2024-06-27 03:56:43
A brand new historic evening for French basketball: Zaccharie Risacher (19 years outdated, JL Bourg-en-Bresse) was chosen within the first place within the 2024 Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, who had the primary choose. “It is unimaginable, I do not know what else to say,” he mentioned, a bit shy, proper after shaking palms with Adam Silver, the NBA boss. His teammate Alexandre Sarr (19 years outdated, Perth/Australia) was chosen by… the second group, Washington Wizards. “It is such a particular second,” Sarr replied, in tears, after his choice. Two French individuals have the primary two locations in essentially the most well-known Draft on the planet: that is unprecedented for French sports activities, lower than a month earlier than the beginning of the Paris Olympic Video games.
A 12 months in the past, Victor Wembanyama already made historical past by being chosen within the first place by San Antonio Spurs, the primary for a Frenchman. “Competitors” this 12 months is extra open, in fact nonetheless much less aggressive, however the work is especially for blue-white-red basketball, which is slowly however certainly shifting its pawns nearly in all places on the map of America .
Somewhat additional within the choice, however greater than anticipated by all forecasts, Tidjane Salaun (18 years, Cholet) was retained in sixth place, by the Charlotte Hornets. Three Frenchmen among the many first six locations: the social gathering is over! The classic is even higher: Pacôme Dadiet (18 years outdated, Ulm / Germany) was chosen within the twenty fifth place by the New York Knicks. For the third 12 months in a row, at the least 4 French artists have been designed, an extra signal of the significance of the French ecosystem. Throughout the 2nd spherical, scheduled for this Wednesday, there will probably be a fifth within the operating to select from the thirtieth to the sixtieth place: Melvin Ajinca (20 years, Saint-Quentin).
A singular imaginative and prescient, within the footsteps of Wemby
This draft reveals the distinctive era 2004/2005, which additionally consists of Victor Wembanyama, Bilal Coulibaly and Rayan Rupert, chosen final 12 months within the NBA. A era that has been in a position to dream itself on the highest stage, taking part in in skilled championships for a lot of months. Alternative when he joined the American League.
For these French hopes, the remainder will contain the Summer time League, these pleasant matches scheduled for the start of July in Las Vegas and California specifically, and which let the newcomers familiarize themselves with the setting of their new group.
Nevertheless, these French individuals is not going to begin from scratch. Zaccharie Risacher is the son of former worldwide Stéphane Risacher, 123 caps for the French group and a silver medal on the Sydney Olympic Video games (2000). Alexandre Sarr is the brother of Olivier, who has been taking part in for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for 3 years. And he’ll see Bilal Coulibaly in Washington, who was drafted final 12 months in seventh place and who confirmed throughout his first season that he’s already prepared for the issue of the NBA. The Wizards posted one of many worst data within the league final 12 months (15 wins, in entrance of the Detroit Pistons, 14) however is a group in rebuilding, the place Sarr, this pivot who moved as a full, could have recreation time.
Zaccharie Risacher won’t ever find yourself in the identical scenario: the Hawks acquired fortunate within the lottery. They solely have a 3% probability of taking the primary choose of the Draft. Their final seasons have been actually good, and the file of 36 wins final 12 months is nice alternatives for subsequent 12 months. Surrounded by stars Dejounte Murray and Trae Younger (if Atlanta decides to maintain them), it is a group lower for the playoffs that the previous Bourg-en-Bresse participant will be a part of.
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