NBA Draft Rumors: ESPN's Brian Windhorst Says He Thinks Hawks Are "Leaning" Towards Zaccharie Risacher At No. 1

Will the Atlanta Hawks draft Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in the draft?

2024 NBA Draft Prospect Zaccharie Risacher / CBS Sports

The momentum continues to build for the Atlanta Hawks to take French forward Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in tonight's NBA Draft. It is not a sure thing, but that seems to be the way things are trending. Risacher is the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 and during an appearance on the Pat McAfee show today, ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst says that he thinks that is the direction the Hawks are leaning towards:

"As of last night, I don't think the Atlanta Hawks knew who they were going to take. I think that they are leaning towards Zaccharie Risacher, who is a safe pick at No.1. He is 6'9, he can handle the ball a little bit, I actually think he is a really good passer, I got to see him play in person, but he almost did not average any assists in the French League this year so maybe I am wrong. He is not a guy that is going to come in and change the direction of a franchise, but he can come in and be a good third or fourth starter on a really good team someday and in this draft, that is pretty good."

"I think the Atlanta Hawks are leaning towards Zaccharie Risacher with the number one pick"@WindhorstESPN #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/JNElyo6BPU

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 26, 2024

Most mock drafts have Risacher going with the No. 1 pick. There is always a chance the Hawks either take UConn center Donovan Clingan or trade the pick, but right now it appears that Risacher is on track to be an Atlanta Hawk at the end of the night. Keep in mind that this could be a smoke screen though, so let's wait and see what actually transpires tonight.

In the final mock draft by Bleacher Report analyst Jonathan Wasserman, Risacher is the pick.

Team: JL Bourg-en-Bresse

Position: SG/SF

Size: 6'8", 204 lbs

Age: 19

Nationality: French

Pro Comparison: Harrison Barnes

"The Atlanta Hawks have worked out Donovan Clingan and Matas Buzelis. And despite failing to get Alex Sarr in the building, sources tell Bleacher Report that Sarr is higher on Atlanta's board than both.

Still, Zaccharie Risacher remains the projected pick at No. 1 if the Hawks stick.

While scouts continue to debate the height of his ceiling, there is a perceived level of certainty tied to his positional size, shooting, and defensive tools/quickness. That could sway the Hawks to lean Risacher's way without a sure-thing star at the top. Injury problems with Saddiq Bey and AJ Griffin could also help the case for Risacher to Atlanta."

THe 2024 NBA Draft begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. and it will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.