Atlanta Hawks rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher isn’t particularly flashy, explosive, or expressive.
These aren’t the only reasons that he’s flown under the radar. Despite being teammates with showman Trae Young, he hasn’t gotten much attention from the national media. That being said, many Hawks fans would be quick to point out that Young doesn’t get as much praise as they’d expect either.
Nevertheless, Risacher has played so well over the past month that it’s impossible to ignore his performance.
Hawks No. 1 Pick Zaccharie Risacher Starting To Play Like One
Risacher hasn’t necessarily been stringing together 20-point games. He does consistently score in double-digit figures. He’s also the only rookie this season who has multiple games with 30+ points and zero turnovers.
19-year-old Zaccharie Risacher, who finished tonight with 30 points and zero turnovers, became the first teenager in NBA history with multiple 30-point, zero-turnover games, per Elias Sports.
11/6 vs. NYK: 33 points, 0 turnovers
1/30 at CLE: 30 points, 0 turnovers— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) January 31, 2025
What the Frenchman is doing that’s truly special though is shooting lights out from long-distance.
In fact, over his last 14 games, Risacher’s averaging 15.0 points per contest and converting 50.8 percent of his 3-pointers. Extrapolate those numbers for the entire season and his 3-point percentage would be tops in the 2024 NBA Draft class. His scoring average would rank second behind Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner prior to his season-ending injury.
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
As the No. 1 pick, there should be more eyes on Risacher.
It’s understandable for there to be more fanfare surrounding Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey, both because of his size and his success at Purdue. The attention that San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle gets isn’t new, as he was among the most popular high school recruits in his class. Kel’el Ware is now a starter for a team that’s tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA Finals appearances this decade (2); the Miami Heat. Dalton Knecht just so happens to play for the most popular NBA franchise; the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers guard Bronny James is the son of a GOAT contender.
Yet, Risacher is quite similar to Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells, another 3-and-D wing.
Wells has been more consistent throughout the season, which is why he’s one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year. To that point, he’s shooting 38.0 percent from beyond the arc, whereas Risacher is shooting 34.5 percent from deep. Nonetheless, when comparing Risacher’s recent stretch to Wells’s overall play, he’s clearly playing at a relatively high level offensively. At the defensive end, both have the athleticism, technique, and determination to slow down myriad players at the point of attack.
Zaccharie Risacher is putting some really nice defensive playmaking on tape…
8’11 standing reach. Really nice anticipation and ball-denial. Excellent at recovering for blocks after getting screened + trailing the ball handler. Passing lane instincts. Bright defensive future! pic.twitter.com/P8miL6YJSk
— NBA University (@NBA_University) November 15, 2024
Then there’s their basketball IQ, which they flash as offensive playmakers and defensive event-creators.
Historic Comparisons
Despite Wells playing for his alma mater and Risacher comparing himself to the four-time NBA champion, they’re not Klay Thompson. At least not yet. As a reminder, Thompson averaged 21.5 points per game from 2014-15 to 2022-23.
Thus far, they’re closer to two-time NBA champion Shane Battier, who averaged 9.8 points per game from 2001-02 to 2009-10. Nevertheless, if Wells and Risacher’s impact falls somewhere in between the two sharpshooters’, everyone should be happy.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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