-performing stars at the NBA combine:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/worst-pe...-kawhi-durant/

[JPB]

My guess is that players didn't put at all the same intensity in these athletic testing done in Europe for two reasons:
First, it's a cultural thing. Draft combine is a big event in the US mostly with NFL combine. There are no such thing in Europe.
Second, the setup wasn't the same. In Chicago they were about 100 doing the drills and there were leaderboard on big screens. In Treviso, they were 6 in a gym.

True, euro guys are not used to that and may not take it with the same mindset. but NBA teams will make their own tests during workouts.

[Dejounte]

Just thought up of a couple more comps for this guy… Trevor Ariza and Rashard Lewis. Maybe he’ll end up somewhere in between…

[Dejounte]

In before the “oh but having an Ariza or a Rashard Lewis would help this team so much!!”… bruh, not really.