Hawks' Risacher enters play-in as the last man standing from French players to top last 2 NBA drafts

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher is the lone survivor of the influx of French players who have dominated the top of the last two NBA drafts.

Risacher and the Hawks will play at Orlando on Tuesday night in the NBA play-in tournament. Risacher was still a teen when he became the second straight French player to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, following San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 draft.

Another French player, Alex Sarr, was the No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Wizards in last year’s draft, adding an exclamation point to the impact of the French influence on the league. Washington finished last in the Eastern Conference.

San Antonio also missed the postseason, finishing 13th in the West, so Wembanyama's season would be over even if he had not been diagnosed with a season-ending right shoulder ailment in February.

Wembanyama was enjoying another big season after winning NBA rookie of the year in a unanimous vote last season. The Hawks are pushing Risacher to be recognized as the league's top rookie this year, though San Antonio's Stephon Castle is the favorite for the award at the BetMGM Sportsbook. Risacher and Sarr could finish in the top three of the voting.

Risacher, who celebrated his 20th birthday on April 8, endured inconsistencies that could be expected of any young player. He finished strong, winning rookie of the month honors in February and March while helping the Hawks overcome the loss of another rising star, Jalen Johnson, to season-ending shoulder surgery in late January.

“As far his work ethic, his passion, his competitiveness, he's got an approach to the game that's reflective of his character and not of his age,” coach Quin Snyder said of Risacher after Sunday's 117-105 win over Orlando to close the regular season. “I think because of that we've just seen steady progress throughout the course of the year.”

Risacher (6-foot-9, 215 pounds) started 73 games and averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds and finished second on the team, behind top scorer Trae Young, with 122 3-pointers.

“I feel like I was just lucky to be on the court every single night and be able to learn, be able to make mistakes,” Risacher said. “I feel like that's why I'm not the same player I was when I got here, just because I was able to be on the floor and make mistakes and learn from my teammates.”

Risacher topped NBA rookies by scoring more than 30 points in three games, including two in the final nine games of the regular season. He scored a season-high 38 points in a 133-109 win at Brooklyn on Thursday night.

Risacher's 35.5% shooting on 3-pointers supported the catch-and-shoot potential which helped make him the top pick, and his quickness and athleticism enable him to create shots.

“Zach is very, very aggressive and he’s very smart,” Young said. “I mean, there’s a lot of guys that are tall and athletic and skilled, but there’s not a lot that have all three combined with smartness. And he has all three. He’s just very young right now and he’s kind of light.”

Young said Risacher has “the brightest future of any rookie that I’ve seen this year. ... He's rookie of the year, I think."

The 7-foot Sarr, 19, averaged 13 points and 6.5 rebounds. He became the third rookie in NBA history to record at least 100 blocks, 100 assists and make at least 100 3-pointers. The others were Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren last season.

Washington coach Brian Keefe said Sarr improved through his rookie season.

“You can see him attacking more and more, and he’s getting more comfortable with that," Keefe said. “You can see some of the finishing is improving, see some of his left-hand finishing improving. Want him to be aggressive. That’s the most important thing. Get aggressive, attack the rim. That’s what we’ve wanted him to do, and he’s showing some growth there here at the end of the year.”

Keefe said Sarr has “gotten better month to month, week to week, game to game.”

Among other players from France still playing, Minnesota center Rudy Gobert is in his 12th season. Another veteran, Nicolas Batum, plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. Detroit's Killian Hayes was born in the United States and raised in France.

AP Sports Writer Noah Trister contributed to this report.

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The San Antonio Spurs Coyote, right, teaches Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama how to use the tee shirt cannon after an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, April 13, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama watches Florida and Houston during the second half in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama throws novelty basketballs to fans after an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, April 13, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) handles the ball as Philadelphia 76ers forward Quentin Grimes defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Washington, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Washington, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) shoots over Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) during the first half of a basketball game, Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher (10) shoots over Brooklyn Nets' Tosan Evbuomwan (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher (10) dunks the ball in front of Brooklyn Nets' Nic Claxton (33) and Tosan Evbuomwan (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher (10) tries to get past Philadelphia 76ers' Marcus Bagley (35) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)