The young 19-year-old French basketball player is the dream of many NBA franchises. But before being drafted in June, the new nugget of French basketball will play in the playoffs of the French championship with his club JL Bourg.
Published on 03/05/2024 06:33
Reading time: 3 min Zaccharie Risacher during the Pro A match with JL Bourg (Bourg-en-Bresse), at the Palais des sports in Nanterre, March 23, 2024. (IAN LANGSDON / AFP)
Regularly announced in the top 3 of the next NBA draft, at the end of June, cited as potential first choice… The young French basketball player Zaccharie Risacher, 19 years old, who plays at JL Bourg-en-Bresse, in the championship of France, makes many franchises dream. They see him as the new nugget of French basketball, just one year after the Wembanyama phenomenon. For the first time since he officially declared himself eligible for the draft, Zaccharie Risacher speaks, and he does so exclusively for franceinfo. And we discover a humble and mature young man, simply happy to experience all of this.
franceinfo: It’s now official, you are a candidate for the NBA draft. Does having announced it take some pressure off?
Zaccharie Risacher : I didn’t feel any pressure before announcing it. But it’s done, and that’s good. I announced it, now it’s behind me. I have two very important months ahead, perhaps even the most important of my young basketball career. [la JL Bourg peut espérer décrocher le titre de champion de France]. And then we’ll see what happens.
“This is the start of something big, a beautiful story I hope.”
Zacharie Risacher, basketball player
at franceinfo
I was able to enjoy the moment when I announced it, but with the matches following one another, I quickly came back to reality. And the reality is such that I have to stay focused. We are going to play in the play-offs. It’s a wonderful experience to live. And then, at the end of June, I will go to New York, with the aim of getting drafted [être choisi par une équipe de la NBA]and it’s a dream that I plan to realize.
Zaccharie Risacher with JL Bourg (Bourg-en-Bresse) before a match against Paris Basketball at the Adidas Arena. (XAVIER MONFERRAN / RADIO FRANCE)
Exactly, what does the NBA mean to you?
It is a dream ! It means a lot to me. Something… big, and something that has always made me dream! It’s also a challenge that I’m looking forward to taking on!
Who were your role models growing up? ?
Well, already, I grew up watching… my father! (laughs) [Zaccharie est le fils de Stéphane Risacher, ancien international français de basket]. He was my hero, my father. And then around 10-11 years old, I started watching the NBA. Well, it was nighttime, and I didn’t necessarily have a phone or anything.
“The one I watched a lot was Kevin Durant! He was the one who inspired me a lot. I quickly became a fan of his, and I remained a fan for a very long time!”
Zacharie Risacher, basketball player
at franceinfo
It’s been a long time, a very long time, several months, since you were announced among the “top prospects”, the best hopes, and cited very high in the draft predictions. How did you experience this period?
Pretty good, I would say that it started… more than a year ago already. I think the fact of staying focused on myself helped me to ignore it. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s almost impossible, it’s always there. And even if you try not to run into it, everyone will tell you about it, one way or another. So the best way is to stay focused on the objectives that we set for ourselves in the short and medium term. To manage the situation as best as possible. Live it all day by day. A basketball season is wonderful, with its ups and downs, with your teammates, your coaches, it’s something you have to experience! You have to take the time to experience it!
Have you spoken with Victor Wembanyama, has he given you advice already? ?
So no, not for now. We haven’t spoken yet. I obviously follow what he does, from France. Honestly, it makes you want to, and it’s very inspiring for me!
2024-05-03 05:34:48
#ambitions #Zaccharie #Risache #registration #draft
