After a bit of a slow start to his rookie season, No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has started to show a lot of good things over the past month for the Atlanta Hawks. His early season struggles came from poor shooting (especially from three), but he has turned that around at a time when the Hawks most needed it. With De’Andre Hunter traded at the deadline, the Hawks had a void when it came to wing players who could shoot reliably, but Risacher has done his part to fill that void.
Where should Risacher rank among the other rookies in this draft class? ESPN’s Jeremy Woo ranks the French forward at No. 2 heading into the post-All-Star Break in the NBA’s season:
“Risacher has come on over the past few weeks, playing more assertive basketball since the new year, notably a 30-point, 11-of-14 game on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 30 that included a 7-for-7 first half, becoming the first teenage player to have multiple games of 30 points and no turnovers in league history.
He is turning into a capable starter for Atlanta, likely held back to some extent by his role, but showing the poise and talent on both ends of the floor that made him an attractive No. 1 pick candidate. He is taking excellent care of the ball and making good decisions — the next step will be growing into a larger offensive role going into next season.”
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle ranked No. 1 in the rankings.
During the month of February, Risacher is shooting 55% from the field and 41% from three. He has had six double-digit scoring games and he has only shot below 50% from the field once this month. Maybe even more impressive for Risacher is that he is taking care of the basketball. In seven games this season, Risacher has only two turnovers.
He still has improvements to make, but it is noticeable the strides that he has made this season. He is becoming a more reliable shooter, taking care of the ball, and continues to be a useful defender. Atlanta is in the thick of the race to be the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and if Risacher continues to play like this, they just might be a playoff team.
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