NBA Mock Draft: Houston Rockets Get Lucky at No. 3

The latest mock draft might prove to be too good to be true for the Houston Rockets at pick number three.

Jun 23, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum speaks before the second round / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It's been said that the 2024 NBA draft class is a weak one. We've heard it for months.

Better yet, we've heard it for years. This class doesn't have a Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson level of a prospect.

But although there may not be a clear-cut top prospect that teams have been jockeying for, those claims are a bit exaggerated. 

They always are.

If a team knows how to scout, evaluate, and assess talent, they'll always walk away with a high-level contributor. Although the focus is always on acquiring superstars, role players are oftentimes the key to winning a championship.

It's still a major victory to walk away with a player who has a skillset that fills a team's needs. For this reason, the Rockets can go a number of different directions with the third pick in the draft, which has everyone struggling to pinpoint exactly what they'll do.

This is assuming they actually use the pick, rather than dealing it to bolster their roster with a proven player in the league. Jonathan Feigen, the Houston Chronicle's beat writer for the Rockets, compiled a mock draft and predicted the Rockets to draft Zaccharie Risacher from France.

"The Rockets have consistently looked for the best player available, but what if it is difficult to determine who is best? Do they lean toward need and look for Reed Sheppard’s shooting? Maybe view Nikola Topić as a long-term point guard? Risacher has the shooting touch and range to merit a pick this early, with defensive tools to develop. He also has some positional versatility but predominantly plays the wing, where the Rockets are especially deep."

Many have the Atlanta Hawks predicted to nab Risacher with the too overall pick, which would obviously end any hopes or dreams of the Frenchman to fall to Houston. The 6-foot-8 wing has drawn comparisons to Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets, as he too is a knockdown shooter, 35.2 percent from deep, and has the ability to be a connective piece on offense. 

Risacher is also a highly switchable defender, which is made easier as a result of his long arms and 6-foot-11 wingspan. Risacher's skillset is perfect for Rockets coach Ime Udoka, but they may not be so lucky, if he's not on the board when they're on the clock.

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Rockets on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Rockets on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.