ATLANTA – What does former UGA Head Basketball Coach Tom Crean think of the prospects for the Hawks’ #1 Draft Pick this year? He’ll break it down for you here!
ON WHAT THE HAWKS SHOULD DO WITH THE #1 PICK:
I think it’s Zaccharie Risacher. I really do. I think for this reason his level of improvement from last summer to this season to me is incredible. Don’t know him personally, I’ve not seen him play in person, but from studying them last summer and then and then when you start calling around about them a little bit, you realize that the NBA, some of the NBA execs that were out there at the FIBA, I think it was the Under 19 Tournament where he actually played with Alex Sarr on his team. I think people walked out of there not seeing him as a pick this year. Not being a guy that would enter the draft this year and now he’s a logical candidate to be the number one guy.
ZACCHARIE RISACHER HAS BEEN THROUGH ADVERSITY:
That’s the level of improvement he’s shown. I think there’s way more maturity to his game. He’s used to some of the adversity and I think that’s the reason that I would take him in a draft that doesn’t have clear cut, no brainer. I wouldn’t really want to pass him up based on if he stays on this rate of improvement for where he could be in a couple of years.
CREAN’S TAKE ON ALEX SARR:
The upside is Sarr and his ability to run, his ability to drive the ball in that short roll game. The pick and pop game, the shot is not there, the shot is going to take time. I think it’s it’s not broke, but it’s it’s almost in two parts. You know, he catches the ball, he’s up on his right toes on the catch, so like he’s not getting any power in his base and then he’s basically compensating for the lack of power in his lower body with his upper body. So it becomes almost like two shots that that mechanically there’s nothing wrong with and it’s just going to take some time. And and I’m not sure. I mean, I think he would fit Atlanta. I don’t see why it would be a Jalen Johnson issue. I would see Rashada even being more maybe of an issue there.
ON DONOVAN CLINGAN:
He changes the game defensively because he can play with both hands. He can he…he can defend with both hands. He gets them both out. He’s got decent wingspan, but a lot of guys are are shot blockers with one hand.
Right? And he can get both. He’s very, very active, which in an NBA game of all the different possessions, you’re you, you need that. Right? And I think he as a guy that could work his way in. I don’t know if he plays starter minutes right off the bat, but he’s big. He runs, he’s competitive, he’s tough.
