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Par Rédaction | Sport
Thanks to his status as the No. 1 pick in the most recent draft, Zaccharie Risacher became a multimillionaire at just 20 years old. He felt the shift in his life, as he explained during an interview with First Team. The first transfers made quite an impression.
Just a year ago, Risacher was playing for JL Bourg in France’s Jeep Elite league. Even though he was already a professional and considered one of the brightest young talents in French basketball—still true today—his life was very different. Beyond relocating to Atlanta, being drafted first overall put him on a whole new financial level.
Since rookie contracts in the NBA are pre-set, Risacher signed a 4-year, $57 million deal, with team options for the last two years. With a smart financial approach and a solid support system—which he has—he’s already secured his and his family’s future. Not bad for someone called the face of “the worst draft in years.”
Zaccharie Risacher Opens Up About His NBA Salary
Of course, this is only the beginning of his journey, and the hard work is far from over. Getting that kind of money on a regular basis can be overwhelming, especially when you’re not used to it. Speaking with First Team, Risacher touched on how this drastic change has affected him:
I think last year in Bourg, I was making €100,000 for the season. That was already solid for an 18-year-old. Now I’ve got a $57 million contract. Everything changes, but not overnight. The summer after the draft, you feel like your life is changing, but you don’t actually have the money yet. It only starts coming in around October.
Since I wasn’t spending much in Bourg-en-Bresse, it wasn’t a problem. The money comes in a bit later than you’d expect, but when it does, it’s kind of shocking. It’s not the first payment that surprises you, but the second one. It comes in every two weeks, and you realize: getting that kind of money every two weeks is impressive.”
Every two weeks, Risacher now earns significantly more than he made over an entire season in the French league. Despite this massive shift in lifestyle, staying grounded and focused on basketball remains the priority. Not every 19- or 20-year-old could handle this kind of sudden wealth without losing control—something that highlights the mental strength needed to make it in the NBA.
Luckily for him, Zaccharie Risacher isn’t the type to spend lavishly, and he managed to comfortably get through the summer before his first NBA paycheck hit. Even so, he admits that the numbers coming in every two weeks from the Hawks are still a shock.
