Basketball is not a sport, it's a way of life.

A draft day one special

Now that the dust has settled on the first day of the draft, here’s the LBB summary of the players chosen in the lottery. This list is not intended to convey apathy towards those taken outside of it, as we know a few players will hit from slots selected lower than 14, but in truth, most of the meat was off the bone by the time the Blazers made the last selection of the lottery. That being said, there are some additional notes at the end on a few other players taken in the latter parts of the first round who I find interesting. Rather than do grades, mostly because everyone does, I thought I would approach this as an ideal version of the player drafted, what elements of their game may hinder that iteration from coming to fruition, and ultimately what I thought about the fit of the player with the team that selected him. Let’s talk basketball…

#1 Atlanta Hawks - Zaccharie Risacher, F, JL Bourg-en-Bresse (France)

The Best Version: Risacher has the length and stroke to become a potentially elite 3-and-D player. On offense, he’s at his best as a catch-and-shoot player who can get to the rim on straight-line drives or in the open court filling the wing. Defensively, he competes, has good length—6’10 ½ wingspan—and moves his feet well.

What Worries Me: I’m not sure that the offensive game has a lot of room to expand much on-ball juice, as his handle is just okay, and he plays a bit upright when dribbling. The shooting was very streaky, so while the overall numbers look good, there were some feast-or-famine runs from distance, which, when added to shooting just 70% from the line, could be a bad omen in terms of the top-end reach of his shooting abilities.

Fit: Risacher’s shooting ability off the catch should be a great fit alongside Trae Young—if the Hawks point guard stays put—as the rookie will likely be a very capable spot-up shooter from the onset, but that role may also stunt some of the development that is necessary for Risacher to become a more dynamic scorer. The Hawks seem to be always looking for perimeter defenders, which Risacher provides, but hopefully, Atlanta doesn’t try to shoehorn Risacher into their needs but rather allows the youngster to make the wealth of mistakes that will be necessary for him to reach his potential. The fit makes sense for what Atlanta has been trying to pair with Trae, but I have concerns about what the value looks like based on role.

#2 Washington Wizards - Alexandre Sarr, C, Perth (Australia)

The Best Version: An offensively versatile and mobile big man who defensively has the athletic gifts to be a switchable defender that is perfect for the modern NBA. Sarr’s fluidity as a big who can get out and run, stay in front of all five positions, and protect the rim makes him a player that can be a difference-maker on both ends of the floor.

What Worries Me: He’ll never be a traditional back-to-the-basket big man, so if the shot doesn’t prove to be a weapon at the NBA level, his scoring in the halfcourt may be relegated to being a roll man and offensive rebounder. With his size and athleticism, that may still prove a weapon, but with questions regarding his toughness and motor, I wouldn’t want to bet on those being fallback skills that are strong enough to warrant this high of a draft selection.

Fit: First and foremost, the best part of this fit is just the fact that Sarr gets to develop free of the burdensome scrutiny of being the first overall pick, where I’m not sure the pressure wouldn’t have been too much for him. In Washington, Sarr will be able to play in an up-tempo offense, where pressure will be pretty minimal, hopefully allowing for him to work on his finishing around the rim and perimeter shooting for a team that has pretty low expectations for next year as they develop their young core.

#3 Houston Rockets – Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky

The Best Version: Sheppard comes into the league with one of the best shot profiles we’ve seen. Defended, he’s a great shooter, wide-open, he doesn’t miss. There is also an innate feel for the game that Sheppard flashes, which is the type of instinctual element that typically augurs success in a point guard. On the other end, he’s a tough defender with quick and strong hands that should compensate for what he gives up in size.

What Worries Me: I don’t care about the combine numbers, he’s just a good athlete at best for the position, whose size is going to be an issue on both ends of the floor. The shooting is going to have to keep defenses honest in the pick-and-roll because I fear he could get swallowed up by physical defenders who close the space for lack of fear of Sheppard on the drive.

Fit: The fit here is great, as Sheppard can learn from fellow undersized point guard Fred VanVleet. I’m not sure there could have been a better situation in terms of style of tutelage and alleviating the typical intense pressure that a top-3 pick may suffer in situations that require production immediately. Sheppard should also be able to toggle on and off the ball with Jalen Green or Amen Thompson, providing the offensive versatility that I think will best fit his strengths, as his spot-up shooting is likely to be his greatest asset for his career.

#4 San Antonio Spurs: Stephon Castle, G, Connecticut

The Best Version: Castle comes out of the package with a motor and tenacity that are assets to any team; this is the type of player that will fill up a stat sheet as a reflection of doing whatever it takes to win a game. Castle should be a high-level defender and a smart offensive player who functions well within a system as a great hockey-assist guy and plus rebounder from the position. His strength and desire are his most NBA-ready assets.

What Worries Me: The stroke has a long way to go to viability, as he shot just 26.7% from distance, with footwork that needs some correction before he’s anything more than just a marginal catch-and-shoot player. He may be a man with no position on offense, as I don’t buy the talk of him being a point guard that his camp was pushing, while he isn’t a good enough scorer to be a true shooting guard.

Fit: Anytime the Spurs get a smart player whose potential stardom relies upon skill development, it feels hard for me to question the process, even if there may be some overlap with Castle and Jeremy Sochan. Castle is made of the right stuff to be a productive player and the type of on-court influence that can set a culture defensively, but the Spurs may need more than that from the fourth overall pick.

#5 Detroit Pistons: Ron Holland II, F, G-League Unite

The Best Version: Holland plays in explosive bursts that flash moments of him being the best athlete on the floor. He’s dynamic in the open court and should be a very good off-ball cutter with his quickness and leaping ability. When he commits defensively, he can be a lockdown defender on-ball while causing havoc off-ball in the passing lanes. There is a bounty of raw physical potential.

What Worries Me: Holland is a poor shooter (23.9% from distance last year), meaning that playing him alongside fellow fifth pick Ausar Thompson is nearly impossible because of spacing issues—though this selection is more palatable knowing that the recently hired Fred Vinson is there to work his magic. As a playmaker, Holland tends to be myopically focused on getting to the rim and needs to become a much better passer when the defense collapses on his drives.

Fit: The Pistons are a team with a bunch of players, yet still a bunch of needs. That being said, I’m not sure what need is great enough to deal with the concept of potentially playing Thompson and Holland each enough minutes to develop without too much overlap causing the very same spacing issues that plagued the Pistons last season. It would appear that the Pistons are planning on playing fast and swarming next season.