Zaccharie Risacher ended his rookie NBA season with a flourish. Finishing as the runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting, the Frenchman improved across the board as the season progressed. After a slow start from beyond the arc, Risacher shot lights out once the calendar flipped to 2025. He also showed versatility on the wing, professional defensive instincts, and a knack for avoiding turnovers. The Atlanta Hawks know they have an exceptional talent in Risacher, but what is the path for the 20-year-old to reach his full potential? His first NBA offseason will be critical to his development.
Zaccharie Risacher’s Path To Development For the Hawks
Volume Three-Point Shooting
Risacher shot 35.2% from deep on 3.4 attempts per game in his last season with Bourg in France. He bumped the volume to 4.6 triples but remained efficient at 35.5% in his first NBA campaign, even though he struggled for the first three months. In fact, Risacher never reached the 30% mark until January. Opposing teams went under screens to give him space to shoot, but the rookie could not punish them. However, he found the range over the final four months, never dipping below 36% from beyond the arc.
Suddenly, teams were forced to close out aggressively to prevent Atlanta’s six-foot-eight wing from getting a clean look. Risacher went from primarily shooting standstill threes to moving shots coming off screens. In March, head coach Quin Snyder commented on the rookies’ improvement from beyond the arc.
“He shot like 2000 shots since September and there are some things that he is doing with his feet that are a little different, his balance is better, and he is maintaining his confidence.”
Risacher scored at least 20 points, including four 30-point performances, eight times this season. All but one came after Jan. 30. He averaged 8.6 attempted threes in those contests.
Given their current roster construction, Risacher’s development as an elite three-point shooter, both in volume and efficiency, is critical for the Hawks. At the trade deadline, they traded two great shooters, Bogdan Bogdanović and De’Andre Hunter, for more financial flexibility. Outside of Risacher’s strong shooting for four months, Trae Young is the only proven threat from deep in the starting lineup. Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu are not strong outside threats yet. The spacing Risacher can provide is critical for Atlanta, especially Young, to execute half-court sets effectively.
Building Muscle To Help On Both Ends
Before his first NBA game, the Hawks and Risacher knew he would need to add muscle to his frame. The rookie showed some crafty, finesse finishing moves around the rim. He relied on a feathery touch with his left hand, often freezing defenders who thought he would go up with his dominant right. However, he struggled to convert through contact on slashes to the rack. Risacher finished layups at just a 46.1% clip and shot 42.7% in the paint.
In his exit interview, Risacher mentioned “working on my [his] body” and finishing as top priorities this offseason. Adding muscle will help Risacher finish through contact in his sophomore season. He showed impressive athleticism and a knack for finding open driving lanes on fastbreaks. When he adds more muscle, Atlanta will have two major threats to go through defenders with force in Risacher and Johnson.
On defense, Risacher moved well laterally to keep smaller, shifty guards in front of him. In contrast, he struggled to keep players like Josh Giddey, OG Anunoby, and Kyle Kuzma from getting to the rim. Even though he slid his feet, stronger opponents often drove the ball into the Frenchman’s chest, bumping him off his spot and forcing Atlanta’s defense to collapse. Risacher showed all the tools in his rookie campaign to be a strong defender in the league. He just needs his body to catch up with his mind.
Risacher’s development certainly includes other aspects, such as ball handling and reading defenses in the pick-and-roll. However, he is not likely to be on the ball as much with Young, Johnson, and Daniels around him. Becoming an even deadlier threat from distance and adding muscle to his frame can help the Hawks improve on their 40-42 finish this season.
Featured image: © Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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