Bronny James was just the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft but the hype surrounding him is more than that of any other player in his class, especially No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. That's encapsulated by the fact that Bronny's Summer League debut jersey sold for $38,400 at Sotheby's , while Risacher's went for just $3,360.
Bronny's jersey was expected to sell for $6,000-$10,000 but far exceeded that number. Risacher's, meanwhile, was expected to go for $4,000-$6,000 but didn't manage to even hit the lower estimate.
I am not sure there's ever been an instance in NBA history where the top pick has had so little hype. Even No. 3 pick Reed Shepherd's jersey went for a far bigger amount than his, at $15,600. The lack of expectations might help Risacher, but only time will tell. The Atlanta Hawks certainly would be hoping that proves to be the case.
Risacher did not feature much in the NBA 2K25 Summer League, as he played just two games. The 19-year-old averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in them, but struggled with his shot. The Frenchman went just 39.3% from the field and 25.0% from beyond the arc, which isn't good enough, but he was still more efficient than Bronny.
James averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in the Summer League for the Los Angeles Lakers and shot 35.0% from the field and 15.8% from beyond the arc. Despite the lackluster showings, the hype did not exactly die down. It's clear, though, that the 19-year-old isn't ready just yet to play significant minutes in the NBA and I expect him to spend a fair bit of time in the G League next season.
Related: NBA Player Gets Real On Huge Pressure Surrounding Bronny James During Summer League
Dominique Wilkins Wants Zaccharie Risacher To Be Given Time
While most of the basketball world doesn't appear to be too high on Risacher, Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins believes he'll do just fine. Wilkins told people to relax when it comes to Risacher.
“He’s young, man. What is this kid, 19? He’s skilled. He’s skilled, but you gotta be able to give him time. Give him time. He’s gonna be just fine. Believe me, he’s gonna be just fine.”
Not having to be the savior right away should help Risacher, as Trae Young is the face of the franchise for the Hawks. They also have some other good pieces like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and Larry Nance Jr., so he is coming into a solid team, unlike most No. 1 picks.
At the same time, though, not going to a team that's in a total rebuild means there are expectations to win and Risacher will be expected to help in that regard from the get-go. If he struggles a fair bit, he might not get as much time on the court as you need as a rookie in order to develop, which isn't ideal. If he ends up spending much of the season on the bench, then it won't bode well for the future.
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