Zaccharie Risacher entered into his first game of the FIBA EuroBasket Tournament in the spotlight for Atlanta Hawks fans. With his other teammates having impressive outings for their respective countries, with the most notable being Kristaps Porzingis, who averaged 20 points & 8 rebounds for Latvia, fans are left underwhelmed after Risacher's debut.
After only averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds, which included a scoreless game versus Poland, many fans are scratching their heads, wondering if the Risacher emergence will ever fully come to fruition.
Risacher started his debut on a strong note, scoring 10 points against Belgium, 12 points against Slovenia, and 14 points against Israel, respectively. France went 2-1 in those games, with Risacher having an average efficiency rating of 13.0 and an average +/- of 6.3, nothing too crazy, but nothing to scoff at either.
But the real concern came in France's fourth game of the Qualification Stage versus Poland. In 15 minutes, Risacher went 0/3 from three and 0/4 from the field, going scoreless for the entire game. France would still end up winning this game, though, as well as their next match versus Iceland, before falling to Georgia in the Round of 16, 80-70.
After his poor performance against Poland, Zaccharie Risacher didn't seem to regain his footing. While he scored his tournament-high of 15 points against Iceland, his efficiency dipped significantly, only managing a rating of 10.0. His +/- increased slightly, though, finishing his last three games with a rating of 8.3 in 17 minutes on average.
Questions still remain around Risacher and a potential breakout season
Risacher undoubtably showed those flashes that got him drafted with the first pick back in 2024, with an impressive shooting performance against Iceland and efficient paint work versus Belgium, but Hawks fans were left with more questions than they entered with.
Can Risacher really develop into the game-changer he was drafted to be? Can he adjust to real NBA minutes and perform just as efficiently? Or was his performance in the FIBA just a catalyst for what's to come this upcoming season for Atlanta?
Zaccharie Risacher's performance wasn't a disaster by any means, but it definitely left Hawks fans wanting more. The consensus in the wake of his performance is that Risacher is still a player learning how to translate his talent into assertiveness and dominance, and the Hawks may have to be a little more patient for their young forward to emerge.
But if the FIBA Eurobasket Tournament showed us anything, it's that Risacher's potential is undeniable, but he'll have to show more than potential if the Atlanta Hawks wish to emerge out of the East. Risacher is poised to eventually live up to his draft stock, but he'll have to translate his quiet efficiency numbers to a louder impact, something France wasn't able to fully get out of him over the summer.