Recent draft report raises serious concerns about top prospect

With only a couple of days to go before the 2024 NBA Draft, just about every San Antonio Spurs angle has been dissected. Fans have a good idea of who the draft picks are and what they could potentially bring to the team. The other huge part of the offseason discussion thus far has involved potential free agents and trade speculation. It's hard not to feel like most scenarios have been covered, but there is always a new perspective to make one rethink the conversation.

Spurs insider and longtime writer LJ Ellis has been covering San Antonio's offseason with great detail and recently released his Spurs Big Board. It was very insightful, giving readers a slight peek into the mindset of the front office during the draft process. But while reading the article, something jumped out as a possible concern regarding Zaccharie Risacher.

"I still think Risacher is the top player on the Spurs Big Board. Predictive analytics models grade Risacher as a second-round pick and his athletic combine testing was shockingly poor—but I still think San Antonio would pick him over all the other prospects. He will probably be a good three-point shooter and a 6-foot-10-in-shoes defender who can thrive on the perimeter. In this draft, that’s enough to earn him the top spot."

- LJ Ellis

Would taking Risacher in the top 10 be a reach?

You have to wonder about the bust potential of a player whose predictive analytics grade them a second-rounder. There has to be concerns when that same player grades poorly in his athletic combine testing. It feels like the reason Risacher is being so highly coveted is almost purely based on potential. Great size means nothing if a player can't come close to maximizing those special traits.

When you look at the numbers, they don't blow you away. He averaged 11 points and shot 39% from three last year. The shooting numbers would help a team that struggled from distance last season but Risacher has been talked about as a top-2 prospect and there isn't enough in the statistics to warrant that.

To some degree, you are relying on potential for every player in the draft but most of the guys had the production to justify the expectations. Risacher's elevated status seems more about what you 'hope' he turns into, and 'hope' is not a strategy. The Spurs should tread carefully if they're seriously considering using one of their lottery picks on such an unknown variable.