Zaccharie Risacher was an unusual first overall pick. He lacks the clear star role that most top picks have, but he was already a productive player at the pro level before reaching the NBA. In a league where star power seems to be less important to team success than versatility, the Atlanta Hawks were ahead of the curve with this selection, picking the proven player over the tantalizing upside.
Sam Vecenie, one of the brightest draft experts, had high praise for Risacher's defense from last season. Risacher's offense was what garnered headlines in his rookie year, finishing on an absolute heater after the All-Star break. This offensive bias is typical for rookies, who typically have the physical tools to play high-level defense, yet lack the IQ and instincts to apply their talents immediately.
This is not the case for Risacher, who impressed Vecenie with his intangibles on the defensive side of the ball. Unlike the aforementioned typical rookie, Vecenie thinks Risacher simply needs to grow into his frame to become a standout defender, saying, "I think [Risacher] is going to be a good defender in time, and could be a good defender even as of this year. I thought that he definitely knew where to be last year - I thought that his basketball brain was really strong last year defensively."
Essentially, Vecenie thinks that once Risacher adds enough muscle to his frame to survive against the elite forwards of the NBA, he will be a good defender. Risacher already has the hard part mastered: knowing where to be, when to rotate, how to defend in space, and other conceptual questions that so many young players never seem to learn the answer to.
Risacher will be a premier two-way threat this season
Vecenie hit the nail on the head with Risacher's defensive growth. While he won't be a finished product next season, Risacher just needs a little extra strength to stymy the elite forwards of the NBA on the perimeter.
Luckily for Atlanta, Risacher appears to have already taken this step in his development. Risacher is reported to have put on 10 to 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason, and he used his body well on the defensive side in European competition, averaging 3.4 stocks (steals + blocks) per 36 minutes.
His pre-NBA professional experience certainly helped his early career defense. Risacher played his first professional basketball game at just 16 years old, the age of a sophomore in high school in the States. While his American competition was dunking on inferior competition in exciting yet meaningless games, Risacher was in the lab, defending players with as much professional basketball experience as he had life experience.
This experience clearly paid off for Risacher, who has the IQ of a veteran in the body of a sophomore. With Atlanta taking a swing for the fences this offseason, Risacher needs to be on his A-game next season. He can't be good for a sophomore, either - he has to be a good starting player on a playoff team.
Risacher has shown enough reason to believe his offense is already on the level required of him this season. If his defensive growth can hit this season, as Vecenie suggests is likely, then the Hawks will be in an excellent position to exceed expectations next season.
Nothing is certain until the opening tip of the 2025 season, when we can finally see Risacher's fabled weight gain in action. However, the Frenchman has given every reason to believe in him.