Risacher was born on 8 April 2005, in Málaga, Spain, where his father, Stéphane Risacher, played professional basketball for Baloncesto Málaga from 2002 to 2006.[2] His family moved back to Lyon, France, where he started playing club basketball at Élan Chalon at the age of three and a half, at youth club Tassin in the suburbs of the city.[3][4]
Risacher entered the youth program of ASVEL Basket in August 2020. He primarily played for the club's youth team in LNB Espoirs, the French under-21 league.[5]
Professional career
LNB
Risacher made his debut with ASVEL's senior team in 2021, in a LNB Élite match against Metropolitans 92.[6] He also made his EuroLeague debut later in the season, on 18 January 2022, in a 75–100 loss to Monaco.[7] He averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the LNB Espoirs competition.[8]
On 16 June 2023, Risacher signed his first professional contract with ASVEL, before being immediately loaned out to fellow first-tier club JL Bourg for the 2023–24 season.[9] On 29 November 2023, he was named to Team France for the LNB All-Star Game.[10]
Internationally, Risacher featured for JL Bourg in the 2023–24 EuroCup, where the team eventually reached the Finals,[11][12] before losing to fellow French side Paris Basketball.[12] In April, Risacher was awarded the EuroCup Rising Star prize; at the age of 18 years and 362 days, he became the second-youngest player to win the award, being just a month older than Džanan Musa, who had won the award in 2018.[13]
On 6 July 2024, Risacher signed with the Hawks[19] and six days later, he made his NBA Summer League debut against the Washington Wizards, recording 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in a 94–88 loss.[20] Risacher made his NBA regular-season debut on 23 October, recording seven points and one rebound in 19 minutes played in a 120–116 win over the Brooklyn Nets.[21] On 6 November, Risacher put up a career-high 33 points in a 121–115 win over the New York Knicks.[22]
National team career
Risacher played for the France under-17 basketball team at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.[23] He struggled with consistency during the tournament which culminated by a zero-point, five-turnover performance in the final against Spain.[24] He averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as France won the bronze medal.[25]
Playing at small forward, Risacher is regarded as a very efficient catch-and-shoot player as well as a good shooter coming off screens or from mid-range.[24] His versatility has been praised for his ability to defend both guards and forwards on the perimeter.[24]
