In the NBA, height isn't as concrete as it may seem on the surface. The "height" stat that you find for players is self-reported, leading to discrepancies in the data. For instance, Jalen Johnson is listed as 6'8, his height without shoes as measured by combine measurements. Dyson Daniels lists his height as 6'7, which the combine confirmed is his height with shoes.
Some players even continue to grow while an NBA player, leading to an outdated height stat. This might just be the case for Zaccharie Risacher after Larry Nance Jr. claimed on the Hoop Collective Podcast that the 2024 first-overall selection has grown since last season.
Nance Jr. said "I've heard Zach Risacher has grown a little bit," before Brian Windhorst interjected to ask if Nance Jr. meant Risacher "literally [grew] height-wise." Nance responded with a non-committal stance, but doubled down that he did mean grew taller.
While Nance Jr.'s claim is hearsay, as he has simply heard from others that Risacher grew, this doesn't mean what he is saying is false. He offers supporting evidence for his claim, saying that Risacher's size 18 shoe suggests to Nance Jr. that he had room to grow height-wise.
Risacher might be taller than even Nance Jr. thinks
Risacher's listed height of 6'8 already undersells the Frenchman's height, as he was measured at the combine to be 6'8.5 without shoes in a league where most players list their height with shoes as their official height. This adds two inches to Risacher's height before factoring in Nance Jr.'s speculated growth.
If you disagree with this premise, look up "Zaccharie Risacher Clint Capela" on Google images. One of the first results is a picture taken of the two at media day last September. While Risacher's silhouette is shorter than Capela's, this is misleading, as Capela's hair adds more to his apparent height than Risacher's.
When using the eye test to evaluate height, I like to use a person's eyes to approximate what their height would be without hair. When standing next to each other with the same stance, Risacher and Capela's eyes are at the same level. Capela's height is listed as 6'10, which is his barefoot height according to pre-draft reports.
If Risacher is closer to 6'10 than 6'8, he could blossom into a player capable of playing as the primary rim protector for the Atlanta Hawks. He is already a phenomenal athlete with strong defensive instincts and has reportedly added muscle this offseason.
Risacher's unique size and agility make him one of the most versatile young players in the league. As he continues to grow, both physically and as a player, he will continue to make life easy for the squad around him.