Zaccharie Risacher put together an impressive rookie year for the Atlanta Hawks. The No. 1 pick may not have produced the scoring numbers many other top picks have boasted, but he played a pivotal role as Atlanta’s starting small forward during a 40-win season that saw the Hawks one overtime period away from a playoff berth.
Risacher’s development as a 3-and-D wing is just beginning, but he has already shown signs of future stardom with some offensive explosions. The 20-year-old from France had more 30-point games than any other rookie this season. Risacher had four 30-pieces while no other rookie had more than two.
Given his 6-foot-8 build and two-way versatility, Risacher has flashed shades of a rookie Jayson Tatum. Like Tatum, Risacher went about his first-year business like a consummate professional. Unlike most recent No. 1 picks, Zacch Attack started his career on a true playoff contender while surrounded by high-level talent in Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and the rest of Atlanta’s core.
Tatum also entered the league surrounded by contending talent, averaging just 13.9 points on 10.4 shot attempts per game as a rook. Risacher’s 12.6 points per game saw him finish second in Rookie of the Year voting (Tatum finished third).
In a recent post on his performance coach’s Instagram account, Risacher was shown working on his strength and conditioning with Mathieu Fachart. Fachart’s post included an hourglass symbol in the caption, hinting at big things to come for Risacher.
Zaccharie Risacher can start to mirror Jayson Tatum by putting on more muscle
If Risacher can enter Year 2 of his NBA journey with more muscle, he will move one step closer to following in Tatum’s footsteps. The Boston Celtics superstar entered the league at 204 pounds with a wiry frame similar to that of Risacher. He is now up to 210 pounds after bulking up throughout his career and becoming a more physical player.
Less than a year ago, Tatum became the sixth player in NBA history to lead a team in points, rebounds, and assists on the way to winning a championship. The reigning champ has made four straight All-NBA First Teams and six career All-Star games, along with an Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy and an All-Star Game MVP award. He also has the most career playoff points by a 27-year-old in NBA history.
While it may be far-fetched to expect Risacher to mirror Tatum’s eight-year Hall-of-Fame resume, Hawks fans will love to see the 200-pound Risacher working on his strength ahead of his sophomore season. Risacher shot 59.7% in the paint (less than five feet from the basket), and rookie Tatum shot 57.4% from there on similar volume. Now packing six more pounds of muscle, Tatum converted a career-high 68.7% of his paint attempts this season.
Tatum may have an almost unprecedented collection of accolades for a 27-year-old, but he never cracked 30 points in his rookie year. Risacher dropped a career-high 38 points against the Brooklyn Nets on April 10, flashing some of the superstar potential that compelled Atlanta to draft him.
Risacher looks poised to continue his ascension next season as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. With added strength and physicality, the Frenchman will only improve his offensive arsenal. He should execute on his paint touches more often, ideally becoming a more efficient version of himself for the Hawks.
The future continues to look brighter and brighter for Risacher. While significant changes could be on the horizon for Atlanta, Risacher seems as untouchable as it gets.