Zaccharie Risacher was the perfect pick for the Atlanta Hawks

Many Atlanta Hawks fans were not sold on Zaccharie Risacher heading into this year’s NBA draft. Alexandre Sarr stood out as a clear-cut top pick for a lot of people, despite his failure to even attend a workout with the Hawks. 

While Sarr has shot incredibly poor from the field (0-for-15 last game) in Summer League action, Risacher still hasn’t had the kind of offensive explosion some fans want from a No. 1 pick. Many of Risacher’s teammates are fighting for two-way contracts and training camp deals, so the ball has not found the rookie as often as expected.

Nevertheless, Hawks fans should not worry because Risacher will pan out as the perfect pick for Atlanta.

At 6-foot-9 with sneaky athleticism, Risacher has the perfect build for a modern NBA wing. The French teenager has immense two-way potential, and he already showcased the ability to guard multiple positions in his pre-draft tape. The Summer Hawks have also started him at shooting guard, leaning into the skills that could classify him as a wing-guard hybrid.

While his Summer League numbers haven’t jumped off the stat sheet, Risacher has flashed the intangibles that were obvious during his time in France. From disciplined off-ball movement to high-IQ positioning on the glass, the versatile rook does a lot of dirty work that will go unnoticed by the casual fan. 

Risacher’s underrated playmaking and ability to switch on defense should allow him to thrive under the kind of pace the Hawks like to play with. His versatility will make him easy to insert into any lineup next season, and Atlanta fans should be ecstatic about it.

Zaccharie Risacher will impact winning sooner than fans expect

Risacher had the least amount of pre-draft hype for a No. 1 pick in a long time, but he will contribute to winning basketball sooner than most fans realize.

Many analysts and experts suggested that Risacher would struggle to create his own shot, which would hinder his chances at stardom. At just 19 years old, Risacher has time to improve his ball handling, shooting, and self-creation. His length and IQ should allow him to mold his scoring abilities quicker than most, and he had some impressive moments as an aggressive isolation scorer in Europe and the Summer League.

Countless fans dubbed this year’s draft class as one of the worst in recent history, and that seemed to affect the amount of research these fans did prior to draft night. Clearly, people did not do their homework on Risacher.

Considering his age, fans should not be underrating Risacher’s ceiling just because he hasn’t fully developed certain aspects of his game yet. Like Luka Doncic, Risacher made his EuroLeague debut at 16 years old. A combination of raw talent and professional experience should allow a rookie Risacher to seriously impact winning for the Hawks.

While many scouts and pundits doubted Risacher’s ball control and confidence before the draft, the Frenchman has enough sky-high potential to master both of these qualities. Take this coast-to-coast Summer League slam, for example.

Zaccharie Risacher is excited to play with the Atlanta Hawks

Risacher has already shown plenty of eagerness to get the regular season started with his new teammates. He spoke with Hawks writer Jameelah Johnson about the support players like Trae Young have brought to Las Vegas.

"This is great. You can tell how special the next season is gonna be. They’re here to support us," Risacher told atlhawksfans' Jameelah Johnson on July 16. "That means something, especially for rookies like me. I’m really grateful for them."

Risacher boasts many qualities that signal a very high floor. From his lineup flexibility to his two-way motor, the Zacch Attack is a consistent 3-pointer away from one of the highest floors in the NBA. However, he also possesses the untapped talent that indicates a high ceiling. Given his promising work ethic, Risacher could easily become an off-the-dribble threat with three-level scoring prowess.

The Hawks’ decision to take Risacher over Sarr should have had more fans ecstatic from the start. Regardless of how Risacher finishes up Summer League, Atlanta will have high hopes for the future. 

The Hawks got the right guy. Hopefully, they make the most of it.