EuroBasket gives fans a chance to watch some of the best players in the world compete for their country during the NBA offseason. The Atlanta Hawks had three players participate in this year’s competition: Vít Krejčí (Czech Republic), Kristaps Porziņģis (Latvia), and Zaccharie Risacher (France). France and Latvia advanced to the knockout round, but the Czech team did not make it past the group stage. All three players at EuroBasket 2025 showed glimpses of what is to come in a Hawks’ uniform this fall.
3 Hawks Takeaways from EuroBasket 2025
Will Krejčí Be More Aggressive?
While Porziņģis and Risacher’s teams had NBA teammates on their national team roster, Krejčí was the Czech Republic’s only NBA player. Ultimately, the Czech Republic went winless at the tournament as they lacked the defensive strength to slow down top bigs like Porzingis, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (Serbia), and Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün (Turkey). However, Krejčí’s EuroBasket numbers certainly do not jump off the page. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while shooting 29.2 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The box score doesn’t tell the entire story.
Krejčí was asked to do a lot for the Czech national team. He served as a ball-handler, facilitator, and shooter for a team that needed him to be the best player on the floor. Because of his shot volume, his efficiency took a massive hit. For reference, he took 5.1 field goal attempts and 3.6 3-point attempts per game in the 2024-25 NBA season. In five games at EuroBasket 2025, these attempts jumped to 9.6 and 6.0, respectively.
Despite his shots not falling, he did display plenty of confidence in his stroke. With that in mind, over the last two seasons, the swingman has made 43.1 percent of his 3s on 274 total attempts. That’s a much bigger sample size than five games this summer.
If Krejčí can combine his EuroBasket aggression and his NBA touch next season, the Hawks can count on him being another shooter in their improved second unit.
Porziņģis Looks to Put Last Season’s Illness Behind Him
In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Porziņģis dealt with an illness that severely affected his conditioning. Questions arose about whether the center would be able to play big minutes next season, but his play at EuroBasket with Latvia answered some of those concerns. Leading Latvia to the Round of 16, Porziņģis averaged an eye-catching 20.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game before falling to Lithuania.
The 30-year-old also generated eight free throws per game, putting pressure on opposing defenses with his size and length. He only shot 10-38 from downtown for the tournament, but his outside touch isn’t as much of a question as his physical health ahead of training camp. With that being said, after Latvia lost to Lithuania (despite his 34-point, 19-board performance), Porziņģis gave an update on his health:
“It’s true that there were still some days when I wasn’t feeling perfect, and I’m still working my way back to having my gas tank full… But as the tournament went on, I started to feel really good physically, and I knew I could push my body.”
Porzingis with HIS OWN putback
#EuroBasket | #MakeYourMark pic.twitter.com/2W6P4bqfYM
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 6, 2025
In an elimination environment, plays like the one above certainly show the Hawks that the 2024 NBA champion is on the right path.
“I feel like I’ve always had my best years after playing with the national team… playing these kinds of high-level, high-intensity games. So going back to Atlanta now, I’ll be in great shape, in rhythm, and ready to hit the ground running,” Porziņģis expressed confidently.
Risacher Shows Added Strength
By the time Risacher ended his first NBA season, it was clear he needed to add muscle over the summer. Throughout his rookie campaign, stronger perimeter wings or guards often drove into his chest, bumping off his spot. The 2024 first overall pick also struggled to finish through contact. The Hawks will have loved how his play with France at EuroBasket 2025 shows how hard he worked hard to address that issue.
The now 20-year-old forward averaged 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 dimes before France fell to Georgia in the Round of 16. A focal point of the offense despite coming off the bench, Risacher shot 12-29 from 3 for the tourney. After revealing a desire to improve his ability to create for himself in an interview with Athletiko’s Christos Tsaltas, he also scored with more assertiveness off the dribble.
OH MY ZACCHARIE RISACHER!
One-handed POSTER SLAM in EuroBasket
pic.twitter.com/UwPzJtJWDT
— NBA (@NBA) August 28, 2025
In 2024-25, Risacher played 24.6 minutes per game. In EuroBasket 2025, he averaged just 17.8 minutes with France. Nonetheless, as he continues to come into his own, he can expect an uptick in playing time next season.
© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
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