Zaccharie Risacher was an unorthodox first overall pick last year. He certainly had proven he was an exciting prospect in France, bringing home the EuroCup Rising Star and LNB Elite (French top division) Best Young Player awards. However, Risacher didn't necessarily look like a superstar in the making.
As a young player in France, Risacher looked like a different type of player - the type of player who feeds off the success of their teammates. Klay Thompson is perhaps the greatest player of all time in this role, becoming one of the league's deadliest offensive threats despite never creating his own look. The Hawks saw shades of Thompson in Risacher's game and were impressed enough to select him first overall.
However, Risacher showed flashes of developing beyond this role in EuroBasket, playing and thriving in the most ball-dominant role he's seen in his young career. Without the headliners of the 2024 Olympic team, Victor Wembanyama, Evan Fournier, and Rudy Gobert, France was forced to rely on Risacher and their young core for star power.
How Risacher handled the added expectations
While his per-game average won't move Hawks fans, recording 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across six matches, his individual moments of brilliance suggest Risacher has expanded his game.
Perhaps what is most important from his EuroBasket performance was his shooting efficiency. Risacher shot 41.4% from deep and 60.0% from two point territory over the course of the tournament. While EuroBasket is clearly a lower level of competition than the NBA, his ability to score at a high mark despite the increased offensive responsibility is reason to be optimistic about his development.
His greatest showing came against Iceland, where Risacher recorded 15 points and 7 rebounds on 6/8 shooting from the field in just 21 minutes. Risacher had a filthy play in this game, where he stunned the opposing big man with a killer dribble combo before stepping back and nailing the three with a hand in his face.
Later in the match, Risacher was caught gambling on a backdoor pass. Despite being a step behind his defender and in an awkward position, Risacher exploded for a stunning chase-down block on the opposite side of the rim.
Again, the level of talent in EuroBasket pales in comparison to the NBA. When Risacher recorded his chase-down block against Iceland, the score was 75-39 in France's favor. Still, the competition provided an excellent training ground for Risacher to show fans what he has been working on.
Risacher might not be ready to reach deep into his offensive bag on a nightly basis in the NBA, but his development as an on-ball scorer is nothing to scoff at. Playing next to the Hawks' other dynamic on-ball stars, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson, should give Risacher easier scoring opportunities than he saw in national competition.
The sky is the limit for Risacher if he can continue to score at an efficient clip while incorporating more difficult shots into his arsenal.