Washington Wizards Head Overseas in Post-March Madness Mock NBA Draft

In a new mock draft following the NCAA Basketball tournament the Washington Wizards opt to go outside the United States for new talent.

The Washington Wizards may be making NBA talent the primary import if a recent USA Today mock draft is correct.

While competing for the first overall pick in late June the Wizards were in the second spot behind the lowly Detroit Pistons in standings order at the time of this mock.

With that pick, Washington doubled down on it's French experience by adding forward Zaccharie Risacher to a roster with guard Bilal Coulibaly already on it.

Mar 14, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0).

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"(Risacher) has the scoring ability, size, length, quickness and athleticism teams are seeking in today’s NBA," writes USA Today. "Quick release on catch-and-shoots, is able to create off the dribble and runs the court well."

At six-foot-eight-inches tall Risacher wouldn't be the tallest member of a team lacking in reach, but even as the seventh-tallest forward on the team could be one of the most talented members of it.

Joining forces with fellow overseas products like Coulibaly, forward Deni Avdija, and forward Tristan Vukcevic (tied with forward Marvin Bagley III for tallest on the team at six-foot-ten-inches tall), it would appear the Nation's Capital would become a melting pot of foreign talent brought to the United States for the purpose of winning basketball games.

A fun, yet unrealized, goal with locally sourced American talents like forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Jordan Poole.

Risacher isn't the only imported talent Washington brings in according to the mock, however, as Austrailian (in play) Bobi Klintman also comes in. Another six-foot-eight-inches tall forward.

"Likes to run the court, can score in transition or on drives to the bucket; does not have a textbook jump shot, but gets it to go down," the mock says. "Played one season at Wake Forest before going to Australia to start his pro career."

Klintman is from Sweden originally and in his one season with the Demon Decons became the first player in team history since Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to record a double-double in the ACC Tournament.