Best off-ball defender: Zaccharie Risacher, SF, Bourg (France)
Off-ball defense is a skill that takes most players years to learn because of the intricacies of simultaneously tracking the ball as well as their man, being aware of low-man rotation responsibilities, knowing when to deny, when to fill gaps, when to gamble for steals and how to best effectively communicate with teammates on the fly, etc. In Risacher, ESPN's Top 100 No. 1 prospect, an NBA team will be getting a player who is well ahead of his years on the defensive end, particularly regarding his ability to navigate screens.
Bourg, the No. 1-ranked defense in both the French League and EuroCup, often tasked Risacher with guarding the other team's best scorer, even diminutive point guards, which you rarely see from a 6-10 teenager at this level. Risacher's activity staying connected to opponents off the ball, fluidity "getting skinny" fighting through or over the top of screens, and quickness covering ground to get back into plays to contest shots with his 8-11 standing reach (on par with most NBA power forwards) made him uniquely effective with his high-level awareness, instincts and intensity level. As he fills out his 195-pound frame, he should continue to improve. -- Givony
Best off-ball defender: Zaccharie Risacher, SF, Bourg (France)
Off-ball defense is a skill that takes most players years to learn because of the intricacies of simultaneously tracking the ball as well as their man, being aware of low-man rotation responsibilities, knowing when to deny, when to fill gaps, when to gamble for steals and how to best effectively communicate with teammates on the fly, etc. In Risacher, ESPN's Top 100 No. 1 prospect, an NBA team will be getting a player who is well ahead of his years on the defensive end, particularly regarding his ability to navigate screens.
Bourg, the No. 1-ranked defense in both the French League and EuroCup, often tasked Risacher with guarding the other team's best scorer, even diminutive point guards, which you rarely see from a 6-10 teenager at this level. Risacher's activity staying connected to opponents off the ball, fluidity "getting skinny" fighting through or over the top of screens, and quickness covering ground to get back into plays to contest shots with his 8-11 standing reach (on par with most NBA power forwards) made him uniquely effective with his high-level awareness, instincts and intensity level. As he fills out his 195-pound frame, he should continue to improve. -- Givony
