Just a year removed from earning a Silver Medal in the 2024 Olympics, the French national team looks completely different for EuroBasket. Four NBA players who were on the Olympic roster will not be playing in 2025: Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and Nicolas Batum.
With these players not playing in EuroBasket, Zaccharie Risacher has a prime opportunity to showcase his potential as a star in the NBA. Unlike most American prospects, Risacher has not had the chance to be the star in his adult basketball career. This EuroBasket will be the first glimpse of what a team built around Zaccharie Risacher can achieve.
Risacher played well in the preseason friendlies, dropping 14 points and 5 rebounds against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece in the final match. This game included a backdoor cut by Risacher to beat Antetokounmpo to the rim. With five group matches guaranteed, Hawks fans should be eager to see how Risacher can build momentum leading a competitive team as one of its best players.
This EuroBasket tournament is the perfect opportunity for Risacher
While young NBA prospects Alexandre Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly are also on the French squad, Risacher has a major advantage over these players. The coach of the national team is Frederic Fauthoux, who coached Risacher at JL Bourg in his final season before the NBA.
The two clearly have chemistry, as Fauthoux was able to launch Risacher up draft boards. When asked about teaming up with his old coach for the national team, Risacher said, "It’s kind of surreal. When we were in Bourg, we never imagined this. For both of us, it’s a lifelong goal to be here. It makes the experience even more special.” He later added, “We’re on the same page. I know what he expects, and I believe I can fully respond to his vision for this team.
Risacher showed remarkable improvement over the course of his rookie season, finding his form after Jalen Johnson went down with a shoulder injury. Still, as a rookie on a team competing for a playoff spot, he played a limited role. While he had some incredibly high peaks, like his 38-point explosion against the Nets last season, he primarily operated as a supporting player.
Wembanyama's absence is particularly important for Risacher. Wembanyama led the French Olympic team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game in a dominant performance last summer. Without Wembanyama, the French team is suddenly missing its offensive centerpiece and has no obvious star to turn to.
Risacher can prove that he is a future star by capitalizing on a rare opportunity to lead a French team without an All-Star on the lineup. The Hawks have already said they believe in Risacher, and his breakout last season gave the team confidence to make win-now moves this offseason. If he can thrive as the star of the French team, the sky is the limit for this version of the Hawks.