Overview
Widely viewed as a prospect who could come off the board in the high-lottery, Risacher is an intriguing blend of size, length and shooting ability. The 19-year-old Frenchman has developed into a knockdown shooter this season, drilling nearly 39 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc and shooting better than 46 percent from the floor, overall. Risacher rebounds well for his position and has plenty of range on the defensive end, though at this stage he’s more of a catch-and-shoot threat than a player who can consistently create off the dribble. Risacher is also averaging less than 1.0 assists per game for JL Bourg (France), so playmaking will be an area of focus when it comes to his development.
Analysis
At 6-foot-8 with a rangy wingspan, Risacher has prototypical size for an NBA wing. Shooting is his primary calling card, though he took a massive leap in efficiency this season after hovering around 30 percent from three-point range in 2022-23. He’s also a middling free-throw shooter (71.6% FT this season), so Risacher will have to prove that the jump in outside shooting is for real at the NBA level. To reach his ceiling, Risacher will likely need to add some weight to his 200-pound frame, but that’s not a major concern at this stage in his development. Ideally, Risacher would land with a team that’s willing to be patient with his development. He’s unlikely to be an instant-impact player in Year 1, but down the road his shooting and decision-making could make him a valuable rotation piece.
Projection
Risacher may not quite be a true “project” player, but in the immediate future the focus will be on developing his body and rounding out his ballhandling and defensive awareness. While Risacher is not a premier athlete, he moves well laterally and should be able to swing between both forward positions in the NBA. At this stage, he projects as more of a long-term role player, as opposed to a No. 1 or even No. 2 option on a contending team, but that’s not a knock on his long-term potential. In terms of his size and skill set, Michael Porter Jr., Cameron Johnson and Kelly Oubre are reasonable NBA comparisons.
— Profile by RotoWire