French Forward Zaccharie Risacher Selected No. 1 in 2024 NBA Draft

The Atlanta Hawks selected 19-year-old French forward Zaccharie Risacher as the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, marking the second consecutive year a French player has been chosen first. Risacher, coming off a breakout season in France's LNB Elite league with JL Bourg, is known for his catch-and-shoot scoring ability and defensive prowess. He joins a Hawks team that has not won a playoff series since 2021 and aims to build a strong foundation alongside Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Jalen Johnson. Despite other options like Alex Sarr and Donovan Clingan, Hawks GM Landry Fields opted to retain the rare top pick, which the franchise last held in 1975. The draft was held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, and Risacher's jersey is already available for pre-order.