Hawks fans have a lot to watch for this summer. Three of Atlanta's rotation players are suiting up for their respective countries in EuroBasket: Kristaps Porzingis, Vit Krejci, and last year's number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. While Porzingis and Krejci struggled in the first slate of matchups yesterday morning, Risacher showed no signs of slowing down today as France began an important stretch of games.
This one was a runaway from the beginning. France was the favorite heading into today's matchup against Belgium, and they proved why. Their roster is headlined by several young NBA standouts: Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Guerschon Yabusele. Belgium, on the other hand, has nobody on their roster with NBA experience, a clear advantage for the Frenchmen.
FINAL: BEL 64, FRA 92
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) August 28, 2025
Z. Risacher: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 3/4 FG, 2/3 3PT, +14
France advances to 1-0 in EuroBasket group play. pic.twitter.com/ISK9o79rtJ
France defeated Belgium in dominant fashion, posting a final score of 92-64. Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher led the way with his all-around excellence. In just over 18 minutes, he recorded 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal on 3/4 shooting (2/3 3PT). He also had the second-highest +/- on the team with a +12.
Risacher is displaying exactly what Atlanta wants from him in year two
While the numbers are not out of this world, the former first overall pick displayed flashes of brilliance on both ends, making his impact felt and leading his country to a statement win. Not long after tipoff, Risacher came down with the highlight of the offseason. He put Belgium's Kevin Tumba on a poster after an excellent backdoor cut. This level of aggressiveness in just the first game of EuroBasket shows how badly Zaccharie wants to win.
A notable aspect of Risacher's offensive game today was how quick and confident his release looked. Both of his three-pointers came on contested attempts in the corner. His growing ability to catch and shoot in the corner at an efficient rate, as well as move off the ball with quickness, will open up the floor for the Atlanta Hawks in a tremendous way next season.
France is now 1-0 in EuroBasket group play. While one game is not nearly enough to make a definitive statement on who the best team in the world is, six games could be. If the standings took into account the five exhibition games played before the tournament began, France would have an unreal record of 6-0. They have yet to see a loss in this high-stakes set of matchups.
Risacher and France will have a chance to maintain this momentum in their next matchup against Luka Doncic and Slovenia on Saturday morning. It will be a challenging task, but a win over the Lakers superstar could give France the last bit of momentum they need to win this tournament.